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© 2021 AFPStudy shows dogs can detect COVID-19 infections
By Patrick GALEY PARIS©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© 2021 AFP
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virusrex
As with many other kinds of tests that are expected to be used with the vast majority of the people being negative the specificity is as important as the sensitivity.
What would happen if this was used as intended in an airport and between 6 and 18% of all the people arriving would be considered infected because of the dogs?
That is not a realistic expectation. PCR tests are much more sensitive and specific but still they are not a replacement for quarantines. What if the person was exposed a few hours before traveling? or even during the flight? it is not realistic to expect the dogs to detect infections that have began so recently, but the person would still be capable of transmitting the disease a few days later.
Express sister
Study abandoned after researchers found that 98% of Covid-19 infected people carry fried bacon in their pockets.
George Townes
The team said that out of a plane full of arrivals -- around 300 people -- less than one percent were statistically likely to be carrying SARS-CoV-2.
Screen arrivals? How about screening those who are departing. BEFORE they get on the plane and then we could take the number down to 0%.
TheReds
Amazing, but then the dog itself would be infected??
Sven Asai
Being such an impressive and smart dog, you would surely detect at least any one passenger, infected or not, just to get the next delicious goodie , and would still be seen as a valuable anti-corona tool, sniffing in between the standard deviation. Also , at 90% rate, the dog would let pass some of the false negatives. And if just amongst them is the next superspreader… Not to forget that you need quite a number of those trained dogs. And last but not least, they will of course also breath in and breath out the virus loads that they are exposed to, what is probably much higher than of an usual pet. Very unhealthy for the animal and the place where they are operating.
Peter W.
A solution only to a limited extent. Dogs can only sniff for 30 minutes because it is very exhausting for them. Afterwards they need a longer break.