We found out yesterday we had a possible exposure last week. Hubby has had a 'cold' for a few days so went in for a test yesterday. Results today are negative, thank goodness.
Coronavirus
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LynetteO
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I’m quite grateful that I signed up to receive 10 free antigen tests from my Regional Health District & our local libraries are giving away free PCR test kits for every household member. PCR kits that you take at home & then mail into Everlywell Labs for results. I’ve already used one of those. Mailed in on Sunday & got my negative results this morning. Which is DAYS faster than the individuals testing at Mass Testing Sites in our area.
We had to call 24 families regarding school exposure before 10AM yesterday! About half turned out to be fully vaccinated & get to stay at school. Still had about 80 absent (of 380) due to 
In the USA: the USPS is live now with its site to order free covid19 test kits, one kit of 4 per residential address. It's fast and simple.
https://special.usps.com/testkits
https://special.usps.com/testkits
Just signed up! Thanks for the reminder, I knew they were going to do this but wasn't sure when it was going live.
Here, our medical professionals are telling us that a positive result is a positive result but a negative test doesn't mean you don't have Covid. *sigh*
Thanks, @paradisi I didn't know about this program. Ordered mine today and will be happy to have them on hand, just in case.
On a different note, our state is rated highly in how it is responding to C19. Our one big drawback is that certain areas (mostly Boise and Couer d'Alene) have exploded in population over the last decade. They focused on building housing for the incoming migration, and thus are way behind on infrastructure, especially hospitals and roads. And it's not like you can build a hospital in a month (or a year) once everyone agrees that it needs to happen.
On a different note, our state is rated highly in how it is responding to C19. Our one big drawback is that certain areas (mostly Boise and Couer d'Alene) have exploded in population over the last decade. They focused on building housing for the incoming migration, and thus are way behind on infrastructure, especially hospitals and roads. And it's not like you can build a hospital in a month (or a year) once everyone agrees that it needs to happen.
Thanks for the link! Just signed up even though I was just tested by our State - as Negative!! Seems like everyone in my State is getting it.
LynetteO
Well-Known Member
Oh My Stars!
That is not so great news. School was canceled here yesterday to extend the weekend due to “someone’s” predictions that Covid peak would be Jan 17th?! Our school is now doing “test to stay” in hopes to keep the kiddos in school vs out on quarantine all the time. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1217-Test-To-Stay.html
This is true unfortunately. Having worked in pediatrics we saw that with rapid strep tests. I did learn something helpful yesterday from an ED Dr. Since the omicron variant usually starts in the throat ( sore throat being one of the first symptoms) , if you do a home self test, swab the back of your throat first , then your nose as the directions say. It’s an off label technique that’s getting more accurate results. Always something huh? Lol Next time I do home test I’m going to try it
LynetteO
Well-Known Member
Our school nurse just said that she wished she could move “sore throat” to a class A symptom because she too noticed omicron starts in throat.This is true unfortunately. Having worked in pediatrics we saw that with rapid strep tests. I did learn something helpful yesterday from an ED Dr. Since the omicron variant usually starts in the throat ( sore throat being one of the first symptoms) , if you do a home self test, swab the back of your throat first , then your nose as the directions say. It’s an off label technique that’s getting more accurate results. Always something huh? Lol Next time I do home test I’m going to try it
There is a meme making the rounds. On one hand it is satirical with its timeline, on the other hand it's sad in its truthfulness:
Of course, it has been 'fact-check' with a warning that the Meme Does NOT Paint Accurate Picture Of Effectiveness Of COVID-19 Vaccines. I usually ignore the Fact Check stuff because it's usually a bunch of male bovine excrement, but was curious on how they (the whatever powers that be) were going to spin it when you consider that when the vaccine first came it, it WAS touted as being 95% effective against getting Covid.
I linked the article above so you all could read it yourselves, but the last paragraph, though I'm sure they did intend for it it to, pretty much supports the Meme:
"In sum, even though the science of the virus and our understanding of it changes over time, it's clear that vaccines continue to offer some degree of protection against COVID, especially when it comes to the risk of severe illness and death."
Of course, it has been 'fact-check' with a warning that the Meme Does NOT Paint Accurate Picture Of Effectiveness Of COVID-19 Vaccines. I usually ignore the Fact Check stuff because it's usually a bunch of male bovine excrement, but was curious on how they (the whatever powers that be) were going to spin it when you consider that when the vaccine first came it, it WAS touted as being 95% effective against getting Covid.
I linked the article above so you all could read it yourselves, but the last paragraph, though I'm sure they did intend for it it to, pretty much supports the Meme:
"In sum, even though the science of the virus and our understanding of it changes over time, it's clear that vaccines continue to offer some degree of protection against COVID, especially when it comes to the risk of severe illness and death."
My daughter is a nurse and recently took a job with CVS as a tester. She's saying the same. So far, since Christmas, I've had two family members in different states, and 6 close friends in my town test positive. All of them said it started with a really bad sore throat. I'm nursing a sore throat now and am waiting for my results. It gets a little hard to be realistic knowing other viruses are out there as well and our immunity is probably down having masks for the last two years. However, the omicron variant supposedly knows no barriers. It's a sly one
I'm scheduled for surgery next monday and hoping I test negative. Otherwise, I'll have to cancel .Two things.
Wearing masks does not impair the immune system. That's completely untrue.
And the vaccines were ~95% effective against *the original variant* ... but all the unvaccinated who contract covid give it a place to mutate into something that is more resistant.
So the vaccines we have currently are not less strong than they were; it's that by our actions (lack of masking, distancing, or vaccination) we've evolved covid into stronger, slipperier customers for whom we are going to need similarly adjusted vaccines.
The vaccines we have *are* still enough to protect against death almost entirely, and severe illness, so they very much are worthwhile and effective.... nobody wants to die nor be hospitalized... even if they're not preventing infection itself as much by the newer variants. Continue masking, distancing and avoiding crowds, all those will extend the protection of your vaccinations.
Wearing masks does not impair the immune system. That's completely untrue.
And the vaccines were ~95% effective against *the original variant* ... but all the unvaccinated who contract covid give it a place to mutate into something that is more resistant.
So the vaccines we have currently are not less strong than they were; it's that by our actions (lack of masking, distancing, or vaccination) we've evolved covid into stronger, slipperier customers for whom we are going to need similarly adjusted vaccines.
The vaccines we have *are* still enough to protect against death almost entirely, and severe illness, so they very much are worthwhile and effective.... nobody wants to die nor be hospitalized... even if they're not preventing infection itself as much by the newer variants. Continue masking, distancing and avoiding crowds, all those will extend the protection of your vaccinations.
Sorry if I made it seem that masks weren’t important as I believe in them too. I understand they don’t impair immunity. Usually I don’t get political on this for this reason. What I meant was because we are trying to protect ourselves so much, we aren’t exposing ourselves to as many other viruses as well. Whether that be with masks, staying home, sanitizing hands, etc. etc. Having working in respiratory ICU, college health and pediatrics over 40 years, I understand what we’re both saying lol. I apologize for not going into depth and creating a misconception.
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This is true unfortunately. Having worked in pediatrics we saw that with rapid strep tests. I did learn something helpful yesterday from an ED Dr. Since the omicron variant usually starts in the throat ( sore throat being one of the first symptoms) , if you do a home self test, swab the back of your throat first , then your nose as the directions say. It’s an off label technique that’s getting more accurate results. Always something huh? Lol Next time I do home test I’m going to try it
I'd investigate that process more thoroughly before relying on it. One of my clients manufactures test kits and has said expressly that this their test kits are more often more inaccurate with this double swabbing techniques. There are too many variable that affect the outcome such as when you brushed your teeth, when you last ate, or drank, chewed gum....etc.
I totally understand, having swabbed literally thousands of noses and throats throughout the years. I probably should
and keep soaping. I just thought it was interesting, and impulsively shared. It's probably something I shouldn't have, knowing how things can be passed on. Thanks for clarifying!
I agree with most of what you shared, except that my understanding is that Omicron, while more contagious, is actually milder in effect.
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I totally understand, having swabbed literally thousands of noses and throats throughout the years. I probably should
I hope you don't think I was admonishing you; I meant to simply caution. When I had heard about people swabbing throat and nose, and the reasons for it, I fully intended to do the same. The subject came up with my client - and he warned me that the technique shouldn't be relied on and why.
So in other words, we still have to use the antigen tests, but test more often and try to get a "majority". (it's my understanding that testing while having symptoms is more reliable than testing before symptoms, but don't take that as absolute fact)
No, I didn’t but thank you. I had just heard that yesterday from a doctor who had just returned from a seminar and I thought it was interesting and made sense actually. But I really shouldn’t have passed it on . That kind of sharing has been part of the confusion and I shouldn’t have.
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No, I didn’t but thank you. I had just heard that yesterday from a doctor who had just returned from a seminar and I thought it was interesting and made sense actually. But I really shouldn’t have passed it on . That kind of sharing has been part of the confusion and I shouldn’t have.
It's so hard not too because we all want to help others out! But, I try to keep in mind that we (science and medicine) aren't going to be good at dealing with the virus/pandemic until about 50 years after it's over when there's been time to analyze all the data. Hindsight will be 20/20 decades in the future.
