News Forum - Hospital warns not all PCR tests properly detect Omicron variant

[Thaiger]

Ramathibodi Hospital Centre for Medical Genomics has warned that some PCR test kits may fail in accurately identifying people infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The hospital says that the new variant has a growth advantage and that some polymerase chain reaction tests may not be able to see the variant. The Hospital posted its findings on Facebook recently using 115 samples from an African scientist that contain the Omicron variant genetic code to test how accurate results from a PCR test would be. The results of their experiments were troubling to say the least. “We found that some […]

The story Hospital warns not all PCR tests properly detect Omicron variant as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Cabra]

If this is accurate, and gets confirmed by other countries health care systems, I suspect international travel (not just in/out of THA) will screech to a halt until new test are developed.

[LoongFred]

5 minutes ago, Cabra said:

If this is accurate, and gets confirmed by other countries health care systems, I suspect international travel (not just in/out of THA) will screech to a halt until new test are developed.

Ramathibodi is part of Mahidol University and first rate. Although errors can be made this is a very credible source. 

[Jason]

We haven't even seen any one of the 220 + people who have been infected die or have serious illness yet. Take a chill pill. 

[AussieBob]

WHO states that Omicron is the most heavily mutated version to date and looks to be the most contagious version (now in 20 countries) - but whether it is more dangerous or deadly they dont know yet.  Did Japan close all international flights because the PCR tests could not detect Omicron? Israel and Morocco have just banned incoming flights, and Australia is delaying the opening. This pandemic aint over by a long way. 

 

[palooka]

If PCR tests cannot detect Omicron then it is more than likely here in Thailand already so shutting the airport will do nothing really if it is as infectious as they think. Could already be in every Province.

[BangkokBen]

Probably means more quarantine and multiple PCR tests

[Pi_Tim]

And what about the ATK tests ??? any info on that ?

[LoongFred]

1 hour ago, palooka said:

If PCR tests cannot detect Omicron then it is more than likely here in Thailand already so shutting the airport will do nothing really if it is as infectious as they think. Could already be in every Province.

 

1 hour ago, palooka said:

If PCR tests cannot detect Omicron then it is more than likely here in Thailand already so shutting the airport will do nothing really if it is as infectious as they think. Could already be in every Province.

It didn’t say none were detected, but some were missed. It could be they need to increase sensitivity but that risks false positives. 

Usually with screening tests, the sensitively is set high, but positives are confirmed by using more specific tests. This may or not be possible with covid testing.

[Stonker]

7 hours ago, Thaiger said:

..... although they did not name which tests in particular are most accurate.

Yes they did.

The type of tests required and a lot more detail are there for anyone to read on their facebook site, although they're not included in the source article in the Nation, and it's in Thai.

[Stonker]

7 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Ramathibodi is part of Mahidol University and first rate. Although errors can be made this is a very credible source. 

Unfortunately the same can't be said for this report - Ramathibodi's facebook site gives a lot more very specific detail, which I'm sure other countries and the CCSA are aware of.

[kmc]

The omicron variant is supposedly less deadly and more contagious.  Just as we had chicken pox parties when we were kids, the easiest way to end the scamdemic is simply to have covid parties.  Everyone gets infected, everyone lives, and everyone can move on from this ridiculous charade.

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

56 minutes ago, kmc said:

The omicron variant is supposedly less deadly and more contagious.  Just as we had chicken pox parties when we were kids, the easiest way to end the scamdemic is simply to have covid parties.  Everyone gets infected, everyone lives, and everyone can move on from this ridiculous charade.

Chickenpox parties are the reason why there are so many adults walking around now with the potential of getting shingles. Had they not been exposed to a child that was being quarantined, they would not have the potential of getting shingles today. So the "good ole day" approach to medicine has long term consequences. 

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

9 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Ramathibodi Hospital Centre for Medical Genomics has warned that some PCR test kits may fail in accurately identifying people infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The hospital says that the new variant has a growth advantage and that some polymerase chain reaction tests may not be able to see the variant. The Hospital posted its findings on Facebook recently using 115 samples from an African scientist that contain the Omicron variant genetic code to test how accurate results from a PCR test would be. The results of their experiments were troubling to say the least. “We found that some […]

The story Hospital warns not all PCR tests properly detect Omicron variant as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

The United States now has it's first Omicron case and it illustrates the failure of PCR testing. Individual arrived on November 22nd and tested positive on the 29th, SEVEN days later. This individual was fully vaccinated and would have had to have a negative PCR test prior to arrival. PCR test did not pick up prior and would likely have not picked up on arrival due to no symptoms (aka low viral load). 

[Manu]

13 hours ago, Jason said:

We haven't even seen any one of the 220 + people who have been infected die or have serious illness yet. Take a chill pill. 

You are not usually that "chilled" in many of your comments so fair due for that one mate. I wish the whole world could take that "chill pill", unfortunately it seems the whole world is addicted to the "panic pill".

[HiuMak]

what test can detect omnicron then?

[poohy]

If you are vaccinated you have little or no worries Cant honestly what the fuss is about

Well apart to destroy the traveling world  again

[Stonker]

7 hours ago, kmc said:

Everyone gets infected, everyone lives, and everyone can move on from this ridiculous charade.

Well, two out of three correct isn't bad !

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, HiuMak said:

what test can detect omnicron then?

The correct PCR tests can.

[Stonker]

6 hours ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

The United States now has it's first Omicron case and it illustrates the failure of PCR testing. Individual arrived on November 22nd and tested positive on the 29th, SEVEN days later. This individual was fully vaccinated and would have had to have a negative PCR test prior to arrival. PCR test did not pick up prior and would likely have not picked up on arrival due to no symptoms (aka low viral load). 

The "PCR test prior" could have been as much as ten days before he tested positive, and was at least eight days prior.

What it most demonstrates is the failure of the screening system rather than the tests, as that could have happened with any variant.

[Jason]

10 hours ago, Manu said:

You are not usually that "chilled" in many of your comments so fair due for that one mate. I wish the whole world could take that "chill pill", unfortunately it seems the whole world is addicted to the "panic pill".

It's because the WHO, obviously overcompensating for their lack of action when the pandemic began, have unleashed a scare campaign. Of course they will never admit to that. In reality, we have to wait to find out more about this new strain. There are about 300- 500 cases in the world at the moment. Delta is the dominant strain as you know. Let's just contain and examine this strain. And all the while keep getting vaccinated.

[kmc]

On 12/2/2021 at 3:22 AM, Stonker said:

Well, two out of three correct isn't bad !

Please remain in your rabbit-hutch condo until your time comes...should sleep w/ mask too as omicron flies through the ventilation.  Let the fear go mate...Or don't.

[Stonker]

7 hours ago, kmc said:

Please remain in your rabbit-hutch condo until your time comes...should sleep w/ mask too as omicron flies through the ventilation.  Let the fear go mate...Or don't.

Actually it was one out of three, but I thought I'd be generous ... ...

[Rain]

Imagine that.

Another created fear mongering campaign/cycle. 

We were about due - been several months. 

[Thomazz59]

Agree.. WHO and U.S. CDC are fear mongers