1/ Here& #39;s the latest chapter in my #COVID19 drama.
On Saturday, I tested POSITIVE on a #PCR test.
Was I reinfected?
(Note: this is a multi-tweet THREAD; please read ALL tweets in the thread.)
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
On Saturday, I tested POSITIVE on a #PCR test.
Was I reinfected?
(Note: this is a multi-tweet THREAD; please read ALL tweets in the thread.)
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
2/ As some of you might recall, I had a brutal case of #COVID19 in the fall. I spent 17 days hospitalized at @NYULangone, including almost a week in the ICU on a ventilator.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
3/ But the idea of having #COVID19 again surprised me, for a number of reasons.
First, reinfection is rare. And I was tested at the same time for #COVID antibodies, and I was still positive.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
First, reinfection is rare. And I was tested at the same time for #COVID antibodies, and I was still positive.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
4/ Second, my #COVID19 antibodies, while still positive, were lower than the last time (2.3, down from 3.2).
In reinfection, you might have expected my antibodies to climb again.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
In reinfection, you might have expected my antibodies to climb again.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
5/ Third, I had no symptoms and felt great -- and still feel great today.
(But some reinfected patients are asymptomatic the second time around, like this Hong Kong man.)
https://bit.ly/3l7b9MQ ">https://bit.ly/3l7b9MQ&q... #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
(But some reinfected patients are asymptomatic the second time around, like this Hong Kong man.)
https://bit.ly/3l7b9MQ ">https://bit.ly/3l7b9MQ&q... #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
6/ Fourth, my husband, from whom I have not been quarintining, recently got both rapid and #PCR tests for #COVID19, and he was negative on both.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
7/ But at the same time, #PCR tests for #COVID19 have a fairly low false positive rate.
So I was still unnerved. When I wasn& #39;t holing up at home, I went out for more tests.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
So I was still unnerved. When I wasn& #39;t holing up at home, I went out for more tests.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
8/ On Monday, I went to @CityWideUrgent1 and got a rapid antigen test: NEGATIVE.
(Btw, the wait was "only" 3 hours, shorter than @CityMD, and you can wait indoors if you like.)
#COVID19 #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic #CityMD
(Btw, the wait was "only" 3 hours, shorter than @CityMD, and you can wait indoors if you like.)
#COVID19 #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic #CityMD
9/ But rapid tests are less reliable/sensitive than #PCR tests. So while I was at @citywideurgent1 on Monday, I had another PCR test for #COVID19 (but results would take a few days).
#COVID19 #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
#COVID19 #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
10/ Through one of my doctors at @NYULangone, I set up another #PCR test for #COVID19, which I took on Tuesday.
#COVID #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
#COVID #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
11/ The @NYULangone testing center, by the way, was incredibly efficient: I was in and out in SIX MINUTES!!!
But you need to already have a doctor at NYU Langone who can order the test for you; you can& #39;t just walk in.
#COVID19 #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19
But you need to already have a doctor at NYU Langone who can order the test for you; you can& #39;t just walk in.
#COVID19 #COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19
12/ A protip from the @NYULangone nurse who administered my #COVID19 test: try humming, lips closed, when the swab goes up your nose, and it will be less uncomfortable. (This totally worked for me.)
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus
13/ Today, on Wednesday afternoon, both of my #PCR tests for #COVID19 came back.
First, I got the @citywideurgent1 test result: NEGATIVE!
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
First, I got the @citywideurgent1 test result: NEGATIVE!
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
14/ Second, I got the #PCR test result from @NYULangone: also NEGATIVE!
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
15/ So, in sum, my one positive #PCR test for #COVID19, taken on Saturday at @BellevueHosp, was followed by a negative antigen test on Monday and two negative PCR tests on Monday and Tuesday.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic
16/ I presented all this information to an infectious disease doctor who does #COVID19 research, and this doctor opined that the first result was likely a false positive.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic #falsepositive
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #CoronavirusPandemic #falsepositive
17/ False positives on #PCR tests for #COVID19 are rare, but not impossible.
(Btw, some journalist should write about this and interview some of us. It& #39;s scary thinking you have it again!)
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus
https://bit.ly/2JfG3p3 ">https://bit.ly/2JfG3p3&q...
(Btw, some journalist should write about this and interview some of us. It& #39;s scary thinking you have it again!)
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus
https://bit.ly/2JfG3p3 ">https://bit.ly/2JfG3p3&q...
18/ For example, last month @UofAlabama football coach Nick Saban got a #falsepositive (although he now seems to have #COVID19 for real, unfortunately -- I wish him a speedy recovery).
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus https://nyti.ms/3fHy8gI ">https://nyti.ms/3fHy8gI&q...
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus https://nyti.ms/3fHy8gI ">https://nyti.ms/3fHy8gI&q...
19/ The #PCR test for #COVID19 is very sensitive, so sometimes it picks up trace amounts of RNA that wouldn& #39;t grow if cultured and wouldn& #39;t infect anyone ("non-infectious positive").
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #falsepositive
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #falsepositive
20/ And sometimes the #PCR test for #COVID19 yields a false positive because of cross-contamination, reagent contamination, and the like.
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #falsepositive
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #falsepositive
21/ But again, a #falsepositive on a #PCR test for #COVID19 is rare.
If you& #39;ve never had #COVID and test positive, you probably have it, especially if you have symptoms. And you should act like you have it and quarantine.
#Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus
If you& #39;ve never had #COVID and test positive, you probably have it, especially if you have symptoms. And you should act like you have it and quarantine.
#Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus
22/ In my case, I probably wouldn& #39;t have doubted the positive result if I hadn& #39;t already had #COVID.
Reinfection can happen, but it& #39;s rare. See @apoorva_nyc& #39;s stories for @NYTimes on the general subject of immunity.
Anyway.... https://nyti.ms/2UAQztD ">https://nyti.ms/2UAQztD&q...
Reinfection can happen, but it& #39;s rare. See @apoorva_nyc& #39;s stories for @NYTimes on the general subject of immunity.
Anyway.... https://nyti.ms/2UAQztD ">https://nyti.ms/2UAQztD&q...
23/ This #Thanksgiving, I have something else to be thankful for, on top of the family, friends, and followers who supported me during my illness.
I DON& #39;T HAVE #COVID19 AGAIN!!!
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #Thanksgiving2020 #HappyThanksgiving
I DON& #39;T HAVE #COVID19 AGAIN!!!
#COVID #Covid_19 #COVID__19 #coronavirus #Thanksgiving2020 #HappyThanksgiving
24/ Some tests turn up "positive" results even if the patient isn& #39;t sick or contagious because they run too many "amplification cycles."
See this @MITmedical article (via @Ottstorage).
https://bit.ly/2JaLANN ">https://bit.ly/2JaLANN&q...
See this @MITmedical article (via @Ottstorage).
https://bit.ly/2JaLANN ">https://bit.ly/2JaLANN&q...
25/ Some have argued that rapid antigen tests, which are less sensitive than #PCR tests, might be more useful in dealing with #COVID19 from a public-health perspective.
See this @NYTimes article by @apoorva_nyc (via @TFC3Tweets). https://nyti.ms/3647qvi ">https://nyti.ms/3647qvi&q...
See this @NYTimes article by @apoorva_nyc (via @TFC3Tweets). https://nyti.ms/3647qvi ">https://nyti.ms/3647qvi&q...