🚨What happened to the FLU in 2020-2021 ?
One answer may lie in the COVID-19 PCR test itself.
This PCR test from Roche is used at our Level 1 Hospital for admission of all patients.
It tests for COVID-19 & Influenza A+B.
How big a deal is this? 🧐
Let's dig in! 🧵
Roche has been one of the earliest and most commonly used manufacturers of COVID PCR testing.
It took quite a bit of digging to find the actual documentation for this test.
This is the insert for multiplex assay that tests for CoV-2, Flu A, and Flu B:
pim-eservices.roche.com/eLD/api/downlo…
Let's break down this test result:
When you open up the lab result on the EMR, all you see is what is on the TOP LEFT corner:
CoV-2 detected, Influenza A/B NOT detected.
But, if you open up the commentary for "Not Detected"
You realize it is a little bit more messy...
What does this mean?
If this test DETECTS CoV-2
the testing protocol ASSUMES ("negative results...considered presumptive") that Influenza A/B is NOT DETECTED.
You read that right.
Just think about that for a second.
Question is, WHY?!
Well, let's dig into the documentation
If we look at PAGE 24 of the insert from Roche (link above)
"studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 virus...can inhibit the DETECTION AND AMPLIFICATION of influenza A and influenza B virus RNA...and may lead to FALSE NEGATIVE INFLUENZA virus results"
Think about this for a second:
-East Coast Major Metro
-Level 1 Trauma center
-Using this test for all patients coming through it!
No wonder influenza was nowhere to be seen.
The question is, how many other tests have the same limitation?
Summary:
RT-PCR multiplex CoV-2 & Flu A/B assay
CANNOT detect Influenza IF CoV-2 RNA is Detected!
Sound familiar? It should...
"CDC encourages...adoption of a method that can [differentiate] CoV-2 and Influenza viruses"
@Parsifaler @RobertKennedyJr @RWMaloneMD @barnes_law
I've been trying to dig into some of the other test manufacturers.
They do not mention this limitation.
What they all mention is the "Limit of detection" (lowest detected quantity of RNA)
In ALL tests, it's order of magnitude lower for CoV-2 than for Flu. Read: more sensitive!
Pair the very low LOD with the high amplification cycles adopted by the CDC, and introduced by Drosten's PCR protocol via the WHO...
You get ridiculously high CoV-2 false positives AND muted incidence of influenza.
More on that in a future thread...
For a more thorough analysis of the 2020-2021 Influenza season and how the testing protocols play into the RECORD LOW numbers...
Check out my Substack 👉 remnantmd.substack.com
Will be posting a full article shortly!
What Happened to the FLU in 2020-2021 PART 2
Full Substack Article 👇
remnantmd.substack.com/p/wtf-happened…
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