Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests currently used to detect SARS-CoV-2 have technical limitations as they cannot distinguish whether the virus in the patient is alive or dead. The researchers analyzed 25 studies on PCR tests and found that such tests can suggest people are infected even after their bodies’ immune system has already fought off the coronavirus because these tests only provide a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as to whether the virus material is in the body. This means such people would test positive even though the coronavirus in their bodies may be harmless and non-infectious.
“After about day eight, you can still find the RNA fragments,” Prof Heneghan told BBC Radio 4’s Today program. “Some studies have reported up to 70 days that you intermittently shed. You can understand the importance of this, because what you want to do is find those with active infection and not those with the RNA fragments.”
Now the newer quicker lateral flow test are not picking up cases they saying that some pcr test also taken are saying they have covid, is it dead virus they finding, even in high viral amounts.
It’s alot like if an alcohol test only tested for alcohol and not how many micrograms it would be useless to tell you how much one has in their system even a small trace would have you banned likewise with the pcr tests and i personally think there main problem is cases are dropping when they use the LFT tests and that does not suit the narrative of locking us all down and inforcing more and more restrictions.
The more you test using the pcr the more cases you will detect.