What Are the Implications of Early vs. Late Testing?
Early Testing: Early testing can lead to early diagnosis, timely treatment, and better patient outcomes. It also helps in implementing quarantine and contact tracing measures to prevent the spread of the disease. However, if done too early, the test might not detect the pathogen, leading to false negatives.
Late Testing: Late testing might result in delayed treatment and worse outcomes for the patient. It can also lead to the spread of the disease as the infected individual might unknowingly transmit it to others. However, late testing might provide a more accurate diagnosis if the pathogen has had time to proliferate.
