Once you have had Covid, will you always test positive?

[kentuck]

Or does it go away once you have the vaccine?

It is a puzzle why so many people that have been fully-vaccinated are testing positive for the Covid? Were they tested before they took the vaccine? Did they have the Covid virus in their bodies, asymptomatic, when they took the shots?

Or is the vaccine's effectiveness beginning to wear off from the first shots? Do we have answers to any of those questions yet?

In my opinion, to be on the safe side, it would be wise for all of us that have been vaccinated to begin wearing our masks again. We don't yet know the full effect that the variants may have on all of us, vaxxed and unvaxxed?

[LisaL]

1. No, you won't always test positive.

Once you clear the virus, your tests should turn negative.
People who have been vaccinated testing positive because they got infected. You still can get infected even if vaccinated, especially with delta covid. Which is why it's a good idea to still wear masks, even if vaccinated.

[Doc Sportello]

2. I had been wondering the same thing

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/serology-overview.html#:~:text=Antibody%20tests%20should%20generally%20not,your%20body%20to%20make%20antibodies.

Guess it depends on the test and when.

[LisaL]

3. Antibody test is a test for past infection, not an active covid infection.

NT

[kentuck]

4. Thanks for the link!

[Doc Sportello]

5. Thanks but LisaL has a point

I'm not sure the link applies to your question but hey it's early morning for me and brain's not at full capacity yet.

[kentuck]

6. But, I still wonder how to differentiate between a past and a present infection?

If they are only a few months apart?

[LisaL]

7. Standard test for covid is PCR (polymerase chain reaction).

In most people that turns negative within a couple of weeks of positive test.

[kentuck]

8. Thanks Lisa.

I'm sure other people have similar questions.

[hlthe2b]

9. Not antigen positive* but antibody positive (showing PREVIOUS infection) for some time.

Read this about baseline fallacy to understand the very wrong impression re: "vaccine failure."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016297705


*PCR and rapid COVID-19 tests are looking for virus antigen consistent with active infection. Antibody tests look for signs of an immune response from previous infection.

[Ms. Toad]

10. People who have been fully vaccinated are testing positive

Because they have COVID. It's not a mystery.

The vaccine is about 88% effective against the delta variant. That means for every 100 unvaccinated people who get COVID, There will be 12 vaccinated people who will get it.

The vaccine is not a magic, impervious shield - which is why i never stopped wearing mine. To many unvaccinated disease reservoirs, delta rising. I need to tool that 12% gap with another effective tool for disease prevention.