TikTok
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The man, who appears to be a fitness instructor on TikTok, showed he tested positive for COVID-19 with a rapid test kit (RTK) and was convinced he tested negative after a run the very next day.
“Was infected with COVID-19 on 2 March for the first time, then tested negative on 3 March. Is COVID-19 playing with me?” his caption read.
In the video, he documented that he tested positive and was sweating too much and could not fall asleep on the night of 2 March, which was why he decided to go jogging outdoors the following afternoon.
The man said he was able to run 9.86km without any shortness of breath and felt better after the exercise. He also thanked God for a negative result after reaching home.
He added that he did his exercise in a deserted location because he was COVID-19 positive.
The video also attracted a lot of criticism on Twitter, with Putrajaya Hospital medical consultant and nephrology specialist Dr Rafidah Abdullah also quickly putting to rest the man’s claim.
“A 10km run can ‘get rid of’ COVID-19? NONSENSE,” she wrote in a tweet on Monday, 14 March.
The doctor asserted that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 with an RTK should immediately isolate and quarantine themselves.
“Why would you go for a 10km run outdoors? To pass the virus to others?” she lamented, adding that such people who do not abide by standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be arrested.
“RTKs are SCREENING tests!” she reminded. “If he tested using PCR (the gold standard confirmatory test), he would still be positive.”
“Infections don’t just ‘disappear’ and you do not ‘recover’ and are not safe to leave quarantine before the [seven days are] up.”
She added that it is good that people are testing themselves frequently with RTKs, but one negative result does not guarantee that they are not infected.
Lastly, the medical consultant cautioned that COVID-19 patients are at risk of cardiac arrest, and therefore rest, good hydration, and a healthy diet are important.
“Is that too difficult to ask? Don’t run a marathon. Wait first,” she said with a facepalm emoji.
As of writing, the TikTok user has since taken down his video.