Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
To Test or Not To Test
Who thought that testing for COVID could be so frustrating? I guess I’m just lucky …
My adventure started with what I thought was an allergy attack. I almost never catch colds or viruses, and rarely have allergic reactions to pollen. But I figured I’d pop a 24-hour allergy pill, and I’d be fine. And I was for a little while. Or so I thought …
But on Tuesday, my “allergies” were worse. And by this morning, I sounded like a sick sea lion and had to cancel a breakfast with a friend. And then I thought the worst—
Maybe it’s COVID.
So, I’m not so much worried about me catching COVID, but I live in a 55+ community, and we have our share of nonvaccinated folks, with many people who are terrified of COVID, overweight, diabetic, and suffering from various other maladies. So, I figured I’d be a good citizen and get tested. Simple, right?
Wrong.
Tests were not available in the local pharmacies without signing your life away with application forms. Most locations had no testing slots available today or tomorrow. Meanwhile, my nose is still stuffed up, and my cough won’t quit.
So, I finally called my doctor’s office to see if they could refer me to somewhere — anywhere — in central Florida. Instead, they asked us which symptoms we were experiencing and said if we could come to their office, they’d test us.
Just like that. Almost.
So, we drove to the office and waited in our car outside, and we got a rapid test from the nurse. If we tested positive, we’d get a call on my cellphone. A part of me wanted to get that call just to get the whole thing over with! But instead of calling, she came down to plunge the swab up into our brains again and said we’d hear something in a couple of days. She suspected we had some run-of-the-mill virus, and we should avoid people until it was gone, get lots of rest, and drink liquids. Naturally, we were thrilled with the customer service, given the extra trouble they’d had to go to.
Here’s the interesting part for me: A part of me wanted to test positive, since I’m twice shot and boosted, and at least I’d have better protection. Another part of me wants to test negative from the second time she swabbed so that I don’t have the virus and don’t have to quarantine for umpteen days. A part of me wishes I’d assumed that I’d caught the rare cold and stayed away from people, and forgot about testing.
So, we’ll wait for the final results. Should I hope for positive results? Negative results? Or be smart, and forget the whole thing for now? That gets my vote.
I hate this COVID stuff.
Published in Healthcare
I understand your quandary. My brother’s family all came down with COVID after having been with our family over Thanksgiving. Out of the bunch that was together, only our parents and his 9 year old had not been vaccinated. Part of me wished I had caught the virus, too. Like when we all got the chickenpox together. Alas, it was not to be and the only ones positive were his immediate family. I think you did the right thing getting tested given the area you live. You’d never forgive yourself if someone you came in contact with got sick and you couldn’t be sure it wasn’t from you. Just proceed as if you just have a cold and even if you are positive, I hope your symptoms are no more than that. Merry Christmas, Susan.
Yeah, I hate feeling guilty, Blondie–just in case it was me! Your background is nursing, isn’t it? I value your opinion and at least don’t feel totally nuts for going ahead with testing. I don’t really interact much with people in the community, but I do have friends here. I’d feel awful if I gave Covid to them!
Now I have to wait with anticipation! Oh Susan how can you leave us hanging…lol. I hope you don’t have it. Even with vaccines and boosters, it’s not worth the possibilities. Hoping you tell us soon. ;)
About three weeks ago, the sniffles that I had noticed on Friday had progressed into a cough on Sunday. It was a cold. Monday morning I was still coughing, so I stayed home. Not because I for one moment supposed it could be Covid. I’ve had colds before. However, I was not going to go into the lab coughing like I belonged on a tubercular ward and freaking out the millennials.
What’s frustrating, Manny, is that they will only call if it’s positive. So I’ll have to assume that if I don’t get a call by end of day Monday, I don’t have it? So many things are delayed nowadays . . . I suspect that if I haven’t gotten any response by Tuesday, I’ll call for results that day.
You think you’re left hanging??!! ;-)
Now that might have been worth the show . . . oooh, you’ve brought out my mean streak!!
Oh that’s ridiculous. I took my brother in for a test almost a year ago because he had to travel internationally and they sent him a report saying he was negative. I think the place you went for the test is a rip off. Some people need to present a negative result to travel or for other things.
I knew you would. You are correct. I am a retired nurse. Just for peace of mind, I would have suggested you get tested. It’s probably just a cold unless you run a fever, although my brother tested positive and never had a high temp.
Ray has to get tested twice a week so he can go to Seattle to play squash. He has gotten no questions and no positive results. He is very happy, and refuses vaccination. It’s a good thing that Seattle’s vaccine mandate allows a testing option.
No, no. It’s my doctor’s office. If they send in t the PCR test today, the lab won’t get it until tomorrow. Then there’s the week-end. So they may have results by Monday. I’m just saying that I’ll wait until Tuesday if I don’t get results. My doctor’s office did me a favor testing me like that, especially with a minimum of symptoms. Right now facilities are swamped with test requests and there are delays; lot of people are afraid about the transmissability of the new variant. Remember, I don’t have a deadline (like travel) that I’ll need to meet).
Oh I see. Sorry I didn’t comprehend. OK.
No problem. It’s very sweet that you’re looking out for me. And I wasn’t clear!
Amazon
If you are exhibiting symptoms that could be Covid and are around people for which Covid is a serious risk, at least you have a reason to test. For many of us the incentives are to avoid being tested.
A potential “exposure” prompted people to tell my son-in-law that he should be tested, despite his lack of symptoms, and that he and all of his coworkers at a federal contractor were vaccinated. He noted that only negative consequences would come from being tested: He would have to stay away from work, their children would have to stay out of preschool, he couldn’t participate in social activities, and it would make no difference in his (nonexistent) medical care.
Unless I were to experience symptoms that cause me to consider medical treatments, I don’t see that I have incentive to be tested (including the disincentive that I understand the tests themselves are uncomfortable). Like my son-in-law, I see only negative consequences from being tested, so I’m not going to go out of my way to be tested.
Finding self – tests locally can be a challenge. I had to find a self – test a month or so, because I had court the next day. I had some symptoms. I did, and it was negative. Since then, I found out that WalMart has them available online, and prices almost half of what I had to pay when I found them in a local store. I’m now keeping a few self – test kits in my closet.
One thing about not testing if you are symptom – free, is that an unknown number of people experience symptom – free infection. It’s unknown because the right sort of research to find such infections in the population at large, aren’t being done.
For that purpose, the test is more useful than the vaccination. I’m all in favor of vaccinations and wish they were good enough to serve that purpose, too, but they are not.
Gads!! I feel for you and glad you got the test. If you have it, I wonder if you are a candidate for the monoclonal antibodies? This is a treatment that I heard from Fox’s Dan Bongino who lives in Palm Beach, on the radio. He got Covid, got very sick, and with this free treatment, was much much better within 36 hours. His wife did not have it but got the antibody treatment too. I pulled up the map just in case, to see where in FL we would go if needed. They do not ask you any of your status. Please keep us posted.
https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/monoclonal-antibody-therapy/mab-locator/
I don’t blame you, Quietpi. My only reservation is that a certain number come up with false negatives. I’m glad yours came out negative!
That sounds complicated. We have a supply of the Abbott test at home, including a 5-pack (10 tests) we got at Walmart. Yesterday my wife came down with something. In the late afternoon she did one of the tests and 20 minutes later knew it wasn’t covid.
Thanks, FSC! This is great information! DeSantis is really looking out for us.
Again, the rapid tests are not as reliable, but at least it’s something. . .
I found this interesting, although it’s certainly not the point of your post. I’ve decided that, Jack Benny-like, to state my age as 55+ (55+ is the new 39), but I know very little of such communities. They probably come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but are any efforts made to “encourage” the vax or test-taking? I am resolutely anti-mandate, but I can see a role for some Covid-related services in senior communities.
Here’s an article from MD Anderson on rapid tests, plus and minus:
https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/are-rapid-covid-19-coronavirus-tests-accurate.h00-159387468.html
After moving from CA, we were struck by the number of obese people overall. In our community, many of our folks are pretty active, but not everyone is; some like to just play bingo or bridge. Gov. DeSantis is pretty hands-off (as you probably know), so unlike a place like CA, people aren’t as attuned to their health or weight. I think many figure they’re retired and have no intention of “working” on their health or weight. I figure they’re grown-ups and have to live with the consequences of their choices.
Just FYI, Seattle and King County do not accept ANY home test results. PCR test only.
True that. However, and to a degree in this case, you are living with the consequences of their choices. Being a responsible person, you decide to undertake a test in part because of the environment in which you live and the health of those there..
Up north here, we have some “Dell Webb communities” that may be similar. While they don’t micromanage your life, the dues does cover a certain amount of services designed to promote health.
Actually, they are more reliable than the PCR tests for determining whether you are infectious. If you are feeling sick all week and then wonder if it was covid that you are now recovering from, maybe not so reliable.
Actually, they are more reliable than the PCR tests for determining whether you are infectious. If you are feeling sick all week and then wonder if it was covid
That is stupid if the purpose is to determine whether you are safe to have around other people. For other purposes it might be reasonable.
What a pain. We can tested anytime we want. I haven’t wanted to so I haven’t until this week. I had to go in for (elective) hernia surgery yesterday and to get my infusion port finally out. Got my test on Monday. It was a swab up both nostrils, not the brain tickling kind and had my negative results in less than two hours.
BTW, don’t have two surgeries in one day, even if they’re minor. They laughed at me because I was more worried about bleeding to death from the port removal than I was about the hernia surgery.
We have two fully equipped gyms, two olympic-sized pools and neighborhood pools, pickle ball, tennis, baseball teams, golf and tons of other activities. You know the saying, though: you can lead a horse to water . . .
I think sometimes that people think that having the amenities available will “inspire” them. That motivation often has to come from the inside, not the outside.