(Snippets from the frontline)
COVID-19: Playing odds with testing and treatment
The recent White House COVID-19 test accuracy for personnel (including the President) reveals about 48% of results may be incorrect, although this is relatively similar to regular flu testing.
Inaccuracies in testing should not be acceptable, but they are, and allowable. Statistics play a role, while unfortunately (thank goodness) an explanation of false positives and negatives is beyond the scope of this snippet.
Still, science must prevail, and although not exact, “odds” plague (forgive the pun) medicine in testing and treatment.
If you have been stricken with COVID-19, there is an antibody blood test revealing your bodily response to the virus. With this test also, there are inaccuracies which are acceptable.
Welcome to the world of modern medicine!
We are waiting for vaccine development, yet even then there will be statistic potential for failure. Some of us recall in the 50s and 60s the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.” How about an “FDA Seal of Approval” for testing at least providing some level of confidence for the American people.
Attaining 100% accuracy in testing and treatment will not be perfect until Star Trek, the Next Generation. The odds of this will be in about 350 years.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D. 
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