Thank you for a great update. Question about covid wastewater levels being "very high" and "27% higher than last winter and yet to slow down."
I know a lot of people with "colds" right now - sore throats, congestion, fatigue, sometimes coughs and fever. They keep testing for covid but their tests remain negative. Are the covid at home tests still working with the newer variants?
Thank you for a great update. Question about covid wastewater levels being "very high" and "27% higher than last winter and yet to slow down."
I know a lot of people with "colds" right now - sore throats, congestion, fatigue, sometimes coughs and fever. They keep testing for covid but their tests remain negative. Are the covid at home tests still working with the newer variants?
I am having what you say - 2 weeks so far with congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and I do test negative for COVID. I have not had a fever and my symptoms are not that similar to what I had with COVID (granted, different cases will present differently.) My husband tested for COVID when he was out of town right around Christmas and was working with some people who started having symptoms. He only had a scratchy throat at the time of testing, but it was immediately positive. A couple of days later he came down with more symptoms. And many people in the place he was working also tested positive.
This is a long and anecdotal way of saying that it seems the home tests still work pretty well.
Anecdotal, but I know several people who recently had/currently have covid and tested positive on home rapid tests. It's definitely picking up JN.1 because that's about 70% prevalence in my community. I think if they are negative with those symptoms after several days, the likelihood is that it's flu or a cold or some other, unspecified virus -- not covid.
Every expert I've seen online says that yes, they absolutely still work. Best practices still apply: tests turn positive between 48-96 hours after exposure, and the best way to check is to do two tests at hour 72 and 96 post exposure (you can move that up 24 hours with a molecular or PCR test). There's a lot of other crap floating around right now.
My doctor has said recently that people arenтАЩt testing positive until about 4 days after symptoms start - which could be 6-8 days (or more) after exposure. Many people have no idea theyтАЩve been exposed, so it would be difficult to test тАЬX days after exposure.тАЭ
But for some reason nowadays people with symptoms are taking more days before their test turns positive, underscoring importance of serial testing.
Well, and those tests are not cheap (we donтАЩt get free tests through our insurance). We have spent probably over $1000 on tests because we want to be good humans. But, serial testing isnтАЩt cheap.
Yes, and we have gotten them every time they have been offered. But, with four people in my home, and doing serial testing, that is one round of tests. We can afford them, but it is definitely pricey. And I do understand why people opt not to test, especially those without access to tests due to finances or other reasons.
This is what is so frustrating - if it's just the sniffles, and we want to be safe... People can't stay home for a week waiting it out. I suppose that's when you mask.
This could be a good thing - it gives us an off-ramp from testing to "staying home when sick"
I feel like the social contract should be - use tests at first, but try to pay attention to your symptoms when you have covid, so you're aware for next time. Tests can be regarded as "training wheels" - eventually, learn to make do without them unless it materially impacts your course of action.
That is great, but some people cough for weeks. Schools want children back as soon as the fever is gone. My son had Covid last year and missed six days of school, and the make-up work was insane. Not to mention being warned that he was approaching the тАЬmaximum of ten daysтАЭ absence quota. The days of extended absences being allowed ended in 2022. There are no mask requirements in our district. I agree with best practice, but it is not at all realistic in our society. Our way of life makes it impossible. Sadly. Even for those of us who try to do the right thing.
And thereтАЩs where you HAVE to work with your primary care provider(s). A persistent cough isnтАЩt necessarily a COVID symptom if all other indicators suggest recovery. That becomes a point where your doc might prescribe something else to control the cough such as steroids.
Right, so if you've got symptoms, testing is immaterial unless you're fixing to leave isolation before the five days is up. People who are presumptively immunocompetent should be given guidelines on the "time equivalent" of a test.
Thank you for a great update. Question about covid wastewater levels being "very high" and "27% higher than last winter and yet to slow down."
I know a lot of people with "colds" right now - sore throats, congestion, fatigue, sometimes coughs and fever. They keep testing for covid but their tests remain negative. Are the covid at home tests still working with the newer variants?
I am having what you say - 2 weeks so far with congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and I do test negative for COVID. I have not had a fever and my symptoms are not that similar to what I had with COVID (granted, different cases will present differently.) My husband tested for COVID when he was out of town right around Christmas and was working with some people who started having symptoms. He only had a scratchy throat at the time of testing, but it was immediately positive. A couple of days later he came down with more symptoms. And many people in the place he was working also tested positive.
This is a long and anecdotal way of saying that it seems the home tests still work pretty well.
Anecdotal, but I know several people who recently had/currently have covid and tested positive on home rapid tests. It's definitely picking up JN.1 because that's about 70% prevalence in my community. I think if they are negative with those symptoms after several days, the likelihood is that it's flu or a cold or some other, unspecified virus -- not covid.
Every expert I've seen online says that yes, they absolutely still work. Best practices still apply: tests turn positive between 48-96 hours after exposure, and the best way to check is to do two tests at hour 72 and 96 post exposure (you can move that up 24 hours with a molecular or PCR test). There's a lot of other crap floating around right now.
My doctor has said recently that people arenтАЩt testing positive until about 4 days after symptoms start - which could be 6-8 days (or more) after exposure. Many people have no idea theyтАЩve been exposed, so it would be difficult to test тАЬX days after exposure.тАЭ
But for some reason nowadays people with symptoms are taking more days before their test turns positive, underscoring importance of serial testing.
Well, and those tests are not cheap (we donтАЩt get free tests through our insurance). We have spent probably over $1000 on tests because we want to be good humans. But, serial testing isnтАЩt cheap.
YouтАЩre aware of the free tests available from https://www.covid.gov/?
Yes, and we have gotten them every time they have been offered. But, with four people in my home, and doing serial testing, that is one round of tests. We can afford them, but it is definitely pricey. And I do understand why people opt not to test, especially those without access to tests due to finances or other reasons.
This is what is so frustrating - if it's just the sniffles, and we want to be safe... People can't stay home for a week waiting it out. I suppose that's when you mask.
More days to positive is not really new, at least in children. I can attest to this. Guidance for a home test rapid on day 3-5... and 48 hours later.
I see this in my patients. PCR test day 3 better capture. I see this as well.
ThatтАЩs a good protocol to follow, likely borne of experience.
This could be a good thing - it gives us an off-ramp from testing to "staying home when sick"
I feel like the social contract should be - use tests at first, but try to pay attention to your symptoms when you have covid, so you're aware for next time. Tests can be regarded as "training wheels" - eventually, learn to make do without them unless it materially impacts your course of action.
For those who test positive, I like to think in terms of not ending isolation until all the following are realized:
1. 48 hours symptom free
And
2. 2 consecutive negative home tests at least 24 hours apart
And then, for the next 5 days, masks everywhere.
That is great, but some people cough for weeks. Schools want children back as soon as the fever is gone. My son had Covid last year and missed six days of school, and the make-up work was insane. Not to mention being warned that he was approaching the тАЬmaximum of ten daysтАЭ absence quota. The days of extended absences being allowed ended in 2022. There are no mask requirements in our district. I agree with best practice, but it is not at all realistic in our society. Our way of life makes it impossible. Sadly. Even for those of us who try to do the right thing.
And thereтАЩs where you HAVE to work with your primary care provider(s). A persistent cough isnтАЩt necessarily a COVID symptom if all other indicators suggest recovery. That becomes a point where your doc might prescribe something else to control the cough such as steroids.
Right, so if you've got symptoms, testing is immaterial unless you're fixing to leave isolation before the five days is up. People who are presumptively immunocompetent should be given guidelines on the "time equivalent" of a test.
I find the scare quotes around the words "cold" and "allergy" a little off-putting. They're not necessarily Covid, and they still suck