PSA: Free Government Covid test site now live

[elgerber]

ordered day 1, 3 orders, me, dd and ds. All at different addresses. DD got hers last Monday. DS got his yesterday. Ours are out in the mailbox right now. No one has told me what brand they got.

 

[JimMIA]

The question of who will accept these rapid tests is a very good question. The instructions on mine say that if you're asymptomatic you need to take two tests, because these tests tend to yield false negatives more than PCR tests.

Regardless of the accuracy, it will be interesting to see what the acceptability will be. I'm sure they will not be accepted by medical facilities prior to any kind of invasive treatment -- partly because of accuracy and partly because the hospitals get paid by insurance to do PCR tests.

 

[easyas123]

I thought they were for confirming if you were Covid positive in the comfort of home vs. out there trying to secure a test, not necessarily for any entity - be it private or public - to accept in lieu of other lab tests.

 

[NotUrsula]

The question of who will accept these rapid tests is a very good question. The instructions on mine say that if you're asymptomatic you need to take two tests, because these tests tend to yield false negatives more than PCR tests.

Regardless of the accuracy, it will be interesting to see what the acceptability will be. I'm sure they will not be accepted by medical facilities prior to any kind of invasive treatment -- partly because of accuracy and partly because the hospitals get paid by insurance to do PCR tests.

What I have been told by friends of mine who work in ERs is that these tests are quite reliable when the result is positive. If you see the line, you're probably not fine. Every doctor I know is willing to take your word for it that if you call in and say that one of these reports positive, then they are going to record you as a positive case and advise you to behave accordingly, thus limiting spread.

Where rapid tests are iffy is on negative results, and that's where the need to re-test comes in.

Also FWIW, I've had two day surgeries since the start of the pandemic, and DH has had one also. No requirement (or even suggestion) that we be tested at all. Of course, neither one of us was symptomatic at that time. My guess is that if you answer yes to the symptomatic questions you'll get a PCR, but for the most part it seems that if no symptoms are present, then they won't waste a test.

 

[disneychrista]

I realize this is just anecdotal and we are only 2 out of a gazillion folks but both my son & I took rapid tests that were negative, only to take a PCR test later in the day that was positive. In my son's case he was actively feeling sick when he took the rapid test and also took a PCR just in case. I was feeling 100% fine when I took my rapid test but my husband was positive, and I wanted to be sure before I took something into the office.
This happened about a week apart, and I hadn't seen my son in about 2 weeks so we didn't contaminate each other, and we each took tests in different states.

Thing with the rapids are a positive is a positive but a negative may just means it’s too soon. The PCR is more sensitive but same thing if it is too soon it isn’t going to catch it. I just had to test again today because a coworker tested positive (for the second time). I know they think I am patient zero because I have been out sick, even though I’ve tested negative every time. I’ll have to test again on Saturday to be sure.

 

[Kitty 34]

I thought they were for confirming if you were Covid positive in the comfort of home vs. out there trying to secure a test, not necessarily for any entity - be it private or public - to accept in lieu of other lab tests.

So if we test Positive on these tests do we have to "report" it to anyone for example our doctor so they can add our number to the numbers they use to let us know who is positive? I just remember when I had HINI years ago I was the 18th person in the county to have that. Easy, you might not know the answer....I'm just throwing it our there.

 

[NotUrsula]

So if we test Positive on these tests do we have to "report" it to anyone for example our doctor so they can add our number to the numbers they use to let us know who is positive? I just remember when I had HINI years ago I was the 18th person in the county to have that. Easy, you might not know the answer....I'm just throwing it our there.

Have to? No, but it helps with public health planning to have it reported. My doc's online patient portal has a little form to fill in to report a positive.

 

[easyas123]

Easy, you might not know the answer....I'm just throwing it our there.

Yeah - I got no idea on that one! I don't think there's any obligation/mandate to report to any entity that you are positive - but???? Up until recently no one had access to these at home tests and we all were testing elsewhere than home so the health depts/reporting bureaus/government or whomever had the info on us.

 

[disneychrista]

So if we test Positive on these tests do we have to "report" it to anyone for example our doctor so they can add our number to the numbers they use to let us know who is positive? I just remember when I had HINI years ago I was the 18th person in the county to have that. Easy, you might not know the answer....I'm just throwing it our there.

My county won’t count rapid tests at all. If you test positive you are asked to get a PCR to confirm.

 

[Kitty 34]

My county won’t count rapid tests at all. If you test positive you are asked to get a PCR to confirm.

Gosh with going to the hospital every week for my Infusions I'm out of the loop of what PCR means. Sorry.

 

[Christine]

I expected they would have a short shelf life. The ones I found at CVS back in December/early January have expiration dates of either April or May 2022. It is what it is

I just bought some tests at Wegman's and then got the same ones from my local library (FlowFlex) and they have about 10 months left on them.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I'm curious, after reading your statement........what businesses will indeed accept the results of these government tests? I just ask because I will have to take a test for my colonoscopy when they ever reschedule (because of Covid and no procedures like that are done right now) . I know, I know, I can call the hospital on that question but just curious on people using this test and its results for various situations...example a basketball game?

My work still hasn't let me know when I am allowed to come back. I may end up having to have an "official one" done yet. I think it may depend on whether or not I am w/o fever for a while. I really do not know what they are going to have me do. My DH and MIL seem convinced that it was a false negative. I seem to be maintaining a temp of about 99.4. I do not even feel bad, at this point is a runny nose which is just an annoyance. I am staying home and isolating until I am w/o fever completely for sure. I have no plans to go out and possibly infect others.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I just bought some tests at Wegman's and then got the same ones from my local library (FlowFlex) and they have about 10 months left on them.

Same, I'm wondering why these tests, which our government supposedly ordered would have a really short time frame to be used by in comparison to ones just newly purchased. Used FlowFlex and Binax NOW and they should have a long time til they are expired.

We purchased ones in December and they had I believe 11 months left manufactured in December (though we had to use them). Just purchased ones last week (due to a close contact exposure and where the free tests would have been nice to have had already) and they were manufactured in January good until November.

Having several months available on these tests being sent out to us seems suspect as to where they were being procured from. Is this like a situation where these weren't purchased but left in storage or something like what happened in FL?

 

[JimMIA]

Gosh with going to the hospital every week for my Infusions I'm out of the loop of what PCR means. Sorry.

PCR is a process of replicating cells -- polymerase chain reaction. It actually has nothing directly to do with Covid, it's just a method of greatly multiplying the quantity of a sample to allow for more definitive testing. Widely used in biology and DNA technology.

The more advanced Covid testing (also called cell testing or cellular testing) uses the PCR process to increase sample size, so that method is often called PCR for simplicity sake.

 

[Kitty 34]

PCR is a process of replicating cells -- polymerase chain reaction. It actually has nothing directly to do with Covid, it's just a method of greatly multiplying the quantity of a sample to allow for more definitive testing. Widely used in biology and DNA technology.

The more advanced Covid testing (also called cell testing or cellular testing) uses the PCR process to increase sample size, so that method is often called PCR for simplicity sake.

Thank you.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Got an updated email early this morning that ours were coming today instead of Friday. We got the iHealth ones which are the ones our schools use, so at least we’re familiar with them.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I'm curious, after reading your statement........what businesses will indeed accept the results of these government tests? I just ask because I will have to take a test for my colonoscopy when they ever reschedule (because of Covid and no procedures like that are done right now) . I know, I know, I can call the hospital on that question but just curious on people using this test and its results for various situations...example a basketball game?

Well, a negative home test really isn't worth much (for me at least). I am still banished from work until I have been fever-free for 72 hours. It was also suggested by work and DH I go get an "official" test, so I did that this morning. I should have an answer in a day or two they said.

It almost seems like a moot point because I feel a lot better and most of my symptoms are gone. Sore throat, burning nose, body aches, headache are all gone. Still have just a slight fever though. That I cannot explain away. Still coughing too, but it isn't too bad.

 

[wvjules]

When they were ordered the order page clearly said shipping in 4-6 weeks. People need to stop freaking out. They will arrive.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

When they were ordered the order page clearly said shipping in 4-6 weeks. People need to stop freaking out. They will arrive.

Uh no it said "usually ships within 7-12 days"

This thread is more for helpful stuff, telling people to stop freaking out isn't well helpful.

 

[Imzadi]

Well, a negative home test really isn't worth much (for me at least). I am still banished from work until I have been fever-free for 72 hours. It was also suggested by work and DH I go get an "official" test, so I did that this morning. I should have an answer in a day or two they said.

It almost seems like a moot point because I feel a lot better and most of my symptoms are gone. Sore throat, burning nose, body aches, headache are all gone. Still have just a slight fever though. That I cannot explain away. Still coughing too, but it isn't too bad.

Isolating if one is still exhibiting signs of a fever isn't just a work requirement, it's a CDC guideline.