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Covid Home Test

cloudfire

I just thought I'd put a quick description here in case it helps anyone.

When I got ill last week I thought I ought to have a test just to be on the safe side, but didn't fancy a drive through test as there are too many variables and I really don't like people doing stuff to me (dentists scare me the most, even a 5 minute quick check is terrifying).

So I ordered one online and did it at home, where I was in control of the discomfort I was inflicting on myself!

It was simple to order, arrived next day via Amazon (which made me laugh somewhat).  I found the instructions quite good - I only had to read through a couple of times - and registering the kit was simple too.

Doing the swab was OK, not pleasant but not horrific, definitely something I'd rather do myself than have done to me! Boxed up and posted same day, arrived at the lab next morning, results 36 hours later.

Overall, bearing in mind what a s***show most of the guidance has been around isolation and testing I was impressed by the efficiency of this method.

I would recommend it if you're feeling poorly, as even if you've caught a cold it still shows you've been exposed to a virus, and theoretically these 'hands-face-space!' measures, if effective, should stop all airborne virus transmission

Slight smile

  • One thing with the tests is the likelihood of getting an accurate reading.

    Currently in England & Wales, 9% of tests are coming back positive. At this ratio, the tests are giving about as many false positive as true positives. The tests would also, at this generalised figure, be giving about half as many false negatives as true positive results.

    If anyone's interested in reading up on the accuracy, information can be found from a guide on the British Medical Journal website:
    www.bmj.com/.../bmj.m1808

    The 9% figures I give, I've taken from Travelling Tabby's rather useful set of data presentation:
    www.travellingtabby.com/.../

    This is not to denigrate the usefulness of testing. It's just helpful to gauge the accuracy we're working with for the current testing.

    If one has significant symptoms overlapping with coronavirus, the tests should be substantially more accurate than people who are asymptomatic (or otherwise at lower risk of having covid in actuality). [I get that this can be quite a tough question for some of us to answer/know, so no worries if the answer is "I don't know".]

  • I did the home-test last Friday, and the result - negative - came on Sunday afternoon.

    Finding a suitable priority postbox was good. I entered my address, and was suggested three boxes in Cookstown. I didn't fancy going to town. Then I entered my old Praxis address. I was able to get a priority postbox outside a village shop near the main Belfast to Derry road.