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Mom is in a Rehab / LTC facility. She tested positive for coronavirus, not once, but twice, over a 3-week period. Is currently quarantined. She is almost 90 years old, and has a history of serious stroke, pacemaker, hypertension and pneumonia. Chest x-rays are clear. I'm so grateful she is asymptomatic.


Could there be two false positives, or is she very lucky?


Does anybody else have an elderly loved one with similar conditions that tested positive, never developed symptoms, and completely got over the coronavirus?

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UPDATE from Original Poster - Mom has recently tested negative twice in a row, and is now out of the COVID unit, back in her old room. Now I'm so anxious for us to reach a point where we can visit our loved ones in person again! Hang in there everyone!
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The last thing I read is that up to15% of people with the virus may be asymptomatic but infectious. It’s one of the real problems with community transmission. Here the Government has released an Ap for mobile phones that records when the wearer has been within a certain distance of someone with the virus. Don’t ask me how, but apparently it works well. I don’t have it, because we live in a valley with absolutely no mobile reception, but about 25% of the population have downloaded it. It really helps contact tracing. All the information we have says that this can indeed be true, don’t assume that the test is wrong. There are a lot of things we don’t yet understand about the virus.
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Roxine,
It is almost a mystery, yes!
There are some bloggers who have tested positive for over 60+ days! The doctors did, at first say he was 'shedding' the virus.
Then, found it to be a false positive due to a pre-existing chronic illness, called Guilliane-Barre. His wife never got the virus.
So yes, there have been false positives. This man is alive and well.

One cannot have pneumonia AND a clear chest x-ray. So if your Mom has a clear chest x-ray, that is a very good sign.

Later, there are blood tests available to discover if she has an immunity to Covid. Or, you can get an independent test done by sending it to a CDC lab.

Once she is out of quarantine, will that look much different except that you can visit her? I mean to say, does she get out of her room much when not quarantined?

Hoping she will soon be okay from Covid worries.
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RoxineM Jun 2020
That is so interesting about Guilliane-Barre - I looked it up in relation to the coronavirus. And I didn't know a person can shed for weeks after symptoms are gone, and not necessarily be contagious - we sure learn something new about this weird virus every day!

When Mom is out of quarantine (hopefully soon!) I still won't be able to give her a long-overdue hug, as the nursing home will be locked to visitors. She's paralyzed on her right side, but will be able to get out of her room in a wheelchair if someone helps her. I'm sure that will do quite a bit to lift her spirits. Thank you for your wishes and reply.
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My LO was tested following the emergence of symptoms, was ill for 3 weeks, and has now recovered, no symptoms.

She had recovered by the end of March, and has tested positive ever since. She is considered completely recovered, and is just as feisty as before she was sick.

Not exactly like your mom, but hopefully the same good outcome.

The physician who sees her in her AL says she is “shedding” the virus.
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RoxineM Jun 2020
Great news, I'm happy for your LO! I'm just staying hopeful that Mom will test negative next time - they require two negative tests - so she can get out of quarantine. Should hear something this week.
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The folks at my brother's ALF swears patient went in after fall, tested positive twice, then negative, no symptoms. So I guess this does happen. This is the more unlikely screnario. Usually there are false negatives.
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RoxineM Jun 2020
Good to hear! My heart just sank when I first heard the news, but there is hope!
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That is amazing. I’m so glad that she’s doing so well. I’ve read that some people are asymptomatic. Is she testing positive for HAVING the virus or having antibiotics?
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RoxineM Jun 2020
She tested positive for the coronavirus, not the antibodies. She is amazing! I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed that she'll stay well. Thanks for replying.
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