Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

Texas stopped counting antibody tests this week. That is why the numbers are down.

After blowback, Texas admits 6% of its reported tests were for antibodies, not active infections


Texas health officials made a key change Thursday to how they report data about the coronavirus, distinguishing antibody tests from standard viral tests and prompting slight increases in the state’s oft-cited daily statistic known as the positivity rate.

And dumping antibody testing data into the pool of viral testing data brings the overall positivity rate down, reflecting "a deceptive misuse of the data," analysts for the COVID Tracking Project wrote last week. That's because the numbers may make it seem like the state has grown its testing capacity even if a state's viral testing capacity remains flat.

The positivity rate is the ratio of the confirmed cases to total tests, presented by the state as a seven-day rolling average. The Texas Department State of Health Services disclosed for the first time Thursday that as of a day earlier, it had counted 49,313 antibody tests as as part of its "total tests" tally. That represents 6.4% of the 770,241 total tests that the state had reported through Wednesday.

Health experts have warned against conflating the tests because they are distinctly different. Antibody tests detect whether someone was previously infected, while standard viral tests determine whether someone currently has the virus.

 

False. Texas stopped counting antibody tests this week.

 

I know I have asked before, but what part of the state are you in? We have fared really well in Wilmington, but I think our geographical isolation helps.

 

I would take that "reported deaths" chart with a serious grain of salt. Look at the disparity between peaks and valleys. Every four days or so there is an outlying low number. Too much inconsistency not to call the validity into question. OTOH look at your reported cases chart. Like my state, it's not a good trajectory. MN and NC seem to be a bit behind in the whole progression of things. We were comparatively slim in our state until recently. Now we've flown past Wisconsin.

I'm quite fearful that seeing these trends in combination with states opening up is not a good harbinger for the near future. Hope I'm wrong and that some miracle becomes us, removing the threat. The current trajectory, though, does not look good when folks appear to be running out the the bars, restaurants, beaches, etc. and acting like nothing is going on.

 

The antibody testing was only included in the testing numbers....not the cases.
The number of cases is not impacted by the antibody testing. It is irrelevant to what I posted.

Coronavirus statistic touted by Gov. Abbott was blurred by inclusion of antibody tests

 

I'm referring to more than the graph. You went to the trouble of posting about a dozen quotes from a brief TV interview of the Dallas mayor. All in the name of arguing that corona cases in TX.

 

Careful in how you interpret the graph, Tilly. One week ago there was an outlying peak. Anything from that peak would appear to be a decrease. I'm not going to continue to argue TX numbers. Like you, I hope they get better and wish them nothing but good health.

 

How much has testing improved in MN?
North Carolina's % testing positive is dropping.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article242924041.html

 

Nah...it is slowing down and will likely almost be football season at that point. Then everyone stops caring about Covid.

 

To clarify, Those quotes were just to point that the video did not confirm the intent of the poster. The mayor was pretty upbeat and positive.

I agree about continuing the argument. We are all hoping for the same thing.

 

Guilford County - Greensboro.

The Triad area of Greensboro-High Point and Winston-Salem have about 2000 combined cases and nearly 100 deaths. Of the deaths, I would guess that something north of 80% are from congregate care facilities.

 

Just one point. The N&O said yesterday the percent of positives is actually dropping.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article242924041.html

 

It really seems Cooper has done a pretty good job.

 

Sorry I'm not good at interpreting Tweeter vids. Is that a recent sequence of events? If yes, good Lord. These idiots are going to undo every bit of effort and suffering we've all endured for the past 2+ months. What a bunch of idiotic a$$holes. Now if I'm interpreting this incorrectly, sorry. Nevermind.

 

That is right. I misread the link I posted.

 

It has been a fine line and I think he has done well walking it. Now, it is up to the citizens of the state to act responsibly.....which is where I predict that the state fails.

 

It happens man. There is so much info out there. It really is hard to make heads or tails.

 

The video did support what I said. The interview she did concerned Dallas only. And the continuing 7 day trends I posted through last week supported what I posted. You posted a slight drop in the 7 day average this week, which showed a very small dip off the peak which is not a trend.