PCR test cycle threshold
Mr Hill made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health
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From: Mr Hill
Dear Ministry of Health,
Could you please provide information on whether there is a difference in the PCR test cycle threshold for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
If so, how many cycles for vaccinated individuals and how many for unvaccinated individuals?
Yours faithfully,
Mr Hill
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From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Mr Hill
Thank you for your email.
There is no difference in the PCR test cycle threshold for vaccinated and
unvaccinated individuals.
For the RT-PCR assays being used in New Zealand laboratories, the number
of cycles for which the assays run is 40. The number of cycles for which
any RT-PCR assay runs is a pre-programmed parameter in the software of the
analyser used for the test and cannot be changed by the individual
laboratories using the assays. Regardless of when the threshold is
reached, the assay will run for the full 40 cycles.
As above, the Ct value is also determined by the test manufacturer and
cannot be altered by the laboratory performing the test.
This number has not been changed by the manufacturers since COVID-19
testing commenced in New Zealand. More information about how COVID-19
testing works is available
at: [1]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/assessment-and-testing-covid-19/how-covid-19-testing-works.
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Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
[3]Ministry of Health information releases
[4]Unite against COVID-19
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From: Mr Hill <[FYI request #18062 email]>
Sent: Monday, 27 December 2021 10:55
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - PCR test cycle threshold
Dear Ministry of Health,
Could you please provide information on whether there is a difference in
the PCR test cycle threshold for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
If so, how many cycles for vaccinated individuals and how many for
unvaccinated individuals?
Yours faithfully,
Mr Hill
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