But PCR could easily begin to replicate garbage in first cycles. Templates are too short and the number of "copiers" actively trying to copy something is enormous in usual tests, so probability of occasional match is relatively high. And that is without accounting a possibility that templates matches could also be in some other RNA/DNA sequences usual for tested samples. So, rt PCR is useless too as a test. It will always throw false-positives even in perfect conditions. More tests you do, more false-positives you have. Even with completely fictional templates you will always be able to create epidemic of completely fictional, non-existent virus just doing enough tests. Even if probability of template match in first cycles is only 1%, you just need to test 100 millions to get a quick rise to million of "cases" you could use to scare people.
And in the case of SARS-CoV-2 the things even worse - you can't even somehow calibrate it and estimate false-positives rate of the "test", because you have no calibration sample in the form of pure virus isolate.
But PCR could easily begin to replicate garbage in first cycles. Templates are too short and the number of "copiers" actively trying to copy something is enormous in usual tests, so probability of occasional match is relatively high. And that is without accounting a possibility that templates matches could also be in some other RNA/DNA sequences usual for tested samples. So, rt PCR is useless too as a test. It will always throw false-positives even in perfect conditions. More tests you do, more false-positives you have. Even with completely fictional templates you will always be able to create epidemic of completely fictional, non-existent virus just doing enough tests. Even if probability of template match in first cycles is only 1%, you just need to test 100 millions to get a quick rise to million of "cases" you could use to scare people.
And in the case of SARS-CoV-2 the things even worse - you can't even somehow calibrate it and estimate false-positives rate of the "test", because you have no calibration sample in the form of pure virus isolate.