PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The COVID-19 test positivity rate has been a key number to watch throughout the pandemic. But as more of the population is vaccinated, is it still as meaningful?
Officials say for now, it's still an important indicator.
The positive test percentage involves the number of positive COVID-19 tests divided by the total tests in the same time period.
KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough said if that formula is done correctly, it can be a good indicator of COVID-19 cases in an area.
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"It's an important number, because it's telling you and your community what percentage of people tested are positive," Brian said.
"It's not the percentage of people positive over the entire population, it's just over those being tested."
Montgomery County Commissioner Dr. Val Arkoosh said if less testing is done, the positivity rate could become less telling. Still, even with a big chunk of the population now vaccinated, testing rates remain high.
"As long as we’re continuing to test a large number of people, then the positivity rate is very important and very legitimate," Arkoosh said.
Arkoosh added they are also looking at incidents per hundred thousand, which is another measurement used to understand how communities are faring.