The current Cycle Threshold (Ct) value(s) for a positive COVID-19 test

Scottish Government did not have the information requested.

Dear Scottish Government,

Given that the First Minister of Scotland stated on 8 July 2021 that positive COVID-19 cases were being detected at 8% of those persons tested then the Scottish Government should have records of what defines a positive case in terms of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. As Scottish Ministers should have been informed by the Chief Medical Officer Gregor Smith and the National Clinical Director for the Scottish Government Jason Leitch the PCR test involves a doubling of DNA with each cycle and therefore the Cycle Threshold (Ct) value (i.e. the number of PCR cycles that the test is run for until there is response) is critical to the interpretation of the assay and thus the number of cases.

As a FOISA 2002 request what is the currently recorded Cycle Threshold (Ct) value (or values) that the Scottish Government holds for the interpretation of a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result?

It is understood that a number of different PCR tests may be being used in Scotland, some of which may be based on the real-time PCR (RT-PCR) diagnostic test developed by Christion Drosten that seemingly used an in silico generated viral RNA sequence (provided by the Chinese authorities) that is a test that is now being questioned both as to it’s validity and whether it’s publication was peer reviewed correctly. Therefore please provide the Cycle Threshold (Ct) values that define a positive test result for all of the recorded tests that are being used to create the 8% positive test cases figure released by the First Minister.

Yours faithfully,

J Grove

Scottish Government

Our Reference: 202100222153

Dear J Grove ,

Thank you for your correspondence sent on 09/07/2021. Your query will be
passed to the relevant area for consideration and has been given a
reference number of 202100222153. Please quote this number in all
correspondence. The Scottish Government aim to respond, where necessary,
as quickly as possible and within the stated timescale as indicated on our
website
(http://www.gov.scot/about/contact-inform...).

Yours sincerely
MiCase
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The Scottish Government takes your privacy seriously. You may have written
to us because you have a question or want to make a complaint. Our privacy
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(https://beta.gov.scot/publications/conta...),
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Dear Scottish Government,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Scottish Government's handling of my FOI request 'The current Cycle Threshold (Ct) value(s) for a positive COVID-19 test'.

Thanks for the provision of the section 17(1) exemption that the information requested is not recorded.

I am dissatisfied with this response as the information simply must be recorded on Scottish Government systems. This internal review is to request that the Scottish Government re-checks it's systems and performs a more in-depth searches.

The Scottish Government should reasonably know that Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and infectious Diseases (NIAID) has it on public record that there is a Cycle Threshold (Ct) value above which the positive test result is likely to be meaningless due to the potential for a false positive.

Given that the Scottish Government (Scottish Ministers) seemingly, based on this FOI response, do not have the information requested then it is only reasonable to conclude that the Scottish Government are allowing a so called “casedemic" to exist for the purposes known only to the inner workings of the Scottish Government (Scottish Ministers).

Please confirm the section 17(1) or provide the Ct value above which the positive test result in the COVID-19 RT-PCR test is likely to be an invalid false positive. To assist the Scottish Government this Ct value is likely to be around 35.

The suggestion that RT-PCR tests are being run at a Ct value of 40 is deeply concerning given that the Scottish Government is considering inhibiting freedoms of citizens based on these test results.

Thanks for conducting this internal review.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/t...

Yours faithfully,

J Grove

Scottish Government

Our Reference: 202100235454
Your Reference: The current Cycle Threshold (Ct) value(s) for a positive
COVID-19 test

Dear J Grove,

Thank you for your correspondence received on 01/09/2021. Your query will
be passed to the relevant area for consideration and has been given a
reference number of 202100235454. Please quote this number in all
correspondence. The Scottish Government aim to respond, where necessary,
as quickly as possible and within the stated timescale as indicated on our
website
(http://www.gov.scot/about/contact-inform...).

Yours sincerely
MiCase
Correspondence system for SG and partner agencies
The Scottish Government takes your privacy seriously. You may have written
to us because you have a question or want to make a complaint. Our privacy
notice
(https://beta.gov.scot/publications/conta...),
available on our website, sets out how we use your personal data, and your
rights when communicating with us. It is made under Article 13 of the
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
********************************************************************** 
This e-mail (and any files or other attachments transmitted with it) is
intended solely for the attention of the addressee(s). Unauthorised use,
disclosure, storage, copying or distribution of any part of this e-mail is
not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy the
email, remove any copies from your system and inform the sender
immediately by return.
Communications with the Scottish Government may be monitored or recorded
in order to secure the effective operation of the system and for other
lawful purposes. The views or opinions contained within this e-mail may
not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Government.
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Scottish Government

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Please find attached a response to your correspondence.
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This e-mail (and any files or other attachments transmitted with it) is
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Communications with the Scottish Government may be monitored or recorded
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not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Government.
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Scottish Government

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This e-mail (and any files or other attachments transmitted with it) is
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not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy the
email, remove any copies from your system and inform the sender
immediately by return.
Communications with the Scottish Government may be monitored or recorded
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lawful purposes. The views or opinions contained within this e-mail may
not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Government.
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