At home test for Flu A, Flu B & Covid, anyone else use any yet?

[LuvOrlando]

So relieved, wish I had this when my kids were little!

With all the festivities, visitors and mingling I am conditioned to get anxious when I hear a cough or a sneeze. We all got the Covid shots but didn't do Flu yet so I've been antsy, one of my adult children had Flu B already but kept it to themselves. Another family member started to make all the sounds sick people do and instead of fretting for a week I just tested with the at home Flu A, Flu B & Covid test, saw it was and felt immediately at ease. I'll keep testing for a few days but the amount of angst this just prevented is unreal, no Dr visit so no aded risk of being in a healthcare setting, I don;t feel the need to clean constantly waiting for the shoe to drop, no waiting and it's cheaper than a copay. Such an improvement!

 

[RedHead0186]

Keep in mind, just like the at-home COIVD tests, these tests are meant for, and are most reliable, for those who are exhibiting symptoms. If you're asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, your chances of getting a false negative are higher (and even if you are symptomatic, you can still receive a false negative).

I agree this is convenient and can help save some angst. But these tests aren't the be-all, end-all. Anyone who has respiratory or other cold/flu like symptoms should still do what they can to mitigate spreading whatever they have.

(Not necessarily directed at you, @LuvOrlando, just a general PSA so people don't assume these tests are the gospel.)

 

[mjkacmom]

I forgot about those, send them to my kids at college. I got a horrible crud that lasted a good month! I’m still coughing!

 

[cabanafrau]

Keep in mind, just like the at-home COIVD tests, these tests are meant for, and are most reliable, for those who are exhibiting symptoms. If you're asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, your chances of getting a false negative are higher (and even if you are symptomatic, you can still receive a false negative).

I agree this is convenient and can help save some angst. But these tests aren't the be-all, end-all. Anyone who has respiratory or other cold/flu like symptoms should still do what they can to mitigate spreading whatever they have.

(Not necessarily directed at you, @LuvOrlando, just a general PSA so people don't assume these tests are the gospel.)

Yep, I've had issues crop up over the years even with tests administered at doctor's office, urgent care and ER. Get the negative on the rapid and a few days later get the call after a culture is grown and tested, or maybe the testing on the virus gets done when you're just not quite at the level for the test to pick it up yet.

I have difficulty with one of my ear canals and so I'm prone to developing ear infections rather frequently kind of like a toddler or very young kid. It was really bad when my girls were young and in the phase of coming down with the childhood crud at the drop of a hat. Inevitably I'd pick it up from taking care of them, it would hang around just enough for the pressure in my ear to start signaling and I'd go into the doc to have it looked at. Unfortunately my doc was very difficult to get into so for last minute sick calls I'd wind up with the NP or a PA in the practice or one of the newer docs and they would tell me they couldn't see anything. Within 24 hours I'd wind up much worse and have to head back in or turn to urgent care on the weekend so I could get a script for antibiotics because the ear finally looked infected at exam. I try to wait as much as I think it's reasonable to hold out now so that when it happens I can go in and they can definitively diagnose on first exam.

 

[Christine]

I haven't yet but I noticed my local grocery store had a sign out that they were doing both Strep and Flu testing at the pharmacy. Not a minute clinic or anything like that in the store.