You were always supposed to double test, from 24-72 hours later. That’s why there were 2 tests in the boxes.
But yes, a lot of people aren’t testing positive until day 3 of symptoms. My work said to test 5 days after exposure for a good balance between catching an infection and not isolating forever when you’re not sick.
Uh… Whoops. I’ve only been testing when I’ve had colds and was super snotty, but I only tested once per illness.
I mean I was testing essentially randomly, or once before an event. But the instructions on the Abbott tests is to take two tests a few days apart. Which is why when the government sent out “4 tests” so many people thought it would be 4 boxes of 2 tests each.
What I’ve read is that they’re most accurate 1-2 days into symptoms.
For omicron it’s later than earlier strains. Often 3+ days of symptoms before a positive.
Yea, I just learned that USPS ihealth tests say they are only high accuracy with low false negatives with two tests taken within 24 hours. I never understood that until a friend explained it. The only ones that isn’t true for is the flowflex tests.
Welp. One more coworker is positive, and she was here for a few hours yesterday. Because she tested negative yesterday. Ugh. Still too soon for me and one other to know I think.
The home tests are great as a screening tool. If a rapid antigen home test is positive, you almost definitely have covid and are likely contagious. But they can miss some cases that are very mild, or early enough in the course that the viral load hasn’t built up yet.
The gold standard is to take a PCR 5 days after a known exposure before considering yourself in the clear, but of course PCR tests aren’t readily available everywhere. If you still have no symptoms and a negative home test after 5 days, though, the chances are pretty good that you’ve dodged it.
Warning for folks- my insurance has stopped paying for PCR tests. The one I got in January (when they were required to pay) billed at $280. there are still places you can go to get a free PCR but don’t assume insurance is paying for it, as they aren’t required to anymore in the US and many quietly changed their policies
What the heck.
Add another tally to the “I hate american health care” column but. What the heck. We are still in a pandemic! Why did that requirement lapse!
Another one for the Anecdata, another friend got paxlovid rebound- started testing positive again and had symptoms 5 days after last paxlovid dose.
What does one do in a case like that? Is another round of Paxlovid given, or do you just have to ride it out?
Ride it out. CDC just yesterday recommended another round of 5 days iso. They tested longer dosing schedule of Paxlovid and did not find it to have a notable effect
Apparently Covid rebound is a thing with and without Paxlovid, it’s just more apparent with Paxlovid. This is because Covid is a sneaky replicating mfer
Motherfuxker.
Was completely negative from on Saturday (day 10 from initial infection, 3 days after finishing paxlovid). Popped positive again this afternoon. I’m asymptomatic except a runny nose (I exercised 3 hours yesterday.) do I re-isolate? I am so tired of this bull
I am supposed to volunteer at 7AM tomorrow. We’re already one volunteer down. Do I leave my dad alone to volunteer? is that the responsible thing?
I have TWO paid tickets to things this weekend (Stars on Ice and a movie), a picnic on monday, and our last german class on Saturday.
MOTHER FUCKER I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO ANYMORE
Call the health department and ask?
I called my rheumatologist nurse line and they told me to go out with a mask if I don’t have symptoms, but then the CDC released new alert today which essentially says to re-isolate.
The alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it continues to recommend Paxlovid for patients at high risk for serious complications from infection. It also said that people with a recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms, or a new positive test after having tested negative, should isolate again for at least five days. It added that people should wear a mask for a total of 10 days after rebound symptoms start.
Also a contact who has Long Covid and is in a LC support group gave me a lot of data from the studies on Long Covid:
Apparently, a common theme of long covid is that folks - especially athletes - exercise too soon after infection because they feel fine. They overexercise while their body is still recovering and then start having long covid symptoms in ~3-4 months out (POTs, heart issues, brainfog) because Covid is sneaky like HIV and can hang out in parts of your body and then re-replicate.
This is now likely to get worse due to paxlovid because a lot of people are feeling fine and testing negative due to the antiviral and then - ahem, like me - exercising and going about their lives when they should be resting.
Essentially, she said that resting as though you’re sick - even if you feel fine - when you’re still testing positive and in the 8 days after paxlovid even if testing negative - is the best defense they seem to have against LC right now
I have headache, fatigue, and snot, and I couldn’t taste my spicy ramen at supper. Damn it.
I can’t tell if I feel worse due to psychosomatic effects (i.e. I know I’m still testing positive, therefore I “feel” more sick) or if I legit feel sicker today. No serious symptoms but my I really seem to be feeling the “let’s be a couch monster” vibe today, but I have work to do.
I mean, regardless of the source of the desire (more physical or more psychological) if your body is asking for rest, it’s a good idea to give it esp while you’re recovering and/or actively sick.
