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Germany: Beware of rapid diagnostic tests – The risk remains even if it is negative

SOS broadcasts to the citizens of Germany the president of the Federal Association of Public Sector Doctors Neither Taichert, emphasizing that the behavior of some people after the rapid diagnostic coronavirus test poses risks. “Vigilance is needed,” he says, explaining that a result can be falsely negative.

“It simply came to our notice then diagnostic tests now en masse, but citizens have not been informed of the consequences and the right behavior they should have next. The virus is spreading and we can no longer understand how. I see a danger in this. We need to look at the issue of diagnostic tests with another very critical look, “said Houte Taichert, of the German News Agency (dpa).

«I have often seen people whose results are positive are then extremely insecure and instead of being isolated immediately, they go ahead and get more tests because they are skeptical about the first result.. In this way, however, they could spread the virus further. I also found that people who have come in contact with other infected people then did a quick diagnostic test and after the result was negative they thought they should not do anything else. So many infected people escape our radar. However, in the event of a negative diagnostic test result, we should always keep in mind that the result is only valid for a few hours. That is why the proposed behavioral instructions after these tests should be made better known “, he added, as broadcast by the Athens News Agency.

“A negative result does not mean that one should not follow the measures”

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has repeatedly stressed that after the negative result of a diagnostic test, one should not have the false certainty that one does not need to continue to observe the protective measures.

It is very likely that a person whose test was negative today, if he does the quick diagnostic test the next day, the result will be positive, reported an RKI publication in late February on self-diagnostics.

In case of a positive result, isolation at home and telephone communication with the family doctor or a suitable diagnostic test center is recommended in order to perform the molecular PCR test to confirm or not whether he is infected with the coronavirus.

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