Community Chat

[pitdakota]

@Icegoddess, the routine testing for the coronavirus would not determine the specific strain.  That only identifies whether that individual has the virus or not.  They can do genetic sequencing to determine the strain, but they don't do that for routine diagnosis.  That would be quite time consuming and costlly.

However, they can and do conduct genetic sequencing for contact tracing to determine the source or where someone got sick if there is a question about that. 

They will also do genetic sequencing in order to research incubation period, average time of symptom onset, types of symptoms, clinical presentation, etc. as they study the various strains of this particular coronavirus over time.

[Ibby114]

---

@Kachina624 wrote:

---

@Ibby114 wrote:

---

@bikerbabe wrote:
I can only speak as a nurse who treats Covid patients. Strain does not impact the treatment protocol. It’s all based on symptoms.

However, genetic sequencing can be used in contact tracing to confirm that a patient contracted Covid from a specific source. So, yes, there are ways to prove where someone got sick.

---

@bikerbabe I hope the contact tracers leave messages- I rarely answer telephone calls when I don't know the number! 

---

@Ibby114   @bikerbabe    They are doing public service announcements in my area urging people to answer their phones if the state health department calls.

---

@Kachina624 same here- I'm in NJ. There's no way to know if  the call is from a state department contract tracer though. The Trenton area code is '609' - I've answered a few '609' calls and they end up being 'junque'!

[MalteseMomma]

---

@bikerbabe wrote:
I can only speak as a nurse who treats Covid patients. Strain does not impact the treatment protocol. It’s all based on symptoms.

However, genetic sequencing can be used in contact tracing to confirm that a patient contracted Covid from a specific source. So, yes, there are ways to prove where someone got sick.

---

@bikerbabe 

THANK YOU, AND GOD BLESS YOU!

[hckynut]

---

@Marp wrote:

Since there are at least six known strains of Covid if a Covid positive person undergoing treatment comes in sustained contact with someone, confirmed or not, that also has Covid but of a different strain what effects would the possible commingled infection have on the person being treated and their treatment protocol?

@Marp 

Sorry, I am not an Epidemiologist or a politician, so I will say: Beats me!  But believe me, i can speculate with the best of 'em!

hckynut 

---

[manny2]

---

@Lali1 wrote:

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@Lali1 wrote:

Why ask here? Ask your doctor.

---

@Lali1 She asked here, because this is a discussion board, and she wanted to discuss it!

---

I had no idea 🧐

---

Good @Lali1  now that you know you won't be so quick with the rude response.

[Lali1]

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@Lali1 wrote:

---

@manny2 wrote:

---

@Lali1 wrote:

Why ask here? Ask your doctor.

---

@Lali1 She asked here, because this is a discussion board, and she wanted to discuss it!

---

I had no idea 🧐

---

Good @Lali1  now that you know you won't be so quick with the rude response.

---

Rude? Not rude in the slightest. It's a logical comment. Don't ask for medical advice on a shopping forum. It's pointless and dangerous.

[suzyQ3]

@Marpwas not asking for medical advice.

[Deree]

I found your question interesting so started to google.  Here's an article that says there is so little variablity between the strains that treatment and a vaccine would be the same.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200803105246.htm

Then there's this article with the relevant first sentence:

"Researchers in the United States say some people could be infected by two variations of the pathogen at once, sending the immune system into overdrive."

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3093690/coronavirus-are-two-strains-together-deadlier-one

Finally, a doc friend of mine told me a long time ago that you can't have two similar disease processes going on at the same time. In this case 2 different covid strains infecting you at the same time. Whether that's true or not I do not know.

[Porcelain]

General Practitioners aren't epidemiologists. So there would be no point in asking your personal doctor about this topic. That idea makes no sense. It would also be a waste of your appointment time, which should be used to address personal health concerns.

[Marp]

@Deree,  thank you very much for the links.  I had read the first one but did not see the second.

I routinely scan medRxiv.org but with so many preprint submissions it is a nightmare trying to pinpoint specific information.

Again, thank you.