3 ms·

Yes but the percentage of positive tests accounts for the increase in testing rates. Positive tests divided by total tests. If percent positive of all tests is

Yes but the percentage of positive tests accounts for the increase in testing rates. Positive tests divided by total tests. If percent positive of all tests is the same as before then the infection rate is not decreasing, or increasing - its constant. That is the case in many areas although some are seeing decreases or increases. E.g. some are increasing (e.g. Maine, South Dakota), some are decreasing (e.g. NYC, NJ), some are constant (e.g. DC/MD/VA have been constantly at 20% positive for the last couple of weeks now). Most states are looking for a decreasing rate of positive tests for two weeks especially of its the percent positive case is under 10%. Generally under 10% is considered under control or manageable by experts.

joshuamorton 6y ago
This isn't correct. Tests aren't given randomly. They're rationed and given only to the most at risk people. As testing capacity increases, tests can be given to groups who are less likely to be infected. So at first tests were basically only given to people who had multiple symptoms, to be sure. Now you can get a test in my area if you're asymptomatic but working at a job that requires you to come into contact with other people. If the percent positive of all tests is constant even as you test more people, that means that even as you test less obviously symptomatic people, the number of infected is constant, which could mean the infection rate is going up. Or not, but it's not certain that it's complex. > Generally under 10% is considered under control or manageable by experts. Can you cite this?
- Scipio_Afri 6y ago
  "There's no exact number to aim for, but here's a guiding principle: You want a low percentage of your tests to come back positive, around 10% or even lower, says William Hanage, an epidemiologist at Harvard." https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/22/840526338/is-the-u-s-testing-enough-for-covid-19-as-debate-rages-on-heres-how-to-know https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/22/8405263... There are several other sources out there that state that for example the WHO also recommended it as a guideline. Yes not everyone is being tested but the 10% does account to some degree of the "severity" of those being tested. If you're only able to test the most likely cases you'll get a much higher % positive.

joshuamorton 6y ago

This isn't correct. Tests aren't given randomly. They're rationed and given only to the most at risk people. As testing capacity increases, tests can be given to groups who are less likely to be infected. So at first tests were basically only given to people who had multiple symptoms, to be sure. Now you can get a test in my area if you're asymptomatic but working at a job that requires you to come into contact with other people. If the percent positive of all tests is constant even as you test more people, that means that even as you test less obviously symptomatic people, the number of infected is constant, which could mean the infection rate is going up. Or not, but it's not certain that it's complex. > Generally under 10% is considered under control or manageable by experts. Can you cite this?

Scipio_Afri 6y ago
"There's no exact number to aim for, but here's a guiding principle: You want a low percentage of your tests to come back positive, around 10% or even lower, says William Hanage, an epidemiologist at Harvard." https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/22/840526338/is-the-u-s-testing-enough-for-covid-19-as-debate-rages-on-heres-how-to-know https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/04/22/8405263... There are several other sources out there that state that for example the WHO also recommended it as a guideline. Yes not everyone is being tested but the 10% does account to some degree of the "severity" of those being tested. If you're only able to test the most likely cases you'll get a much higher % positive.