A comment on the efficacy of the RT-PCR test in view of the Jaafar paper. SUMMARY: If inoculation can be used as verification of the Corman-Drosten RT-PCR test for Covid-19, about 50% of the positive results reported must be considered false when a maximum of 35 cycles are applied. If only 25 cycles are applied the fraction of false positives drops to 20%.
Niels Harrit is Associate Professor of Chemistry (retired) at the University of Copenhagen.
