CoVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 Information and Questions

[Crob83]

Would love to see your evidence on this?

If skipping work was the plan is there really any need to show a test?

Well ya there is no other way to get 5 days paid for free off without a positive covid test. There will always be swindlers and people who game the system. My evidence on what, you think these tests are accurate all the time?

 

[Bruce]

I’ve been trying to read about this because my wife tested positive on a home test and negative on a PCR the same day. It doesn’t sound like false positives are a problem for the antigen tests at all from what I’ve seen, it’s all on the false negative side.

Were the two tests from the same swab or different swabbings?

These tests are looking for a small amount of virus. The most likely reason is that the home test had a better sample than the PCR. It also is possible that viral prevalence decreased between the tests even if the samples were of equal quality.

False negatives are much more likely than false positives. Contamination, with the virus, is needed for a false positive.

 

[Bruce]

Well ya there is no other way to get 5 days paid for free off without a positive covid test. There will always be swindlers and people who game the system. My evidence on what, you think theses tests are accurate all the time?

I can not see how a home test could be validated. Just buy a used one from someone who was positive or get out your marker.

False negatives are likely with antigen and PCR testing. They need a good sample and the testing window where someone tests positive is small.

False positives are incredibly rare with both. The most common false positive is where a lab worker contaminates a sample. That does not happen with home tests.

These tests are thoroughly evaluated by the FDA who publishes the test results. You can find accuracy data for any approved test on the FDA website.

 

[AZMark]

Were the two tests from the same swab or different swabbings?

These tests are looking for a small amount of virus. The most likely reason is that the home test had a better sample than the PCR. It also is possible that viral prevalence decreased between the tests even if the samples were of equal quality.

False negatives are much more likely than false positives. Contamination, with the virus, is needed for a false positive.

No, different swabs. She took the PCR test in the morning and we finally got our hands on an at home antigen test that same evening.

She definitely has it, my son tested positive on PCR and I tested positive the day before them on a home test. We all have symptoms.

I’m thinking it’s maybe a data entry problem or something. I asked her to track down a contact to follow up with the lab that did the test but she said there wasn’t one in the email they sent and she’s not feeling great so not a priority for her to figure out.

 

[Bruce]

@AZMark, I hope you all are better soon.

if any adult is unvaccinated or has comorbidities I would reach out to the local hospitals to ask about monoclonal antibodies or the new oral treatments. They are in short supply but could be very helpful.

My youngest brother, with comorbidities, had CoVID before vaccination was available in 2020. Monoclonal antibodies were a big help to him. He also has very interesting PCR data. His wife’s employer was validating a PCR test based on a cough and spit method instead of nasal swabbing. He was tested every other day for 6 weeks or so. His son had it first so the whole family was testing a week or so before he tested positive. His first positive was at more than 40 cycles. Once he tested positive at 40 cycles he went for monoclonal antibodies but was turned away due to a negative antigen test. He got another PCR later that day but that delayed his antibody treatment for two days during which he got pretty sick and started to experience pneumonia symptoms. Fortunately the antibodies and his immune system combined to kill off the virus before he had much lung damage and he recovered fully at home. After the antibodies he had some days where he was positive below 40 cycles and some over 40 cycles. Only tests under 40 cycles are counted as positive. His son had the same level of testing with similar results. Fortunately his wife and younger son never tested positive. He became diabetic during the recovery period which fortunately resolved over time.

 

[the MfM]

False positives with at home test.

Don’t use this at-home COVID test, FDA warns. It could give you a false positive

This test, that can be sold under a few different names, has a “high risk of false results,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

www.yahoo.com

 

[adrianp89]

From what I have been reading, false positives have been relatively common. Doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[AZMark]

False positives with at home test.

Don’t use this at-home COVID test, FDA warns. It could give you a false positive

This test, that can be sold under a few different names, has a “high risk of false results,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

www.yahoo.com

I suppose like most things if you buy a knockoff product on eBay or somewhere sketchier you might not get what you expect. Doesn’t look like the LuSys test cited for the problems was approved or should be available through reliable channels.

 

[Lurch]

I had just the opposite with the Abbot Binax test. Nasal swab produced a negative - Ignoring the FDA guidance, I did a throat swab as well on another test and the positive marker lit up immediately. I don't blame the test so much as a failure to adapt to new information. Apparently, the FDA thinks people are too stupid to avoid impaling themselves with a qtip in the throat.

 

[tabbibus]

I had just the opposite with the Abbot Binax test. Nasal swab produced a negative - Ignoring the FDA guidance, I did a throat swab as well on another test and the positive marker lit up immediately. I don't blame the test so much as a failure to adapt to new information. Apparently, the FDA thinks people are too stupid to avoid impaling themselves with a qtip in the throat.

but qtip to the brain is safer! haha

 

[the MfM]

Makes sense to me

Paul LePage floats COVID-19 vaccine requirement for welfare recipients

Jan. 12—AUGUSTA, Maine — Former Gov. Paul LePage floated a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for Mainers receiving welfare benefits on Tuesday despite speaking out against the state's requirement for health care workers. The proposal, which LePage said could encompass Mainers in programs from MaineCare...

www.yahoo.com

 

[Evil Sports]

Free test kits up to 8 per family member here in Mass paid for by your health insurance, I say we will see at least a 15% increase in premiums next renewal for the same or lesser coverage.

 

[Bruce]

False positives with at home test.

Don’t use this at-home COVID test, FDA warns. It could give you a false positive

This test, that can be sold under a few different names, has a “high risk of false results,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

www.yahoo.com

Would you expect an accurate result from a test that is not authorized or approved by the FDA?

 

[Bruce]

This is perhaps a better article on those unauthorized tests.

FDA cracks down on use of LuSys Labs' unauthorized COVID tests

The FDA is once again asking consumers and healthcare providers not to use COVID-19 tests that have found their way into regular distribution despite not having been cleared by th | LuSys Laboratories' antigen and antibody tests haven’t received any marketing clearance or emergency authorization...

www.fiercebiotech.com

 

[the MfM]

Would you expect an accurate result from a test that is not authorized or approved by the FDA?

No, however I haven’t researched fda authorization of any of the kits I’ve bought. These kits were sold to labs, facilities and consumers with implied approval. Which seemed like pertinent information to add to this thread.

 

[Bruce]

No, however I haven’t researched fda authorization of any of the kits I’ve bought. These kits were sold to labs, facilities and consumers with implied approval. Which seemed like pertinent information to add to this thread.

They were unapproved tests. Shysters taking advantage of people just like those that profit from fake treatments and PPE.

The FDA publishes information on approved and authorized tests just as they do for medication.

COVID-19 Test Basics

Easy-to-understand information about the different types of coronavirus tests

www.fda.gov

 

[Matt_D]

I say we will see at least a 15% increase in premiums next renewal for the same or lesser coverage.

I've been expecting a huge increase just because of all of the hospitalizations over the past two years. I can't see how we won't see our premiums go through the roof. If testing reduces the spread of cases, then the 8 covered tests per month may create an overall savings. But it's anybody's guess right now.

 

[Evil Sports]

SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in the North American deer mouse - Nature Communications

Deer mice are natural hosts for a number of human pathogens. Here, Griffin et al. report that intranasal exposure of the North American deer mouse to SARS-CoV-2 results in virus replication and shedding, despite causing only mild or asymptomatic illness. Additionally, infected deer mice can...

www.nature.com

 

[Ronnie]

I was out of it for close to two weeks. Often I’d wake up feeling fine but by mid morning I’d feel like I just ran a marathon. Sooner if i did anything physical, even taking out the trash had me huffing and puffing. Thankfully my employer gave all employees 10 free Covid days to deal with getting vaccinated, and to care for themselves or infected family members. I’ve used 8 so far but 3 were just to recover from being vaccinated and boosted. 2 of which were just for the booster, which I got soon after contracting Covid. I was told it would make me feel sicker but did it anyway to get it out of the way, and apparently to prove the experts right.

Really not concerned about Covid days running out as I’ve got over 600 hours of extended sick leave on the books if I need them but I hope I never do.

my wife tested negative on the PCR test the same day I tested positive. I didn’t believe it so we went to a rapid test site, paid $70 to get tested that day out of a van parked at a local jiffy lube. It was by appointment only and there was still a huge line of cars in front of and behind us. She tested negative again but we only waited two hours for the result instead of two days. She is still getting over a cold, mucinex, NyQuil and DayQuil, cough drops have been her friends. Her Covid days expired at the end of September before she could use them.

id like to get tested again but am not willing to wait hours in line to do so. The school district was giving home tests away last week and still is today. Day one they only had one distribution site, the line of cars was over three mile long and screwed up traffic the entire day for all the surrounding businesses and residents. Now they have more sites but still make the news every night.

l bet many states are going through the same thing that my area of ca is. That is, some places require proof of vaccination others don’t. Stores are closing early or not opening at all because the bulk of their staffs are out sick. I’ve had people leave meetings early because they had to get their kids from schools that shut down unexpectedly and my son was just told by the college he attends that in person learning would be postponed two weeks this coming semester. A lot of the shelves are bare at the grocery stores I go to. I hope I have enough TP to go the distance or I will be taking a lot more showers, in violation of the water conservation efforts here in CA. Basically they will just charge me more for all the water I use, not just the incremental water used over their daily limit. Inflation is for real as well, i only notice it when we eat out which is a lot. $50 for three meals at shake shack. $58 for my wife and I to eat at chevys (I had fajitas, she had soup and guacamole, we both had diet sodas).

my 19 year old son was not impacted at all. Says door dash is busier and pays better than ever but it hasn’t motivated him to work anymore.

im just sick of this Shit! Looks like it another jacked up boating and camping summer is on the way. Glad the mortality rate has gone down though. Hopefully the next variant or any future variants don’t bend the trend.

 

[the MfM]

Glad you are doing better @Ronnie.

Our school district just announced that they will not accept negative results from at home tests…PCR only if the kids are out sick before they can return.