The recent COVID-19 tests administered to Congress members are coming into question after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they could lead to faulty results.
The FDA warned on Monday the Curative test being used by health care providers is susceptible to negative results, as first reported by Politico.
The Office of the Attending Physician released a statement following the FDA’s warning.
“According to the information we have received to date. The RT-PCR test for coronavirus used in the CVC test program is the most accurate available. However, the RT-PCR test is always at risk for failing to detect small amounts of virus when it is actually present (a false negative test). This may happen more often when people are without symptoms of the coronavirus disease. This is not unique to this test. It is a problem for all coronavirus tests,” the statement reads.
It adds, “We expect to have additional information in the coming days from the FDA and our expert consultants with regard to any concerns about the ongoing use of this test for the Capitol community.”
Congress is using a Covid-19 test the FDA said can result in false negative results, according a memo obtained by CNN from the Capitol's attending physician.
— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) January 5, 2021
(first reported by @sarahnferris) pic.twitter.com/b5ZBkfqAKl
Brian Monahan, the Capitol physician, urged individuals to wear masks and practice social distancing.
He stressed the FDA’s notice only raises concerns about negative test results, not positive ones.
As of Saturday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has administered 4,225,756 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and distributed 13,071,925, as IJR previously reported.
President Donald Trump has taken credit for what he believes is a successful vaccine rollout.
“The world will benefit. We’ll benefit. And everybody’s calling to thank me,” Trump said during his last message of 2020.
President-elect Joe Biden criticized Trump for the slow pace of vaccinations, as IJR previously reported.
“The president spends more time whining and complaining than doing something about the problem. I don’t know why he still wants the job. He doesn’t want to do the work,” Biden said during a campaign event for the two Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia on Monday.