I don't have any symptoms. Is this a false positive?
It is extremely unlikely for the covidSHIELD test to produce a false positive result. In a recent study, the saliva test was shown to have a specificity of 98.9% and a sensitivity of 95.8% which makes it one of the most accurate tests in the world. SHIELD Illinois has had no confirmed false positives in the hundreds of thousands of tests that have been performed. We have, however, had positive cases detected before the onset of symptoms. This is one of the strengths of the covidSHIELD test. If a person is going to experience symptoms, the symptoms usually appear within 4-7 days after exposure. Unfortunately, an infected person usually starts shedding the virus (is contagious) 3-5 days after exposure. This means there is at least 24-48 hours where a person is highly contagious but has not outward symptoms. In the absence of regular PCR testing, an person infected with SARS-CoV-2 can be infecting others without even knowing they are infected themselves. The covidSHIELD test administered by SHIELD Illinois can detect the virus as early as 2-3 days after exposure.
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Could something I ate have caused a false positive?
No. SHIELD Illinois encourages everyone to refrain from eating or drinking for 60 minutes before the test to prevent the specimen from being rejected by the lab or producing a result of INVALID. Eating or drinking before the test would not cause an ...
How reliable are covidSHIELD test results?
In a recent study, the saliva test was shown to have a specificity of 98.9% and a sensitivity of 95.8%. The FDA-authorized covidSHIELD test targets three highly conserved regions of the viral genome for detection. High specificity offered by ...
I tested positive with covidSHIELD and negative with nasal PCR or other test. Which result is correct?
Not all PCR tests are the same. They run on different PCR instruments, use different reagents, look for different genes, etc. etc. For example, the covidSHIELD saliva test is more reliable overall compared to self-collected nasal specimens. Nasal PCR ...
What do my results mean?
The covidSHIELD test looks for three markers which are specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus plus a control substance which is added during the testing process. The results of the test can be interpreted as follows: Negative – The test did not find any of ...
I tested positive, then negative, then positive again. What should I do?
Repeat testing after the initial positive test is neither required nor recommended. You should rely on your initial positive covidSHIELD test as definitive, take appropriate action to isolate and consult with your health care provider or local health ...