Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[chrisd]

I agree DFT's post was pretty crass, but it onlty takes a second to put a search string in google to see that there are stacks of posts on this site disputing the number of deaths.

I dont disagree but it was an "I told you so" post that I mainly commented on and if everyone was held to account for opinions they posted on these forums there would have to be a new "Apologies " section on the forum and, last but not least ,Doon and SILH are the ones imo who would/should spend most time apologising !

 

[4LEX]

I had very minor symptoms over the weekend so went for a test this week and wasn't impressed. The person talking you through it rightly stays well clear but the problem is they can't see if you've done the test properly. I felt I hadn't and explained I'd rather have someone do it for me. That wasn't an option amazingly and there was no mention of another test, just a scan and drop off of the test bag.

I walked out knowing 100% it would be negative and felt like a total waste of time. Sure enough the test was negative but I'm still isolating and symptom free since Monday now. I think asking people with no experience of awkward self testing like that to do it properly is leading to false negatives.

It looks to me in order to hit the new test numbers, shortcuts are being taken which are compromising the accuracy of the data.

I'm also in a bit of a limbo as technically all clear to go out but morally I feel I should wait. Thank god for the football and golf on this weekend

 

[AmandaJR]

I had very minor symptoms over the weekend so went for a test this week and wasn't impressed. The person talking you through it rightly stays well clear but the problem is they can't see if you've done the test properly. I felt I hadn't and explained I'd rather have someone do it for me. That wasn't an option amazingly and there was no mention of another test, just a scan and drop off of the test bag.

I walked out knowing 100% it would be negative and felt like a total waste of time. Sure enough the test was negative but I'm still isolating and symptom free since Monday now. I think asking people with no experience of awkward self testing like that to do it properly is leading to false negatives.

It looks to me in order to hit the new test numbers, shortcuts are being taken which are compromising the accuracy of the data.

I'm also in a bit of a limbo as technically all clear to go out but morally I feel I should wait. Thank god for the football and golf on this weekend

The place I went they did look through the window to check but mainly to ensure it was put in the right packaging etc.

Put it this way - if you didn't retch and think you might puke...or didn't have a twitchy rabbit-like nose for an hour afterwards...you didn't do it properly!

 

[clubchamp98]

The place I went they did look through the window to check but mainly to ensure it was put in the right packaging etc.

Put it this way - if you didn't retch and think you might puke...or didn't have a twitchy rabbit-like nose for an hour afterwards...you didn't do it properly!

This.
One of the soldiers demonstrated it in Liverpool and threw up himself.
So he did it properly.

 

[PJ87]

My sister is now displaying symptoms (that's what I've been told, obviously haven't seen her. She can be bit of a worrier but still)

She is clinically vunrable so is abit extra worried

Hopefully nothing

 

[4LEX]

The place I went they did look through the window to check but mainly to ensure it was put in the right packaging etc.

Put it this way - if you didn't retch and think you might puke...or didn't have a twitchy rabbit-like nose for an hour afterwards...you didn't do it properly!

I did indeed gag twice with eyes watering but I don't think I scraped properly. The nose was easier as you can't go wrong as long as it goes up far enough. Meh.

 

[AmandaJR]

I did indeed gag twice with eyes watering but I don't think I scraped properly. The nose was easier as you can't go wrong as long as it goes up far enough. Meh.

I could be wrong here but if you don't do the test correctly does it not come back as inconclusive? @Ethan will know for sure.

 

[chrisd]

There's a whole clique on the forum that take great delight in bullying those two posters in particular. It surprises me they don't bite back more often.

It could possibly be argued that they possibly reap what they sow

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My sister is now displaying symptoms (that's what I've been told, obviously haven't seen her. She can be bit of a worrier but still)

She is clinically vunrable so is abit extra worried

Hopefully nothing

Hope it works out and nothing serious other than her over reacting (natural enough though)

 

[Ethan]

I could be wrong here but if you don't do the test correctly does it not come back as inconclusive? @Ethan will know for sure.

A lot of false negative tests are due to incorrect technique missing the hotbeds of virus.

 

[AmandaJR]

A lot of false negative tests are due to incorrect technique missing the hotbeds of virus.

Out of interest - are there many, if any, false positives?

 

[Ethan]

Out of interest - are there many, if any, false positives?

False positives are almost all down to lab issues. The false positive rate is not very high, reported as 1-4%. If you are testing a large population in which the true rate of positivity is low, that is still quite a lot of false positives, but it is better than false negatives.

Technique is more of a problem for false negatives. If someone waves the sob i side a mouth and fails to touch any relevant structure, the test will be negative even if the tonsils are brimming with virus.

 

[chrisd]

That would be the Trumpian response.

Comedy gold!

 

[williamalex1]

False positives are almost all down to lab issues. The false positive rate is not very high, reported as 1-4%. If you are testing a large population in which the true rate of positivity is low, that is still quite a lot of false positives, but it is better than false negatives.

Technique is more of a problem for false negatives. If someone waves the sob i side a mouth and fails to touch any relevant structure, the test will be negative even if the tonsils are brimming with virus.

Honest question , is there a more reliable type of test, perhaps blood or urine ?

 

[Ethan]

Honest question , is there a more reliable type of test, perhaps blood or urine ?

There are blood tests but they aren't fully validated for mass use, as far as I am aware. You might remember there was a lot of discussion in the spring about fingerpick tests. That has all gone rather quiet since. I am not sure if detectable virus is found in urine in all cases, it is seen in people who have some kidney damage due to Covid and there are tests which will detect it of present. The problem arises in people who have Covid but not kidney involvement, who might test negative. .

 

[HomerJSimpson]

False positives are almost all down to lab issues. The false positive rate is not very high, reported as 1-4%. If you are testing a large population in which the true rate of positivity is low, that is still quite a lot of false positives, but it is better than false negatives.

Technique is more of a problem for false negatives. If someone waves the sob i side a mouth and fails to touch any relevant structure, the test will be negative even if the tonsils are brimming with virus.

My first test was inconclusive back in the first wave. Went back the following day and they seem to swab in a totally different place and much further up the nose. Came back negative (although the consultants think the symptoms pointed towards having it) but strange how different the two tests felt. Issues in training as they seemed to be thrown into testing people very quickly?

 

[huds1475]

I had very minor symptoms over the weekend so went for a test this week and wasn't impressed. The person talking you through it rightly stays well clear but the problem is they can't see if you've done the test properly. I felt I hadn't and explained I'd rather have someone do it for me. That wasn't an option amazingly and there was no mention of another test, just a scan and drop off of the test bag.

I walked out knowing 100% it would be negative and felt like a total waste of time. Sure enough the test was negative but I'm still isolating and symptom free since Monday now. I think asking people with no experience of awkward self testing like that to do it properly is leading to false negatives.

It looks to me in order to hit the new test numbers, shortcuts are being taken which are compromising the accuracy of the data.

I'm also in a bit of a limbo as technically all clear to go out but morally I feel I should wait. Thank god for the football and golf on this weekend

If you thought you hadn't done properly, was there anything preventing you re-swabbing with the same swab?

I wouldn't be doing tests for people, putting myself in harms way for a paltry wage, just because they wanted it done for them.

Would think there's a H&S restriction prevents it too.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If you thought you hadn't done properly, was there anything preventing you re-swabbing with the same swab?

I wouldn't be doing tests for people, putting myself in harms way for a paltry wage, just because they wanted it done for them.

Would think there's a H&S restriction prevents it too.

The ones that were testing at Ascot Racecourse when I went up there were trained medical staff from Frimley

 

[chrisd]

The ones that were testing at Ascot Racecourse when I went up there were trained medical staff from Frimley

They rushed it when you told them you were running in the 3.30 !

 

[HomerJSimpson]

They rushed it when you told them you were running in the 3.30 !

Fell at the 2nd