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Positive Covid-19 test possible after recovery
Research has shown the possibilities that one can test positive for COVID-19 even after recovery. This includes even if one had isolated and there was no threat of re-infection.
According to Dr Christopher Nyanga, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, this is because some remnants of the virus may still be in one’s body.
COVID-19 PCR test can detect SARS CoV 2 for a long time, sometimes as long as more than four weeks, he said.
“Clinical judgement is therefore important to determine recovery and not a PCR test per se. Initially expert advice was that 10 days was enough for one to have recovered from COVID-19 unless symptoms persisted beyond this period.”
“However, further research on COVID-19 now shows that five days of isolation is enough for one to have recovered, if they do not show any further symptoms,” said Nyanga.
Given the confusion picked on some Batswana who have continuously tested positive despite recovery, not knowing if they are still infectious or not, Nyanga explained that the decision on whether to continue to isolate or not depends on clinical assessment and discretion, not on positive test post recovery.
Patients on home isolation are clinically discharged after five days, unless they develop symptoms which necessitate further medical attention.
Therefore, as long as one is clinically discharged and is deemed to have recovered from a medical point of view, there is no need to do post recovery test, except where one is not well and feels sick in which case one must immediately seek medical attention.