Part 5/8:
In many states, PCR testing has been instrumental in monitoring the spread of COVID-19, including analyzing case numbers and guiding public health policies such as lockdowns. Yet, critics highlight that the metrics derived from testing can lead to misleading interpretations. If a large number of tests are being conducted, it is natural for the number of positive results to increase, even if it does not correlate with severe illness or significant transmission risk.
The current mechanism of reporting on PCR cases often fails to distinguish between presence and infectiousness. Critics contend that the focus on raw case numbers overlooks critical data concerning actual disease severity and can lead to fear-based public health measures.