According to Vanderbilt University’s researchers, COVID-19 test results were up to two times as likely to yield an accurate positive test result if tested midday as opposed to evening.
The reason for this, the study says, is because COVID-19′s viral shedding, or when infected cells release viral particles into the mucus and the blood, appear to be more active midday in tandem with the body’s circadian rhythm.
Coronavirus viral loads also tend to be lower after 8 p.m., so if a person takes a COVID-19 test around that time, it can yield inaccurate results, according to the researchers.
The differences in COVID-19 viral shedding throughout the day could inform how medical professionals test for and treat the virus.
And based on the research that shows peak shedding occurs in the afternoon, when people are more likely to interact with others or seek medical attention, it could shed light on how the virus spreads so quickly throughout the population.
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...Ben
