Free Covid Home Test program resuming Monday

[Mysterian]

Mine arrived today! Two Abbott BinaxNow tests. The CDC tried to call me too.

 

[disneychrista]

Yes some employers require a negative PCR test before you can return to work, or take more than a few days off using sick time.

They could be waiting MONTHS for the employe to come back then . You can test positive on a PCR test months after test positive.

 

[disneychrista]

I have 6 (3 boxes) of CVS tests that my daughter got free through insurance that are not on the list of extended dates. Guess I will have to toss them.

 

[tvguy]

They could be waiting MONTHS for the employe to come back then . You can test positive on a PCR test months after test positive.

My wife and I were negative with a home test a week before we were negative with a PCR test.

 

[disneychrista]

My wife and I were negative with a home test a week before we were negative with a PCR test.

That is great. But it does not mean what I said is inaccurate. PCR tests can (not will but there is a chance) detect Covid up to 12 weeks after you have no symptoms. Remember your isolated experience does not mean that is the case for all. The local Optumserve testing site (before it closed) wouldn't give a PCR test for anyone who had tested positive in the past 90 days because it could be a false positive.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Like I said, the home tests are just a preliminary action to determine if you should get a PCR test.

This is tricky too. PCR do still exist but I have found it impossible to get a PCR now so I make sure I have the at home on hand.

When I was sick an image of the at home test was enough to get Plaxlovid & an inhaler.

When someone in my house was positive and I was negative but not feeling great I was told PCR isn't necessary so I'm not sure who and where these PCR are still being used but if I don't have access it would seem they are being ghosted so I wouldn't count on them. Not sure if insurance is hostile to PCR or Drs are but these tests are not on demand and Dr's don't seem to be doing them.

As an aside: One tricky thing I hope the authorities clear up is the stance on Plaxlovid from Pharmacists with a positive at home test. When I was sick I called an on-call Dr who ordered it but who made an offhand comment the Pharmacists can give it out themselves, like the request of intervention was a waste of their time to address my positive results. OK, so when I picked up unrelated prescriptions the other day I asked the Pharmacist on duty directly and was told that no, they are not distributing it without a Dr. Interestingly, the Pharmacy tech wasn't any more informed than me so the person shrugged and got the Pharmacist to answer. Authorities need to clear it up firmly, in or out, otherwise it is just messy misinformation:/

 

[easyas123]

Thanks to the OP for this thread. I offhandedly decided to get some of the tests and wouldn't you know it - a week ago today had a sore throat, waited 24 hours, still had it and tested negative. 2 days later I felt I was hit by a Semi! Then I tested postive. I'm finally back to work today only to have another employee sit in on a 2 hour meeting yesterday w/ 10 others (feeling just fine) only to wake up this morning feeling like hell warmed over, and he's positive.
Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my 8 other employees and the guest we had in giving the presentation don't come down with it.
Meanwhile my husband hasn't had a single symptom and is feeling fine (yes, he also tested twice) - it's interesting how this thing hits some but not others.
I did about go stir crazy staying home for 5 days. Thank god I had stuff I could do outside, I think I'd have lost my mind sitting inside all day!

Tests we got in mail were expired but included a piece of paper explaining that the exp. date had been extended and to when.

 

[MGMmjl]

We got a notification today that our tests have shipped. Looks like they will be here either tomorrow or Tuesday.

 

[Christine]

My wife and I were negative with a home test a week before we were negative with a PCR test.

My son was positive on a PCR for 5 weeks (he was trying to go to Hawaii back in 2020). The rapids were negative much more quickly. Very early on in the pandemic, before rapids were available, we had to rely on PCRs for return to work (federal government). We had employees waiting anywhere from 4-7 weeks for a negative PCR.

 

[mjkacmom]

So I gather it might be time to toss the 3 Covid tests that I paid $130 each from Costco a couple of years ago?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I gather it might be time to toss the 3 Covid tests that I paid $130 each from Costco a couple of years ago?

Not necessarily. Just check the FDA website to see if they have extended the expiration date.

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices...vices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list

 

[PollyannaMom]

Mine arrived a couple of days ago. They were originally June '23 expiration dates, but are now good into January '24.

 

[fla4fun]

Mine arrived today. I haven’t opened the shipping envelope to check the dates yet, but it does say on the outside to check the extended date list.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Got ours this past week, same with my kids getting theirs new brands I haven't seen before. Great timing too, DS caught something random doing with twenty somethings do and it was a relief he could just test and know Not Covid before heading to Urgent Care this morning, if it was Covid no exposing people at Urgent Care we just call Dr for Plaxlovid. These tests are as useful for spotting early as they are for putting a person's mind at ease.

Curious if college students can order them delivered to their dorms, I would think so but don't really know. Any college parents on here with experience?

 

[disneychrista]

Got ours this past week, same with my kids getting theirs new brands I haven't seen before. Great timing too, DS caught something random doing with twenty somethings do and it was a relief he could just test and know Not Covid before heading to Urgent Care this morning, if it was Covid no exposing people at Urgent Care we just call Dr for Plaxlovid. These tests are as useful for spotting early as they are for putting a person's mind at ease.

Curious if college students can order them delivered to their dorms, I would think so but don't really know. Any college parents on here with experience?

Do they have a designated address where mail is delivered? Or is it delivered centrally? To order the Post Office has to recognize it as an address.

 

[snapppyd]

We ordered them the first day they were available, received them within a week. DH and I have never stopped wearing masks when grocery shopping. We also wore them last month when we flew for the first time in 4 1/2 years. Wore them on the Disney buses. say what you will, but we have not been sick in almost 5 years, not even a cold.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Do they have a designated address where mail is delivered? Or is it delivered centrally? To order the Post Office has to recognize it as an address.

Hmmm, both my kids had room numbers at their dorms so I am not sure how that counts.

Truthfully though, young adults from impoverished families might be not only the highest risk bringing infection back for the holidays from campus holiday parties but also, possibly the best bet of getting tests into those very same households. It would seem foolish to leave these addresses out if the goal is to help people stay ahead of it

 

[LuvOrlando]

We ordered them the first day they were available, received them within a week. DH and I have never stopped wearing masks when grocery shopping. We also wore them last month when we flew for the first time in 4 1/2 years. Wore them on the Disney buses. say what you will, but we have not been sick in almost 5 years, not even a cold.

Same, I still wear my mask and really don't care how many people give me dirty looks or cough on me, although the dirty looks have backed off recently so maybe the news is being less antagonistic

Making an appointment for my shot tomorrow to be prepared for our trip to WDW and all the holiday festivities. Even so, I will be using my KN95 mask on the plane and in confined spaces, I got some great ear protecting extenders for long wear time comfort. I will be so PO'd if I waited 7 years to go back and end up sick, I have the insurance and all but would still be extremely ticked because I want to enjoy things & this is not on my to-do list. I'll have the test kits with me but would really like it if I could skip this part.

 

[LuvOrlando]

So I gather it might be time to toss the 3 Covid tests that I paid $130 each from Costco a couple of years ago?

$130, what kind are those?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Same, I still wear my mask and really don't care how many people give me dirty looks or cough on me, although the dirty looks have backed off recently so maybe the news is being less antagonistic

I've noticed a substantial increase in the number of people wearing masks again. Maybe we've learned something over the past several years.