1/19 Want to provide counternarrative to piece @TodaywithClaire @MacCoillte with @NiamhOBeirne from @HSELive re #covid19 & #Antigen testing-see "Track & Trace" segment from 4'50" onward @LeoVaradkar @CarrollJennifer @MurphyEoghan @MichealMartinTD @DonnellyStephen @michaelmina_lab 2/19 rte.ie/radio1/today-w… NO'B stated #Antigen tests are 50~60% sensitive at most in asymptomatics & only recommended by HSE in symptomatic patients such as in outbreaks or hospital settings. Its v disappointing that a health official with such a huge audience would say this.

#antigen testing again falsely discredited - this time by @GabrielScally on @cooper_m @TonightVMTV saying that it has “no particularly useful function” and is “positively dangerous”. Here he repeats the erroneous assertions of @deeksj in his now discredited @bmj paper @johndeeks was firmly rebutted here liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/… by @michaelmina_lab @bealelab @profbuchan @louiseckenny @martinmckee @SMHopkins @jacquiavelli @ProfCalumSemple among several others

1/13 Really interesting read Rory. Thx for sharing. I agree, its v difficult to remain clear headed when theres so much data & it can all be interpreted in different ways. Prof. @AndrewEwing11 is unhappy with #Sweden's strategy and has been openly critical - he's entitled to that

https://twitter.com/ohanloncmr/status/1320789726052405251

2/13 I think that data is being represented in a way that suits the narrative.I added extra columns:"since Aug 7" & "since Sept 7".I used Oct 14 as end point (date of publication).I also highlighted Netherlands in red as it was best performing in the table and good for comparison

1/11 Want to talk about PCR testing. Cycle threshold (Ct) means how hard did the PCR test have to work (amplification cycles) to find viral genetic material. @robertfservice @michaelmina_lab @FatEmperor sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/o… 2/11 If Ct is low (lots of virus) then patient was shedding lots of virus & was infectious; if Ct is high (not much virus) then patient likely to be at end of infection or infected in the past and/or no longer infectious.