Is it because of the breakthrough infection that there are many confirmed cases despite the high vaccination rate?
Half right and half wrong.
To explain this, it is necessary to understand the PCR test method to diagnose a confirmed patient. .
So it amplifies.
The amount of virus is increased by doing 1, 2, and 3 times, and if the amount until the 34th amplification is higher than the standard value, it is positive, and if it is less than the standard value, it is negative.
If the 33rd and 32nd times already exceed the threshold, it is of course positive.
The problem is that PCR tests can only measure the amount of the virus, not its activity.
If the amount of virus is the same, isn't it the same case?
In the past, that was true.
Now I am not getting it because of the vaccine.
The University of Oxford in England tested those who received the vaccine and those who did not by PCR, and the amount of the virus was the same.
However, when the Israeli research team compared the radio wave power, it was quite different.
For example, the vaccinated people infected 0.6 and the unvaccinated 5 people.
That's more than 8 times the difference.
The virus is the same, but not the same.
What the hell is that different?
This is because the current PCR test can only measure the amount of the virus.
It is impossible to determine whether the virus is alive or dead, or how powerful it is to spread if it is alive.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also says that it is currently unknown how infectious the person is through PCR testing.
If the virus of the person who received the vaccine has a very low activity or there are many dead viruses, but only the amount of virus exceeds the threshold in the PCR test, all are being confirmed as confirmed.
So, in the United States, there is even an argument that the criteria should be relaxed a little more for those who have been vaccinated.
For those who have been vaccinated, do not amplify up to 34 times when performing a PCR test, and do it a little less.
Because there are many dead or ineffective viruses, the argument is that the confirmation should be made when the amount of virus is much higher than that of people who have not been vaccinated.
If so, is PCR test and supplementation necessary?
Before the vaccine was available, there was no problem in making a diagnosis based on the most perfect test method, the amount of the virus.
However, in a situation where the number of vaccinated people is increasing, it can be said that there is a certain limit to a simple amount that includes dead viruses and even ineffective viruses.
A diagnostic technology that can measure the activity of the virus using saliva in the mouth is being studied.
In addition, now there are more than 2,000 confirmed cases, but since even those with low transmission power are quarantined, there is also a problem of depletion of quarantine personnel, which neglects even those who need isolation.
With the advent of vaccines and mutations, the period of coexistence with Corona is expected to be longer, and the diagnostic paradigm is expected to change accordingly.
(Video coverage: Hakmo Kim·Ryung Harung, Video editing: Jongtae Kim, CG: Seunghyeon Seo·Gyeongrim Kang)