Meanwhile........

[flacaltenn]

When it comes to the number of cases, they only count POSITIVE results, not probable cases.

No not true.. It's changed back and forth but now is a CDC guideline to count probables. This is likely because the "anti-body" type tests don't KNOW if you're currently infected or been infected in the past 5 months..

Also because that type test confuses common cold with all other CViruses...

We are not testing antibody tests. Those are useless.

CDC/FDA is allowing them to be tallied.. They are often used for surgery screening because it will detect if the patient HAD covid and did not know it..

No one should be using those.

Why would a surgeon need to know of someone HAD the infection?

You want to know if they HAVE it right now.

Because most of the other choices won't DETECT the virus while it's incubating. You've got to have like 3 or 5 days since exposure to register. So if those tests show negative -- doesn't mean the patient WONT become positive while still in the hospital or recovering elsewhere..

Partially LIABILITY for infecting people in their hospital -- but mainly if they HAVE ANTIBODIES -- no one needs to worry what might show up a day or three after the procedure... OTHERWISE -- they might ask the patient to isolate for a week and get tested again before surgery..

 

[flacaltenn]

But I dont think that CDC Is lumping those results in with the confirmed cases.

They do in the sense that an Antibody test CAN BE one criteria in determining "probable cases" And probable cases are PART of what the PRESS LEANS on everyday which is called "reported infections".. Hence the big numbers.. If you want to know the REAL NUMBERS -- the media doesn't report those.. They are on public websites as CONFIRMED cases and REQUIRE a viral DNA type of test as ONE criterion..

It's complicated. More complicated than most realize.. But this article delves into the gory details..

Are antibody tests included in the state’s reporting? Yes and no

One question that comes up consistently in response to our reporting on the daily case numbers is: does the number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio include antibody tests? Well, yes and no. It’s complicated. Here’s as simple as an explanation as we can provide.

www.news5cleveland.com

Didn't you say you were going to explain this simply?
Okay.
If you're looking at the probable cases or total cases, they will include antibody tests. But, for a case to be probable, it also requires another piece of evidence - such as symptoms or evidence of exposure to another person with COVID-19.
If you want to see just cases where the person had a positive viral test and almost certainly has the disease, you'll want to look at the confirmed cases number on the state's website.