SARS-CoV-2 detection by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing: Analysis of false positive results and recommendations for quality control measures
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A laboratory quality-control review documented false-positive RT-PCR results caused by contamination, plate-placement errors and related technical problems.
The errors were real but represented a small fraction of all tests in that setting.
Challenges
The available false-positive and confirmation studies quantify errors in defined testing contexts but do not demonstrate that analytical false positives made up a material share of official case counts across the pandemic.
The frozen Claim requires the additional population-scale step, not merely proof that false positives existed.