Interpreting a covid-19 test result

Interpreting a covid-19 test result: What you need to know

Interpreting the result of a test for covid-19 depends on two things: the accuracy of the test, and the pre-test probability or estimated risk of disease before testing

A positive RT-PCR test for covid-19 test has more weight than a negative test because of the test’s high specificity but moderate sensitivity

A single negative covid-19 test should not be used as a rule-out in patients with strongly suggestive symptoms

Clinicians should share information with patients about the accuracy of covid-19 tests

Rapid Response: Covid-19 testing, low prevalence and the impact of false positive results

Apple and Google’s COVID-19 tracking system will make its full US debut in new Virginia app

Apple and Google’s COVID-19 tracking system will make its full US debut in new Virginia app: Virginia plans to release a COVID-19 exposure notification app based on the specifications published by Apple and Google in April. The app, called COVIDWISE, is the first fully deployed implementation of Apple and Google’s system in the US and was beta tested by the state department of health.

Virginia becomes first US state to debut COVID-19 tracing app using Apple and Google API

Failed coronavirus tracing app repackaged to tell users their risk ratings: [UK] Ministers will launch a scaled back version of the coronavirus app this month after accepting that it was not accurate enough to be used for contact tracing.

A version that tells people about infection levels in their area and allows them to use personal information to calculate a risk score will be trialled.

Introducing the Harding-Hancock Efficiency test: A new way to measure the effectiveness of test and trace

When a Contagion Comes, Women Bear a Heavy Burden

When a Contagion Comes, Women Bear a Heavy Burden: While contagions like Covid-19 might kill more men, the impact of a pandemic on women’s lives is vast and understudied.

Supercomputer study of mobility in Spain at the peak of COVID-19 using Facebook and Google data

Supercomputer study of mobility in Spain at the peak of COVID-19 using Facebook and Google data: Researchers from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center have published a study based on mobility data from Google and Facebook at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, to demonstrate how this can be a sound source of information for epidemiological and socioeconomic analyses.

The data were collected between March 1 and June 27, from the phones of volunteers who had agreed to use tracking apps.

COVID Alert - Canada

Download COVID Alert today: Your privacy is protected

COVID Alert does not use GPS or track your location.

It has no way of knowing:

Your location.

Your name or address.

Your phone's contacts.

Your health information.

The health information of anyone you're near.

Nobody will get any information about you or the time you were near them.

Will Covid-19 Vaccine Trials Reflect America's Diversity?

Will Covid-19 Vaccine Trials Reflect America's Diversity?: Black and Latino people have been three times as likely as White people to become infected with Covid-19 and twice as likely to die, according to federal data obtained via a lawsuit by The New York Times. Asian Americans appear to account for fewer cases but have higher rates of death. Eight out of 10 Covid deaths reported in the U.S. have been of people ages 65 and older. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that chronic kidney disease is among the top risk factors for serious infection.

Historically, however, those groups have been less likely to be included in clinical trials for disease treatment, despite federal rules requiring minority and elder participation and the ongoing efforts of patient advocates to diversify these crucial medical studies.

Top WHO warns against return to national lockdowns

Top WHO disease detective warns against return to national lockdowns: The World Health Organisation has urged countries not to reimpose national lockdowns in an attempt to stem the spread of Covid-19 due to the health, social and economic repercussions.

By the end of March, as the coronavirus outbreak spiralled out of control across the globe, well over 100 countries had imposed a full or partial lockdown – affecting billions of people.

Dr Van Kerkhove described these measures as a “blunt, sheer force instrument” that bought countries time to build the public health infrastructure needed to tackle Covid-19.