A practitioner writes: “Went on holidays with my wife and son to spend time with my lifelong friend who I have known since we were 2 years of age. We stayed at his house as it was his 50th Birthday. We were there for a week and on the second to last day, I developed a cough. I didn’t think it was COVID as my friend had a cough for a few weeks and he had tested himself several times and was negative. I performed two sessions while I was away and would pray for protection when out in public but not every time. We flew back home and I tested myself with a home kit and I was positive. I performed a couple of sessions for my friend’s family and those who I came in contact with, so far none of them have tested positive. I sneezed twice in the car when driving my son and wife home from the airport. Two days after the home test, I had a test at a clinic and tested positive again, and I was wondering why it would be positive after performing several sessions. Does the COVID test detect the virus or a side effect of the virus? I am in isolation and only have mild flu symptoms.” What can we tell him?

Testing is not always straightforward in allowing one to piece together a sequence of events through exposure, and then development of symptoms, and do so with certainty. There are both false positives and false negatives with all forms of testing. The more sensitive tests will pick up viral remnants that might be present from exposure but not representing an actual infection of the host. The home tests are much less reliable than the formal PCR technology, but the latter is oversensitive so it is not likely to miss an active infection but will give false positives. Doing prayer work or using the LHP is not a guarantee of protection, but may well lower the body burden of infectious organisms once one has been contaminated enough to prevent a severe bout of illness, and that is very much a benefit worth having compared to feeling truly wretched, and perhaps have to fight for one's life with too many severe symptoms attacking the person when the illness is severe. So we regard a description such as yours as a win because, without your oversight and protective measures, you would likely have had a much worse time.