Tesla CEO Elon Musk was tested for COVID-19 four times during the span of the day on Thursday, November 12th. Two of the tests came back positive, and two came back negative, inciting Musk to question the testing practices that were put into place for the virus.
“Something extremely bogus is going on,” Musk tweeted late Thursday evening. “Was tested for covid four times today. Two tests came back negative, and two came back positive. Same machine, same test, same nurse. Rapid antigen test from BD.”
Musk decided to get the test because he was experiencing the “symptoms of a typical cold.”
Interestingly, Musk’s home state of California has experienced a drastic increase in COVID cases over the past week. Data from The New York Times shows cases have grown by nearly 3,000 over the past week in the state. But some followers of Musk suggested that the false positive readings could be causing the spike in the Golden State.
A follower asked, “Could this be why we’ve been seeing such a major spike?”
Musk stated that “If it’s happening to me, it’s happening to others.” He added that he would be seeking results from different labs and would be using PCR tests instead of Rapid Antigen tests this time, and would receive the results within 24 hours.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the contradictory results from the cases suggest that the tests could have been administered incorrectly. The organization’s website suggests that false positives can occur and that it is aware of the presence of them, but states that only 4 out of 100 tests would result in an incorrect reading.
Nevertheless, the results didn’t keep Musk’s Twitter followers from chiming in with their thoughts. One follower suggested the increased testing inaccuracy would contribute to more tests being distributed, meaning more revenues for the companies that manufacture them. Musk replied, “Exactly.”
Musk has been vocal regarding his discontent for the past handling of COVID-19, especially earlier this year, when California was shut down for an extended period of time. The company’s Fremont production facility was also closed for a month and a half because of the pandemic. During the company’s Q1 Earnings Call in April, Musk claimed the lockdowns violated people’s freedom.
Musk’s second round of results should be realized within the next day, and he will have a definitive answer as to whether he has contracted the virus or not.