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A CLAIM THAT a person with a cold or flu will test positive for Covid-19 has surfaced in Ireland in recent days after starting in the US.
The claim, which has appeared in several forms on social media, centres on an argument that conflates antibody testing for previous Covid-19 infections with viral testing for an existing case of Covid-19.
The claim originated in the US based on screenshots from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which said that antibody testing for Covid-19 could return a positive result if the test detected antibodies for a cold.
The CDC statement has been used as the basis for claims on social media that tests for current Covid-19 cases will return a positive if the person tested has the cold or flu, or has ever received a vaccine for a cold or flu. There is no vaccine for a cold, despite what these claims say.
The claim has appeared on social media in Ireland in recent days.
One Ireland-based Facebook page that shared the claim wrote that “coronavirus testing can also be common cold or flu virus if you ever had the cold and flu jab you will test positive for covid 19”.
The post has been viewed 33,000 times in six days and attracted 183 shares.
The claim was spread in the United States on multiple platforms, including from a website called Intellihub.com, which wrote “Shocker: CDC admits Covid-19 ‘positive result’ just means you’ve previously contracted the ‘common cold’”.
Another Facebook post in Ireland that shares a screenshot of the article’s headline has been viewed 19,000 times in six days and includes the caption: “The government is trying to crash the economy over the common cold.”
The Evidence
The statement from the CDC relates to antibody testing for past infection with Covid-19, rather than viral testing for current cases of the virus, which is a completely different thing.
Viral tests are used to identify current cases of Covid-19 by using samples from the respiratory system. In Ireland, viral tests are carried out by swabbing the inside of the nose and the back of the throat.
Antibody tests, however, check the blood of the person being tested for antibodies that fight against Covid-19, which can indicate that a person has previously had a case of Covid-19 which their body sought to protect itself against by producing those antibodies.
It can take one to three weeks for a body to make antibodies after infection.
Viral tests will only pick up cases of Covid-19, not colds or flu.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, lecturer in immunology and host-microbe interactions at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Limerick, Dr Elizabeth J Ryan, said that viral tests for current cases of Covid-19 are “very specific” for material that is “only expressed by the Covid-19 virus”.
“Having a cold or flu won’t change that,” Dr Ryan said.
Similarly, Professor Kingston Mills, a professor of experimental immunology in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, told TheJournal.ie that the viral test for current Covid-19 cases is “very, very specific”.
The test is based on material that is unique to the virus, Professor Mills said, so it’s “not going to pick up influenza or common cold virus”.
The page on the CDC website that gives details on tests for past infection was last updated on 30 June and says a “positive test result shows you may have antibodies from an infection with the virus that causes Covid-19”.
“However, there is a chance a positive result means that you have antibodies from an infection with a virus from the same family of viruses (called coronaviruses), such as the one that causes the common cold,” the CDC statement says.
The CDC is warning here that an antibody test – a test for past infection with Covid-19 – could have the potential to return a false positive result for Covid-19 if the person tested has created antibodies for another infection caused by a different type of coronavirus, like one that can cause a cold.
Dr Ryan said that some antibody tests which are not properly validated are not specific enough for the virus they are testing for and can pick up other antibodies instead, giving a “false positive test”.
Validated tests are ones which have been rigorously tested in a laboratory environment, such as by verifying the test through samples of the virus that have already tested positive.
The World Health Organization has warned against using rapid tests that have not been validated, except in a research setting.
“Coronavirus, if you are infected with the virus, will be in your system for a couple of weeks. Your immune system will clear this, and in the process of clearing it, you will mount an antibody response – an immune response,” Dr Ryan said.
“Most people will produce antibodies when they’re infected. The antibody test is looking for those antibodies.
The antibody tests are not all equal. Some tests from different manufacturers have been properly validated, and those properly validated tests will test the specific antibody to Covid-19. Other coronaviruses [than Covid-19] exist and can cause the common cold. We’ve all had them, probably, at some point, so we will all have antibodies in our system to those viruses.
“Tests that have been properly validated and gone through proper regulatory channels will account for that and we will look for that when we’re developing those tests, to make sure that there is no cross-reactivity between the virus that causes Covid-19 and other coronaviruses.
“You will only have antibodies to Covid-19 if you have had the virus,” she said.
Some private laboratories in Ireland are offering antibody testing for Covid-19 at a charge, but antibody testing for Covid-19 is not being carried out widely among the public in Ireland at present.
The HSE and the UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory are currently using antibody testing for a study looking to estimate the number of people in the country who have been infected with Covid-19.
Antibody tests are not currently counted towards daily reporting of the number of Covid-19 cases in Ireland. The number of cases is counted using the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests – that is, tests that identify an existing infection with Covid-19.
Professor Mills also said that 10-minute or strip tests for antibody testing which have not been properly validated could falsely return a positive result due to colds, but that properly validated tests for antibodies are specific to Covid-19.
The HSE antibody study uses properly validated tests. Participants have a blood test carried out in a local centre with a nurse, and the blood sample is sent to the National Virus Reference Laboratory in UCD, where it is tested for antibodies.
Although people in Ireland can obtain a flu vaccine, there is no vaccine against the common cold.
Colds can be causes by several different types of viruses, including rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and coronaviruses.
The Verdict
Antibody testing and viral testing are carried out differently and look for different things.
Antibody testing identifies past infection with a virus by looking for antibodies in blood that the body has produced against the virus. Viral testing looks for an existing case of the virus, and is done with a sample from the respiratory system – that is, a swab to the throat and/or nose.
The statement from the CDC said that an antibody test – a test for a past infection – for Covid-19 could pick up antibodies for other types of coronaviruses, such as a cold.
The CDC’s statement has been used to spread a claim that tests for Covid-19 – including tests for existing cases – will return a positive result if the person has a cold or flu, or if they have ever had a vaccine against the cold or flu.
Although there is a chance that an antibody test that is not properly validated can return a false positive due to a cold that was caused by a coronavirus, a test that is properly validated will only identify antibodies that the body has produced against Covid-19.
The flu is caused by a different virus entirely, and cannot cause a false positive result.
An antibody test will not return a positive due to a person previously being vaccinated against the flu. Additionally, a vaccine against the common cold does not exist.
Testing for an existing case of Covid-19 will not return a positive result due to a cold or flu.
As a result, we rate the claim that a common cold can cause a positive result for a Covid-19 test: FALSE.
As per our verdict guide, this means: The claim is inaccurate.
TheJournal.ie’s FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles. You can read it here. For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader’s Guide here. You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here.
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121k to design a hut. Pull the other one.
@Llennoc: and 190k to rent a temporary security hut during construction period. The Golden circle are allowed to plunder the tax take, with a nod and a wink. No wonder there’s such a gap in society, the range rover brigade get their money so easy, no work involved
Who got the job and let us see all the quotes
OPW is in cahoots wirh certain CCTV and security companies across the country at ALL OPW sites…. i know for a fact, as i’m in the game. This in itself needs investigating.
@Steve Davis: I think maybe you need to supply the information you have to the gardai and expose what is going on
@Tony Lyons: he’s snookered now…..
@JB Software: quality comment
No one is questioning the need for security… but seriously, the cost is ridiculous…. this is not government money, this is taxpayers money… there seems not to be any proper scrutiny from the opw on spending our money.
@R kelly: opw are just one state organisation. There’s others that spend vastly more money, the waste is incredible.
@R kelly: the cost for the equipment fit out isn’t unreasonable
@Pat Hazzard: Mr Pathetic trotted out by Fianna Fail to defend the indefensible. If Jimmy Saville was from FF, you would still come on here defending him, sad pathetic shill.
@Pat Hazzard: are you off your tree ?
Here’s the real breakdown.
Cost of hut 429k.
Cost of scam 1m.
The OPW has a ‘Panel’ of three ‘Approved Security Suppliers’. Palms have to be seriously greased to get on that panel.
Once you’re on the panel, you are in cahoots with the other 2 companies and everyone agrees to ramp their quotes up by 400%. (Thats actually how it works)….
The OPW then gets 3 quotes, one off each of their ‘approved suppliers’ so its seen to comply with tendering laws – regardless of the fact they are getting fleeced and could get it €100 of thousands cheaper elsewhere….
@Steve Davis: You seem to know a good bit about this. you should become a whistleblower.
Write to the Gards, to Journos, try take pics of documents that prove what you are saying and get the word out.
no point moaning about it in the Journal comments. Go do something about it.
It’s so easy to spend somebody else’s money. Disgusting.
Not their money so no one cares.
People responsible need to be held to account. It’s very close to criminal what has gone on here.
What’s the scrap value of the copper boss?
The Minister with responsibility for the OPW must be hiding in the HUT, no sign of him for the past fortnight.
I’m so fed up of this country.
The civil servants are running/ruining this country get them out,sack them all
@Paul: when there’s no accountability, they’ll do what they please.
@Paul: then you’ll have nobody to process your dole.
@Tony Murphy: it’s being happening for years, and did you think the days of the brown envelope was gone.
Where going off the rails on this gravy train
Some gig getting a government contract .
191k replacement security system
Would they need to build a fortress around them if they were a popular government? The lorry that rammed the gates of leinster House in 2010 was driven by a very frustrated gentleman,frustrated that this very pack of muppits drove the country of a cliff by refusing to listen to all the warnings given to them at the time. They will do it again and will need protecting.
Who signs off on these? Is there not a minister responsible for the OPW? After all it is taxpayers money they are throwing out.
It’s a thundering disgrace but they will have a right laugh at the christmas party about how they can do whatever they want and not have to worry about getting pulled up on it. Pissing away tax payers money is so deeply embedded in the civil service it will never change.
Government Contracts means Gravy Train for the chosen few. No questions asked. Sickening.
Did they never hear of Ring Door bells..
3 instances is a pattern
that’s just the tip of the iceberg !
these showers are not fit for purpose and should be inquired on everything they do, on everything they get (perks, advantages, money, pensions etc…)
Name and shame, get the money back, do not vote for them anymore …
Heads should roll at OPW. Crazy spending spree their on.
It’s a security hut, not MI5s headquarters. They must have some James Bond gadegts going on in that hut, or Sensori got the contract.
I’d like to see the security footage of the bike shed being built from this state of the art security building. As I hear there was robbery happening at the time.
In fairness, when the Russians come, we all know where to go. For that money, it should hold all 5 million of us and room for a pony.
https://jrnl.ie/6498460
All Sinn Féin’s fault though, and to a lesser extent the Social Democrats. You can see how the government have risen in the polls though
We need Monuments to the Largesse of our Elite that represent our entitled Govt, Civil Service & “Public Service Broadcaster RTE”. The Bike Shelter & Security Hut, as Stephen Matthews described as “Beautiful”, are representative of how the Elite regard themselves & a total disregard of those who work hard & pay their taxes. It has been ever so in Ireland for decades now, a country where the select Elite thrive in a country rotten to the core. Nothing will ever change, there will always be another NCH, Bike Shelter, Security Hut, followed by the faux outrage of the Elite & the oft used “Lessons Learned”.
If we stopped calling it a “hut” it would help. It’s a state of the art security office at the entrance to our highest government building.
@Martin O Connell: yes and the bike shed is the taj mahal. If this level of security is needed then why are the military not guarding it.
@Martin O Connell: OK, we’ll call it sorasoatetohgb for short.
@Martin O Connell: with a 60,000 euro roof ,stop trying to defend this shite givt
The d Hotel in drogheda was paid 5.3 million for the first 3 or 6 months to house asylum seeks why didn’t we buy it and city west and money hundreds of millions spent and nothing to show for it 190k to rent a security hut why didn’t opw buy it nothing to show for it
Hold on, eu 121,000+ spent on design ! Sounds like OPW engaged consultants for the design. Why? The OPW has their own architects, so why did they need consultants. What were the OPW architects doing, what are they being paid for? Scandalous.
Must have been a lot of brown envelopes involved
Great to see all the learned comments from all the security and construction cost experts here today………
@chris gaffney: that’s it !
Common sense tells you this is a totally overpriced POS.
But here comes Chris trying to tell us it’s all fine .
Feck off chris
construction industry needs to be regulated! Seriously!
have your say