Post by timorousbeastie on Oct 5, 2021 17:41:12 GMT -5
Ellume, an Australian company that makes a widely available at-home coronavirus test, has recalled nearly 200,000 test kits because of concerns about a higher-than-expected rate of false positives.
Ellume, an Australian company that makes a widely available at-home coronavirus test, has recalled nearly 200,000 test kits because of concerns about a higher-than-expected rate of false positives.
Didn’t someone here have an issue with a false positive on an Ellume test? isabel maybe?
Yes! I received it as part of the CDC's post-international travel program. They mailed me an Ellume test and I got a positive result. Immediately went to an urgent care and got a rapid PCR, which was negative. Took a Binax rapid the next day, negative. Got traditional PCR results 3 days later (sample taken same day as the false positive), also negative.
Has anyone in CO gone through the process to receive free tests? I think I signed up 2 weeks ago to get an email to order, and just now got the email. The email is confusing as hell, though, and I say this as someone who can speak government.
I signed up about 10 days ago. Got the confirmation email that basically said I would get another email. Got a second email yesterday that said I would be able to order tests in 24 hours (why not just send the email 24 hours from now!?). I logged on today and was able to successfully order tests. DH went through the same process and ordered tests today. We both got confirmation emails that the order was received.
Has anyone in CO gone through the process to receive free tests? I think I signed up 2 weeks ago to get an email to order, and just now got the email. The email is confusing as hell, though, and I say this as someone who can speak government.
I signed up about 10 days ago. Got the confirmation email that basically said I would get another email. Got a second email yesterday that said I would be able to order tests in 24 hours (why not just send the email 24 hours from now!?). I logged on today and was able to successfully order tests. DH went through the same process and ordered tests today. We both got confirmation emails that the order was received.
OMG yes. Just email me in 24 hours. So dumb. But yeah, I just got to the same step.
ETA it especially annoys me because once again they are going to miss out on reaching people who have trouble with logistics and follow through. Haven't they learned by now that for public health initiatives successful, they need to make everything as frictionless as possible?
My county just started offering free PCR testing every Tuesday in October and November. I think that's a really good move. I've done a couple of at-home tests over the past couple of months when I've had, say, a scratchy throat or something. Always negative, but the BinaxNow tests aren't cheap or the most accurate, and scheduled testing appointments can be really backed up. It will be nice to have the option of, if I'm wondering whether to test, to know I can just show up somewhere on a Tuesday morning and do it.
Where does one even find Brinax Now tests? Not that I’ve looked at stores, but I have never seen them in stock online.
I’ve been able to order from Walgreens twice, we used the first box for my nephew while evacuated and 2nd on my H when he had something, that was thankfully not covid. I ordered 2 additional boxes after we used the first two, DoorDash delivered them in under an hour.
Well wonder of wonders, I was just able to order a few. Shipping, still out of stock everywhere around me.
My company just announced a vaccine mandate, all employees, regardless if they are remote or on site, have to be vaccinated by December 8. This should be interesting.
My county just started offering free PCR testing every Tuesday in October and November. I think that's a really good move. I've done a couple of at-home tests over the past couple of months when I've had, say, a scratchy throat or something. Always negative, but the BinaxNow tests aren't cheap or the most accurate, and scheduled testing appointments can be really backed up. It will be nice to have the option of, if I'm wondering whether to test, to know I can just show up somewhere on a Tuesday morning and do it.
You didn't have free PCR testing!? We have sites all over here that offer free PCR testing. It takes a couple days to get results, but you literally just put in your name and email address to register, scan a QR code, and they upload results to a portal. I had no idea that wasn't the norm (naively so, I suppose).
My county just started offering free PCR testing every Tuesday in October and November. I think that's a really good move. I've done a couple of at-home tests over the past couple of months when I've had, say, a scratchy throat or something. Always negative, but the BinaxNow tests aren't cheap or the most accurate, and scheduled testing appointments can be really backed up. It will be nice to have the option of, if I'm wondering whether to test, to know I can just show up somewhere on a Tuesday morning and do it.
You didn't have free PCR testing!? We have sites all over here that offer free PCR testing. It takes a couple days to get results, but you literally just put in your name and email address to register, scan a QR code, and they upload results to a portal. I had no idea that wasn't the norm (naively so, I suppose).
Our county does not offer this, neither does the county I work. You can get a test but you have to go to urgent care and pay a fee. CVS no longer does them here either. Walgreens does but only for adults. We have to go to the next (larger) county over to get a free test. I’m taking @@dd3 on Friday. It’s a 40 min drive but I don’t want to take her to the pedi or urgent care since I have Covid. I want a drive up and this is the closest one. It’s sucks.
You didn't have free PCR testing!? We have sites all over here that offer free PCR testing. It takes a couple days to get results, but you literally just put in your name and email address to register, scan a QR code, and they upload results to a portal. I had no idea that wasn't the norm (naively so, I suppose).
Our county does not offer this, neither does the county I work. You can get a test but you have to go to urgent care and pay a fee. CVS no longer does them here either. Walgreens does but only for adults, not kids. We have to go to the next (larger) county over to get a free test. I’m taking dd3 on Friday. It’s a 40 min drive but I don’t want to take her to the pedi or urgent care since I have Covid. I want a drive up and this is the closest one. It’s sucks.
You didn't have free PCR testing!? We have sites all over here that offer free PCR testing. It takes a couple days to get results, but you literally just put in your name and email address to register, scan a QR code, and they upload results to a portal. I had no idea that wasn't the norm (naively so, I suppose).
Our county does not offer this, neither does the county I work. You can get a test but you have to go to urgent care and pay a fee. CVS no longer does them here either. Walgreens does but only for adults, not kids. We have to go to the next (larger) county over to get a free test. I’m taking dd3 on Friday. It’s a 40 min drive but I don’t want to take her to the pedi or urgent care since I have Covid. I want a drive up and this is the closest one. It’s sucks.
I’m so sorry. Good reminder of the bubble I live in. Closest free test is 2 miles.
Speaking of boosters and breakthroughs, etc. I’m on day 8 of a breakthrough Covid infection and I’m finally feeling better. I’m tired and still Have some congestion but feeling almost back to myself.
My company just announced a vaccine mandate, all employees, regardless if they are remote or on site, have to be vaccinated by December 8. This should be interesting.
My company has done the same thing, although I think our deadline is in November sometime, but what surprises me is they are making it mandatory for everyone, even for those of us that have always been and will always be remote. But it doesn't apply to the employees in the warehouses and distribution centers. So it really doesn't make sense.
My company just announced a vaccine mandate, all employees, regardless if they are remote or on site, have to be vaccinated by December 8. This should be interesting.
My company has done the same thing, although I think our deadline is in November sometime, but what surprises me is they are making it mandatory for everyone, even for those of us that have always been and will always be remote. But it doesn't apply to the employees in the warehouses and distribution centers. So it really doesn't make sense.
My company has done the same thing, although I think our deadline is in November sometime, but what surprises me is they are making it mandatory for everyone, even for those of us that have always been and will always be remote. But it doesn't apply to the employees in the warehouses and distribution centers. So it really doesn't make sense.
That really doesn’t make sense.
Is it possible that the employees in the warehouses and distro centers are unionized? Or, somehow employed via a different contract/system than the one in which you (and the other folks affected by the mandate)?
Post by basilosaurus on Oct 5, 2021 23:42:07 GMT -5
I received this federally generated text yesterday (this is the Google translate of it)
"RM0 With the flexibility given, make the most of it with full discipline and a sense of responsibility."
By flexibility, some interstate travel is allowed if and only if vaccinated. Dine in is allowed in some locations with restrictions for both owner and customer.
I can't even begin to imagine the American reaction to everyone receiving a text like this.
And, really, that's the crux of the issue: discipline and responsibility. So simple yet so apparently difficult.
Tangentially related, a friend's check in app (we're all required to use it everywhere although paper is available as alternative) popped up with "no symptoms casual contact" recently. That's the first I've heard of that happening. It apparently means he was in a location the same time as another who then tested positive. Although not initially, I do think this is a good thing to warn people to be more aware of symptoms and to get tested sooner. The flip side is I wonder if people will be less vigilant if shown as low risk (my status since the beginning)
My company has done the same thing, although I think our deadline is in November sometime, but what surprises me is they are making it mandatory for everyone, even for those of us that have always been and will always be remote. But it doesn't apply to the employees in the warehouses and distribution centers. So it really doesn't make sense.
That really doesn’t make sense.
It makes sense from a business continuity perspective. Because the vax rate in those departments is probably 1/2 or less of the company wide vax rate, and those types of jobs are easy to find at other companies without a vax mandate so those folks are more likely to quit and harder to replace in the current job market.
My county just started offering free PCR testing every Tuesday in October and November. I think that's a really good move. I've done a couple of at-home tests over the past couple of months when I've had, say, a scratchy throat or something. Always negative, but the BinaxNow tests aren't cheap or the most accurate, and scheduled testing appointments can be really backed up. It will be nice to have the option of, if I'm wondering whether to test, to know I can just show up somewhere on a Tuesday morning and do it.
You didn't have free PCR testing!? We have sites all over here that offer free PCR testing. It takes a couple days to get results, but you literally just put in your name and email address to register, scan a QR code, and they upload results to a portal. I had no idea that wasn't the norm (naively so, I suppose).
Nope, this is far from standardized around the country. In my county, the county-sponsored/public mass testing sites where you just walk/drive in have been intermittent, and they haven't done one in awhile. Mostly during 2020/early 2021, they were doing them once or twice a month; but not every month. This is the first time I've seen them start to offer it weekly (I signed up for covid-related information from the county very early on, so I get notified when things like this are happening). Most people who need a test go through places like CVS or Walgreens or other pharmacies, and living in a semi-rural area, there are a limited number of locations so appointments fill up very quickly and you end up having to drive 30+ minutes to find a location with an open appointment. You can also go through your doctor's office, which requires doing a telehealth appointment first (so, you need to have a primary care doc established + insurance), then they schedule you for a test.
When I've done PCR testing, I've either gone through my doctor's office or CVS. Both are a pain in different ways. That's why I've been careful to keep some at-home tests on-hand. I even got some at-home PCR tests where you have to mail in the sample and wait for lab results to come back, because at least with those I can cut out the time/travel/logistics of having to get an appointment somewhere to take the sample.
It makes sense from a business continuity perspective. Because the vax rate in those departments is probably 1/2 or less of the company wide vax rate, and those types of jobs are easy to find at other companies without a vax mandate so those folks are more likely to quit and harder to replace in the current job market.
This only works until the OSHA rule is released. Then those people are going to be shit-outta-luck.
It makes sense from a business continuity perspective. Because the vax rate in those departments is probably 1/2 or less of the company wide vax rate, and those types of jobs are easy to find at other companies without a vax mandate so those folks are more likely to quit and harder to replace in the current job market.
This only works until the OSHA rule is released. Then those people are going to be shit-outta-luck.
OSHA still allows for weekly testing as an opt-out, right? I think many companies that were hesitant to mandate vaccines will be pushed into it due to the expense and logistical challenges around testing to comply with OSHA. It's probably a lot easiery for a company to track vaccine compliance than weekly tests (in addition to the cost of implementing those weekly tests!).
I'm interested in how this will work, especially in areas without a lot of infrastructure. Anecdotally, I've heard that a lot of non-covid testing has been majorly impacted, as the tests are analyzed using the same equipment as covid--so results that would take a day or two in previous times are now taking 1-2 weeks.
They've finally started sending official emails about federal employees and contractors having to be vaxxed. There is now an official policy that we have to incorporate into any new contracts, issue modifications, and amend requests for proposals.
It will be interesting to see what happens. I know there is one supervisor (non-union) who is not vaxxed. So he doesn't even have union protection before they just terminate.
Where does one even find Brinax Now tests? Not that I’ve looked at stores, but I have never seen them in stock online.
I ordered mine online at Walgreens. They have a limit of 4 boxes, so I got that and I used my HSA card to pay for them.
Oooo. I didn’t even think of submitting for FSA (we don’t have a card). I was able to order 3 boxes last night. So I feel better having some on hand. Testing is pretty easy to come by around here, but by easy I mean it’s a 90 minute line to get through or a mad scramble to get an appointment at CVS.
Where does one even find Brinax Now tests? Not that I’ve looked at stores, but I have never seen them in stock online.
I ordered 3 from Walmart a week or so ago, and was pleasantly surprised when the order was fulfilled. I kept checking periodically, and jumped on it when they were in stock. It has been pretty variable. Sometimes in stock for shipping, sometimes not, sometimes limited to 2, sometimes not. Walmart is consistently cheaper than any other retailer around me, $14 for 2 tests compared to like $23 for 2 at CVS.
People might want to watch the expiration date on the Brinax tests. I bought two in August in preparation for the school year. They expire in early December.
They've finally started sending official emails about federal employees and contractors having to be vaxxed. There is now an official policy that we have to incorporate into any new contracts, issue modifications, and amend requests for proposals.
It will be interesting to see what happens. I know there is one supervisor (non-union) who is not vaxxed. So he doesn't even have union protection before they just terminate.
Two of DH’s co-workers are choosing to retire rather than get vaccinated. One was supposed to retire 5 years ago so no surprise there but the other is a good friend of DH’s so he is bummed. I was careful what I said out loud to him but I know this man - who is very sweet - watches a lot of Fox News and who-knows-what on YouTube and is really fearful of the vaccine. The propaganda is just so aggravating.
Another friend (not a fed) is quitting and moving out of state if he can’t get a religious exemption. Same deal - fed so much bullshit propaganda he can’t think straight. And he’s also former military once stationed overseas so I know he’s had tons of vaccines already in his life. So crazy.
Post by mrsukyankee on Oct 6, 2021 13:00:50 GMT -5
I have to take lateral flow tests twice a week for my job. Luckily, we can get them for free (in boxes of 5) from pharmacies or online. It may be the only good thing my gov't has done.