Community Chat

[Nuttmeg]

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@bikerbabe wrote:
We can’t even do sufficient targeted testing. We keep running out of testing supplies. And I know it’s not just here. I’ve heard multiple governors say the same thing.

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Yes, 

We have a two problems. The group holding the afternoon briefing has to aquire the tests and send them out to places of need. They are having a problem finding the money and moving things along. 

[pigletsmom]

I don't understand how people think all of this testing would work. Do we have to show up someplace every day to get tested?

[Bhvbum]

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@stevieb wrote:

@CrazyDaisy  I agree with you. The testing is flawed and besides, it's nothing more than a place in time. All this hue and cry about testing would be better placed on treatment and prevention. 

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I disagree.  I am not an expert, but I will defer to the experts and Dr. Fauci is considered the best.  Dr. Fauci says that testing, testing, testing is the answer because we need to know who has had it, confirm if someone is sick, and confirm if someone doesn't have it.  

Also the business community CEO's yesterday told the President they could not open up until we had more widespread testing for the above reasons.

[pigletsmom]

So hopefully everyone is watching the doctors at the briefing today on this subject. Very informative and no we wont be testing everyone.

[esmerelda]

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@Laura14 wrote:

It's too late.  I needed a test weeks ago when I am pretty sure I had it.  Unless I get re-infected, past time now. 

And you are absolutely right about testing negative.  If you thought the spring breakers were arrogant, I think a lot of people will be "holding their beers."

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@Laura14  Did you call your doctor?  Why do you think you had it?  What were your symptoms?

[Drythe]

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@gardenman wrote:

Most of the testing that's done now is antigen testing looking for the virus. That's largely done byPCRR testing which looks for the DNA/RNA of the virus. It only tells you if you have a detectable level of the virus in the sample that was collected. You could have an undetectable level of the virus but be infected. The swab may have been collected improperly or handled improperly and missed an active infection giving you a false negative. The swab could get cross-contaminated at some point due to the volume of testing being done now and give you a false positive. 

Testing is a tool, but it's not nearly as foolproof as many like to assume. It's far from a panacea. Oddly enough, temperature monitoring seems to have been most effective in China in containing the spread, if you believe the Chinese numbers. They reportedly had drones scanning people's temperatures as they walked on streets and even through their apartment windows and then dragging away and isolating anyone with even a slight fever.

That could prove most effective in containing the spread here if it's truly as simple as that. Monitor the temp of everyone entering or leaving a business, school, stadium, etc, and exclude those running a temp. Send them back home until their condition resolves. If a temperature occurs before the person is infectious, it would make containing this virus very easy. Taking temps can be done in a blink with modern tools these days and is a very fast, accurate and reliable test. No fever, come on in. Running a temp, go back home. Simple, fast, easy, and cost-effective.

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@gardenman 

And of course anyone you exposed on the bus into work, or while waiting on line to get your temperature🤒� tested, and while on your way home, 

WILL NEED TO GO HOME AND STAY THERE TOO!  See the problem?

But, one might well think 🧙‍♂️ testing is not the way to go,

as the often promised National tests that were supposed to 'be available to everyone who wants one' have failed to materialized - EVER.

[Elri I]

Treatments/medicines/cure.

We have a lot of brain power in the U.S. Let the best scientific minds get started on developing treatments.  Medications. That's the only way I will truly feel safe.  
Vaccines. ok.  But, I've also gotten sick after flu vaccines.  

There are problems with the tests, getting the tests, etc. I heard on the news some tests were produced in such a mad rush that they may not be reliable.  The govt body who would have handled this is no longer there.   The news from the very top is not consistent. 

Along with Drs. Fauci & Birx, there should be a task force of scientific brainpower to guide us while figuring out the best medical way to treat and end this viral plague.

[Laura14]

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@esmerelda wrote:

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@Laura14 wrote:

It's too late.  I needed a test weeks ago when I am pretty sure I had it.  Unless I get re-infected, past time now. 

And you are absolutely right about testing negative.  If you thought the spring breakers were arrogant, I think a lot of people will be "holding their beers."

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@Laura14  Did you call your doctor?  Why do you think you had it?  What were your symptoms?

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@esmerelda I cycled through everything except the high fever.  Mainly low grade fever, very heavy chest, and a dry cough.

 I pulled up the clinic website on one of my worst days only because I had just hugged my mother goodbye and sent her back to her retirement community.  They had directions that unless I was bad enough to go to the ER, don't bother them.  There's nothing they can do and if it gets to that point they'd rather the hospitals deal with me.  

Testing was reserved only for healthcare and high risk extreme symptomatic groups.  Still is.  If you are younger than 60 and not gasping for your life, tough it out.  So I did and luckily my mother and her husband stayed well.  

Welcome to Georgia.  I think it was two weeks later our fearless leader finally realized it was contagious and he better start plugging in and shutting down the place.  It's now almost a month later and you still can't find a place to go for testing if you're not older or a first responder.