Musk followed that initial tweet by saying he would also be getting two PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests in the following hours, but would have to wait 12 hours for the results. It’s that initial tweet that got him tagged as Space Karen.
Emma Bell is a postdoctoral researcher who specializes in bioinformatics, analyzing biological data, directly responsible for getting Space Karen trending. “What’s bogus is that Space Karen didn’t read up on the test before complaining to his millions of followers,” Bell wrote in a reply to Musk’s “bogus” tweet.
Bell wasn’t the only one to point out to Musk that rapid antigen tests put speed over accuracy, which is why they’re never used for a diagnosis and require backing by a PCR test. In fact, in the hours that followed, Musk engaged in an open discussion with academics on these tests, clearly willing to understand how he could have gotten those conflicting results, when the tests were applied on the same day.
Bell too points out the inaccuracy of rapid antigen tests, even writing in a lengthier piece on Medium that they’re only able to determine the infection at the peak of the viral load. On either side of the peak viral load, false negatives are more likely to occur, which is what probably happened to Musk.
A Karen, for those who aren’t familiar with the term, is the umbrella term for the stereotype of the white entitled woman with a bone to pick and the willingness to use her privilege to get her way. Karen is famous for her Kate Gosselin-inspired haircut, a “Let me speak to your manager” propensity, or itchy fingers in dialing 911 when there is no real danger or emergency.
Viral monikers aside, Musk is doing well. On Sunday, as the SpaceX Falcon rocket was getting ready for launch, for the historic first-full fledged taxi flight for NASA, he told followers that he was doing fine, conceding that he most likely had Covid, with symptoms of a mild cold.
Rapid antigen tests trade sensitivity for speed. They return a result in <30 minutes, but can only detect COVID-19 when you're absolutely riddled with it. What's bogus is that Space Karen didn't read up on the test before complaining to his millions of followers. pic.twitter.com/a1Snfpm03h
— Emma Bell PhD (@emmabell42) November 14, 2020
This graphs shows the probability of COVID-19 detection for the available tests. Rapid antigen tests (orange) only give low false negative results for a couple of days. Space Karen's results (2 neg, followed by 2 pos later that day) are completely in line with this. pic.twitter.com/hnX9J1m7Lk
— Emma Bell PhD (@emmabell42) November 14, 2020
Something extremely bogus is going on. Was tested for covid four times today. Two tests came back negative, two came back positive. Same machine, same test, same nurse. Rapid antigen test from BD.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
If it’s happening to me, it’s happening to others. I’m getting PCR tests from separate labs. Results will take about 24 hours.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2020
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