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Comment by Confiks | Hacker News Reader

tl;dr: The test can only be spoofed if it isn't conducted properly, by not doing the step with the buffer solution [1] [2]. You may even be able to unspoof the test by applying the buffer solution after the fact.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMcUzvrn75E

[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-coca-cola-posit...

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> Fact check: Coca-Cola does not cause a positive COVID-19 test

I find it very difficult to agree with that headline. We have lots of proof that putting coke on a covid test makes the test positive. Coca Cola unequivocally causes a positive result.

That's like saying " X vulnerability in our software doesn't actually exist, because if any would-be hackers just followed the rules then they wouldn't be able to exploit the vuln".

"Coca-Cola causes positive COVID-19 test" would be a headline that to many would imply that simply drinking a coke is enough to cause you to get a positive test.

I don't think that's what's happening.

It's almost like a world wide professional word-smith company should be capable of constructing an accurate and true headline.

Otherwise why are you considering any of their other texts worth reading?

It is quite a disappointment for a "fact checker" to play fast and loose with the facts in order to optimize the headline.

There are plenty of factually correct headlines they could have chosen:

"Putting cola on a covid test causes a false positive"

"Improper use of covid test causes positive result"

etc. You would hope that professional journalists would be capable of writing a clear and correct headline.

They should buy a bag of tests and some soft drinks from their company and their competitors and just publish a page where they show that: Some soft drinks might break some tests making the results worthless.

It's not a positive result (that implies the person has covid) it's that it damages the test. Like shorting the circuit of an electronic pregnancy test...

Reuters fact checking seems to be particularly bad lately tbh

For completeness with regard to unspoofing, it should be demonstrated that post-test application of the buffer does not reverse a truly positive test.

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