GA’s top health leader misspoke on rapid test results. What really led to COVID-19 increases
No, Georgia’s COVID-19 test positivity rates did not increase because labs reported rapid tests to the state health department electronically — despite what the state’s top public health official told reporters during a news conference Wednesday morning.
Twice during the briefing with Gov. Brian Kemp, Dr. Kathleen Toomey incorrectly said antigen tests were “probably” causing the “little blip” in viral test positivity rates.
When asked to further clarify Toomey’s comments, department spokesperson Nancy Nydam said the commissioner misspoke. Increases to the state’s test positivity rates were partly attributed to labs submitting older viral test data through Georgia’s electronic system.
“It was exactly that,” Nydam said. “She misspoke. There was information about antigen tests today and information that was related to PCR testing, and she misspoke.”
The two test types are different. Antigen tests are more likely to miss an active infection. The Georgia Department of Public Health does not count a positive antigen test by itself as a confirmed case. Only viral (PCR) COVID-19 tests are used by state health officials to confirm an infection.
Toomey misspoke about antigen testing. Here’s what caused blips
New cases, hospitalizations and test positivity are among the major coronavirus data points that have fallen since the state’s summer peak, but more recent data shows test positivity and new cases have increased slightly.
Georgia’s seven-day positivity rate for viral tests increased from 6.3% on Sept. 28 to 7% on Oct. 5, and the seven-day average for newly reported cases rose 3.4% from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, according to a report published by the state health department Tuesday.
When asked by reporters about the department’s data during the briefing, Toomey again attributed the increase in test positivity to rapid test reporting.
However, that didn’t account for the recent increases. Toomey’s emailed statement to McClatchy clarified her statements but didn’t acknowledge her previous error.
“We have seen a slight increase in cases and positivity percentage in our PCR test results in the past week,” Toomey said in the email. “This could be due to many things including onboarding of facilities into our electronic lab reporting system or a few facilities reporting a small backlog of PCR positives all at once from the previous week. From an epidemiologic perspective, the small upticks would be considered ‘flat’ from week to week.”
Rapid testing data will be available
Data for probable cases and antigen testing are not published on the state health department’s website. Probable cases are listed in a weekly County Indicator Report. But Toomey told reporters that the information should be available directly on the website next week. The information will be published separately just like the state’s antibody testing numbers, state officials said.
As of Oct. 5, antigen tests, which provide positive or negative results in an hour or less, have identified almost all of Georgia’s approximately 21,348 probable COVID-19 cases, state health officials said in a news release.
It’s unclear how many total rapid tests have been conducted in the state. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported approximately 56,000 were performed by mid-September, but the federal government will supply the state with three million rapid tests over the next three to four months. A shipment of 207,000 arrived Friday, health officials said.
Preventing a ‘twin-demic’ by getting a flu shot
Toomey also told reporters that Georgians should get their flu shots to prevent a “twin-demic” of COVID-19 and influenza in the state.
Getting a flu shot could prevent serious complications and keep Georgia’s hospitals from being crowded. There’s also some uncertainty about what a dual coronavirus and flu infection could do to a patient, Toomey said.
“Never has it been more important to get a flu shot,” she said.
As of Oct. 6, Georgia reported 324,650 COVID-19 cases and 7,229 deaths.
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 1:55 PM.