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MackayIM

In the spirit of filling those with no PCR experience in. This is a lunchtime thread showing the progress of a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-rPCR) "run".The thing being

Just a reminder that we have two-fifths of FA real data on how any single person or group gets infected by SARS-CoV-2. We're not there to observe the process. We

"I am not a biologist, but have been discussing this article with a university student who is studying the field. He is questioning whether a PCR test can distinguish two

..as may every PCR -based test used for any pathogen. Ever. This isn't news, it just (clearly) hasn't been explained to the public (& some media) before. Obviously top shelf

nohttps://twitter.com/gummibear737/status/1300828259756707840 PCR doesn't make RNA, it makes DNA (it even says so in the figure!). PCR isn't making "copies of a specific DNA/RNA sample", but of a sequence region (if

Are we still doing this? That image is from a paper the *authors* withdrew. It's not even considered a credible analysis by those who wrote it? Why do you lot

Thanks the number gods, @abcnews has generated a linear curve. Puts things into a nice context (might be nice if we could also switch off countries, plus maybe switch on

Human-to-human (h2h) spread of the new coronavirus detected in Wuhan.A few thoughts.To say that there is *no* h2h during the discovery phase of an emerging disease is using language that

UK#COVID19 USWhile the log curve looks to be flattening, watch the dailies - growth might no longer be radically increasing, but its also not dropping off yet. That's a *lot*

Pandemic movies seen so far(with the family)Jojo Rabbit Awesome. ContagionStill good on 2nd viewingJumanji: The next levelUnsalvageable Crap Sonic The HedgehogPerhaps good for *very* young children

Yes. Cloth masks (less so than surgical masks & less again than N95 respirators) *can* reduce risk of inhaling potentially (an as yet unproven, but possible route of SARS-CoV-2 infection)