⭐️ Do rapid tests work for the current #variants? 

“The short answer is yes… “We’ve actually never seen a deterioration in accuracy of the tests,” said Michael Mina.

⭐️ When to test if you’re exposed?

“The best rule of 👍 is to start testing 3 days after exposure, & if you’re negative, test again on day 4 or 5.”
#COVID19 #covid #covidtesting
https://tinyurl.com/mtjzuct8

Day 4 of the Man Cold. Still alive, barely.

Serious question - Are there RATs still available in Ottawa? Costco didn’t have any yesterday. I don’t think this is COVID, but I’m testing out of caution, using the latest guidelines (swab everything you can reach inside your head, test multiple times).

Also, even with the newer swabbing guidelines, what is the reliability of the RATs, considering the new variants? I’m testing while fully symptomatic, so I’m not worried about the narrower effectiveness of the RATs time-wise, just the ability to detect variants that are a few generations removed from when the RATs were developed.

#Ottawa #COVID19 #COVIDTesting

Call for return of face masks as Covid variant Arcturus spreads | The Independent
#Arcturus
#Covid
#CovidIsNotOver
#COVIDIsAirborne
#FaceMasks
#IndependentSAGE
#UKGov
#CovidTesting
#WHO

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-arcturus-face-masks-vaccine-b2328983.html

So @trendless found & @RussSharek boosted link to report on hot new paper (Schulte & Huang) re Caltech development of new at-home test for COVID (& other paths).

It's 2.5x-100x more sensitive than current home antigen tests!

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-02-sensitive-rapid-at-home-covid-.html

Pray commercial development happens ASAP.

More broadly, great quote here from Prof Barbara Wold: "The COVID-19 pandemic is a devilish teacher."

Yes. It has shown us much that is terrible to see. In our world. In ourselves.

#COVID #COVIDTesting

Matt Hancock: What are claims and counter-claims over leaked Covid messages? | The Independent
#Hancock
#Covid
#CovidTesting
#WhatsApp
#CareHomes
#Johnson
#ReesMogg
#Osborne
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/matt-hancock-leaked-covid-messages-b2291948.html

The “incentives also attracted price-gougers, fraudsters and people with no experience in the laboratory business. The result was a chaotic approach that ranged from bungled testing programs and confusion over new requirements to outright fraud.”

https://www.propublica.org/article/how-fraud-increases-medicare-spending-covid-19-testing

#covid #covidtesting

Has anyone else had problems with Accula assays giving repeated blank (invalid) results? Had that happen with three cartridges in a row yesterday and trying to debug. #accula #covidtesting

You may also be able to order for free through your insurance company website! For example, my insurance contracts with ExpressScripts (not an endorsement), who lets me order free tests (with free shipping) through my account there.

#COVID19 #COVIDTesting

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/15/1142926180/free-covid-tests-mail-order

New variants and wet weather still driving infections as people urged to be mindful of vulnerable.

#CovidIsNotOver #CovidTesting

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/16/australias-latest-covid-wave-nears-peak-but-cases-to-stay-high-through-christmas-experts-say

White House brings back free at-home COVID test orders as part of "winter preparedness plan"

#Covid #CovidTesting #WhiteHouse #Biden
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/free-covid-tests-at-home-order-online-white-house-winter-surge/

Free home COVID tests are available again from the US gov. I posted the announcement yesterday, but here's the direct link to the order page:
https://special.usps.com/testkits

Stay safe out there!
#CovidTesting #PSA #covid

US addresses: We can order free COVID tests via USPS again
special.usps.com/testkits #covid #MaskUp #covidtesting #covid19

Order your four free covid tests. #Covid19 #CovidTesting
COVID.gov/tests - Free at-home COVID-19 tests
https://www.covid.gov/tests

It seems we can start requesting free COVID home tests again at covid.gov... but they haven’t updated the website yet... which seems wrong to me. On so many levels...

#CovidTesting

We can start requesting free COVID home tests again. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/14/free-covid-home-test-program-restart-00073962
#CovidTesting

Covid has made this trick much less impressive. #Covid #CovidTesting

Alexa should be smart enough to recognize the following:
- start guard mode
- no commands over a couple of days
- stop guard mode
- timer, fifteen minutes

This sequence should trigger a "good luck" message.

#CovidTesting

@Billius27
Wouldn’t that require #Surveillance #CovidTesting to ascertain?

#AntiScience politicians don’t even want symptomatic people to test. They #DoNotWantToKnow, and figure if the public is left in the dark - it’s better for their political image.

It’s mad, bad and irresponsible - and does not bode well for government run surveillance testing, though a university might try to do it.