Elon Musk at shareholder’s meeting September 22; courtesy of Tesla
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is making headlines again, this time in regards to COVID-19.
Last night, Musk said, “Something extremely bogus is going on. Was tested for covid four times today. Two tests came back negative, two came back positive. Same machine, same test, same nurse. Rapid antigen test from BD.”
Something extremely bogus is going on. Was tested for covid four times today. Two tests came back negative, two came back positive. Same machine, same test, same nurse. Rapid antigen test from BD.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
Technically, I tested positive, then negative twice, then positive again, so “Elon Musk Tests Negative for Covid” is an equally correct title. The “rapid antigen test” from BD seems to be about as useful as a flipping a coin.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
As the media frenzy pounced on Musk testing positive for COVID-19, he clarified his test results.
“Technically, I tested positive, then negative twice, then positive again, so “Elon Musk Tests Negative for Covid” is an equally correct title. The “rapid antigen test” from BD seems to be about as useful as a flipping a coin,” said Musk.
A good PCR test should identify if I have the cov2 spike proteins, although I have heard some low accuracy numbers for those too. Hard to get a straight answer.
False positives will roughly scale with # of tests & daily test rate has gone ballistic: pic.twitter.com/Pv6s71jZQo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
“A good PCR test should identify if I have the cov2 spike proteins, although I have heard some low accuracy numbers for those too. Hard to get a straight answer,” added the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.
As for symptoms being experienced by Musk, he says he has “mild sniffles and cough and slight fever past few days,” noting he currently has no symptoms and did “take NyQuil”.
Mild sniffles & cough & slight fever past few days. Right now, no symptoms, although I did take NyQuil.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
If it’s happening to me, it’s happening to others. I’m getting PCR tests from separate labs. Results will take about 24 hours.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
Musk believes COVID-19 testing can result in false positives based on his testing experience and says, “if it’s happening to me, it’s happening to others. I’m getting PCR tests from separate labs. Results will take about 24 hours.”
Based on current trends, probably close to zero new cases in US too by end of April
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2020
Back in March, Musk boldly said “based on current trends, probably close to zero new cases in US too by end of April,” which turned out to be false.
Currently, the United States has had 10.6 million total cases of COVID-19 and 243,000 deaths. Yesterday saw 163,402 new cases as coronavirus cases continue to surge in the U.S.
