While the presence of antibodies in a person's blood means they have been exposed to the pathogen in the past — in this instance the virus that causes Covid-19 — the kinds of tests used in this study are broader and less specific than would be needed to confirm that without any doubt. It is possible, as the authors themselves acknowledge, that the tests are picking up another kind of antibody that, while similar, is distinct; coronaviruses are a large and relatively common family of virus, including some that can cause the common cold, leaving open the possibility that infection by a non-Covid-19 virus induced the positive test results.
Pretty important note for everyone who is just going to read the title and not the article.
Yeah every single one of these "covid was in x place in 2019" studies all use tests that can pick up other coronaviruses that cause common colds as false positives, take all them with big grains of salt.
Pretty important note for everyone who is just going to read the title and not the article.
Yeah every single one of these "covid was in x place in 2019" studies all use tests that can pick up other coronaviruses that cause common colds as false positives, take all them with big grains of salt.