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Dear Editor
I am very concerned that the consequences of the high false negative rate of the RT-PCR test seem to be ignored within the testing programme with few references to it in the medical media and none that I can see informing the general public.
There is little reliable data but 25-30% is quoted.
So anyone with possible Covid 19 infection who has a negative test result may in fact be infected and would need a repeat test after a few days. Perhaps this is built in to the process but it doesn't seem to be made clear. The clinical picture should not be over-ruled by one such test.
To give false reassurance is obviously dangerous especially where NHS staff are concerned.
Re: Covid-19: Hospitals can remove 15% cap on testing of NHS staff- PCR false negative rate
Dear Editor
I am very concerned that the consequences of the high false negative rate of the RT-PCR test seem to be ignored within the testing programme with few references to it in the medical media and none that I can see informing the general public.
There is little reliable data but 25-30% is quoted.
So anyone with possible Covid 19 infection who has a negative test result may in fact be infected and would need a repeat test after a few days. Perhaps this is built in to the process but it doesn't seem to be made clear. The clinical picture should not be over-ruled by one such test.
To give false reassurance is obviously dangerous especially where NHS staff are concerned.
c.halsted@nhs.net
Competing interests: No competing interests