#rapidtests — Public Fediverse posts

Myth: rapid antigen tests have a random chance to throw false negatives, so retesting a few times on the same day is sufficient to rule out covid

Fact: RATs are very good at detecting SARSCoV2 *at their specific detection threshold,* which is in the millions of viral copies, and it takes time for the viral load in the nasopharynx to hit this threshold -- up to a week into an infection in many cases. You should treat every symptomatic infection you have as if it could be covid until you are testing negative on RATs in *multiple 48 hour intervals*

References:
1. FDA - Understanding At-Home OTC COVID-19 Antigen Diagnostic Test Results: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/understanding-home-otc-covid-19-antigen-diagnostic-test-results
2. Leopold Schabel/Lucentia - Unofficial PlusLife FAQ: https://virus.sucks/pluslife_en/

#SARSCoV2 #RapidTest #RapidTests #covid #covid19 #PublicHealth #CovidIsNotOver

Great 🧵 by Nick Anderegg going through a paper on Covid rapid tests, how they work, their accuracy (vs PCR tests), and a bit of statistics. To read and share. threadreaderapp.com/thread/18199... #Covid #Testing #RapidTests #RATs

Thread by @NickAnderegg on Thr...

The most reliable #COVID rapid tests: “The JCU study included 16 RATs approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, and 10 approved by Health Canada. It found the six best performing RATs included the Canadian-approved BTNX Cassette, Flowflex, and Medsup, as well as the Australian-approved Fanttest, Innoscreen, and Juschek.” #COVID19 #RapidTests https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-are-the-most-reliable-rapid-antigen-tests

COVID test supplier received billions in pandemic contracts after submitting edited results

Global News
December 21, 2023
By Patti Sonntag

“This apparent flaw meant the test kit was more likely to produce false-negative results which, many experts said, put Canadian lives at risk.”

https://globalnews.ca/news/10183219/covid-test-supplier-canada/

#BTNX #Canada #COVID #COVID19 #CovidIsNotOver #MaskUp #RapidTests #SARSCoV2

These tests still work but are more prone to false negatives. Test more than once if this is all you have!

#COVID #COVID19 #RapidTests #Pandemic #Canada

https://globalnews.ca/news/10183219/covid-test-supplier-canada/

It's easier to get #covid #rapidTests in #newBrunswick!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/rapid-test-kits-available-without-appointment-new-brunswick-1.7040979

#covidIsNotOver #covidIsAirborne #wearAMask #staySafe

ALSO if you are in some states like California, your insurance is REQUIRED to give you 8 FREE tests PER PERSON PER 30 days until further notice. [e.g. a family of 4 can get 16 boxes of 2 tests per month FREE]
As the winter gets closer, I recommend picking up your full free test order each month and having them on hand esp before thanksgiving, Christmas, etc...
Make testing part of gathering families together, if you get sick, if you're visiting someone older, etc.

#covid #covidtests #rapidtests

4 free covid tests now available from the US government again.

https://www.covid.gov/tests

#covid #covidtests #rapidtests #freetests

US to again offer free COVID tests ahead of respiratory virus season - Enlarge (credit: Getty | picture alliance)

Americans will agai... - https://arstechnica.com/?p=1970322 #infectiousdisease #transmission #rapidtests #sars-cov-2 #covid-19 #science #testing #vaccine #health

I'm thinking about how the #UPS #Teamsters #union contract ends on August 1, and if the company continues to refuse to fairly pay its workers, there may be a strike.

I'm pre-emptively stocking up on #covid19 mitigation measures that I order online, like #N95 masks, #ElastomericRespirator filters, and #RapidTests. A lot of the companies I order from ship via UPS, and I want to try to be prepared both to protect myself from #covid and to support the strike in case future orders are delayed. (Plus the US is at the uptick of a new covid wave, so I'm going to need more masks!)

If you're #CovidCautious and are able to afford stocking up on extra mitigations now, I'd suggest you do the same. And email UPS and tell them to bargain fairly and pay their workers!

The #pandemic and #WorkersRights are both issues of #solidarity. Whether the issue is covid, #EconomicJustice, or #ClimateChange, the only solution is for us to come together collectively to support each other.

I wish they would put this on here as well as the other place. Taken from there:
The Public Health Mobile Unit travels to communities across Nova Scotia offering COVID-19 PCR and rapid tests with or without an appointment. Find all upcoming clinics: www.nshealth.ca/PHMU
#novascotia #CovidTesting #vaccinations #pcr #RapidTests #schedule

On COVID safety and access to rapid tests:
I wrote an open letter to my health insurance (a relatively small plan managed by the university where I work) asking that they continue to provide free #RapidTests after the end of the #PublicHealthEmergency

You are invited to use it too (though you'll want to take out some of the institution-specific details).
https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/04/25/letter-4-24-2/

#COVIDIsNotOver #COVIDisAirborne
#COVIDSafeCampus
#DIYPandemic

Queensland back-to-school plan left millions of rapid tests to expire.

#COVID19qld @qldhealth #schools #rapidtests

Source: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/queensland/queensland-back-to-school-plan-left-millions-of-rapid-tests-to-expire-20230301-p5cojl.html

@maggiejk @Pat

Some people never test positive on #RapidTests the whole time. It is just not a perfectly sensitive test: it doesn't pick up everyone with #Covid.

Things I’ve done in preparation as #thanksgiving host:
➡️ extra rapid tests and asking guests to test before coming
➡️ extra kn95
➡️ portable HEPA air filters in dining area
➡️ window will be cracked
➡️ hand sanitizer everywhere

It’s not just about #COVID when you have folks coming from all over with kids. (All are vaccinated/boosted). Taking precautions from the other lovely bugs out there.

#vaccineswork #masking #rapidtests #holidaysafety

2nd rapid COVID test after a positive swab boosted accuracy from 38% to 92% - Enlarge / A pharmacist at the Community Pharmacy of Saco demonstrates h... - https://arstechnica.com/?p=1842910 #falsepositive #rapidtests #sars-cov-2 #accuracy #covid-19 #science #omicron #testing

Please stop putting COVID-19 test solution in your eyes and nose, FDA says - Enlarge / A woman takes a swab as part of a COVID-19 antigen rapid test... - https://arstechnica.com/?p=1842304 #covid-19tests #testsolution #rapidtests #covid-19 #science #safety #fda

Omicron smashes US case records as experts are still trying to understand it - Enlarge / A healthcare worker conducts a test at a drive-thru COVID-19 ... - https://arstechnica.com/?p=1822819 #infectiousdisease #diseaseseverity #publichealth #transmission #coronavirus #rapidtests #covid-19 #science #omicron #delta #fauci #cdc

CDC draws criticism for shorter COVID quarantine, isolation as omicron bears down - Enlarge / Travelers wait in line to check-in at LaGuardia Airport in Ne... - https://arstechnica.com/?p=1822592 #infectiousdiseases #infectiousness #publichealth #transmission #coronavirus #quarantine #rapidtests #isolation #covid-19 #pandemic #science #omicron #testing #variant