#COVID19 Q&A Video #6 (3/16/20)—Why testing matters; Primer on “sensitivity” and “specificity”

Well SupportedA false negative result in COVID-19 testing is dangerous because an infected, asymptomatic person could unknowingly spread the virus.

Partially SupportedSpecificity in a COVID-19 test refers to the true negative rate, the probability of a negative test result in someone who does not have the virus.

Partially SupportedFor COVID-19 testing, higher negative predictive value is more important than higher positive predictive value to prevent infected individuals from unknowingly spreading the virus.

Partially SupportedThe COVID-19 virus can remain dormant for extended periods, with viral shedding potentially lasting up to 24-30 days in infected individuals.