UK Justice Forum 🇬🇧
News and current affairs => The Coronavirus and Covid-19 => Topic started by: John on March 17, 2020, 09:10:37 PM
-
I have lost count of the number of times this question has come up recently. I am told that new kits manufactured in the UK will be available very soon which will allow anyone to test at home. Surely anyone with the common cold or the seasonal flu virus who are concerned that they might have the coronavirus need that peace of mind that a simple test could bring?
The NHS currently don't have the ability or the resources to carry out mass testing yet the World Health Organization stated yesterday that we should be testing testing testing. Surely we need to know who has the deadly virus and who doesn't?
Your views please.
-
I have lost count of the number of times this question has come up recently. I am told that new kits manufactured in the UK will be available very soon which will allow anyone to test at home. Surely anyone with the common cold or the seasonal flu virus who are concerned that they might have the coronavirus need that peace of mind that a simple test could bring?
The NHS currently don't have the ability or the resources to carry out mass testing yet the World Health Organization stated yesterday that we should be testing testing testing. Surely we need to know who has the deadly virus and who doesn't?
Your views please.
I'm surprised that testing hasn't been made available to the public before now, I know there are kits available from the USA but they aren't cheap.
-
I'm surprised that testing hasn't been made available to the public before now, I know there are kits available from the USA but they aren't cheap.
I read that you can have the test done privately, and it costs £400. Hm-------.
As far as I'm aware, it's only people in hospital who are being tested at the moment. I dread to think how many cases there really are.
-
I have lost count of the number of times this question has come up recently. I am told that new kits manufactured in the UK will be available very soon which will allow anyone to test at home. Surely anyone with the common cold or the seasonal flu virus who are concerned that they might have the coronavirus need that peace of mind that a simple test could bring?
The NHS currently don't have the ability or the resources to carry out mass testing yet the World Health Organization stated yesterday that we should be testing testing testing. Surely we need to know who has the deadly virus and who doesn't?
Your views please.
What difference would it make apart from to raise your stress levels if you test positive?
-
I read that you can have the test done privately, and it costs £400. Hm-------.
As far as I'm aware, it's only people in hospital who are being tested at the moment. I dread to think how many cases there really are.
The kits should be available soon for about a tenner, the test takes about ten minutes to do.
-
What difference would it make apart from to raise your stress levels if you test positive?
At least then one can prepare and take extra precautions with other family members.
-
At least then one can prepare and take extra precautions with other family members.
Such as? Say I live at home with two other family members all forced to be at home for the next however many months and I test positive for Cv. Then what? Isn’t it better they get it too anyway, and develop immunity?
-
Such as? Say I live at home with two other family members all forced to be at home for the next however many months and I test positive for Cv. Then what? Isn’t it better they get it too anyway, and develop immunity?
It doesn't work like that otherwise everyone in the UK under 70 might as well go out and get it too.
It is better not to contract the disease at all.
-
What difference would it make apart from to raise your stress levels if you test positive?
If you know you'd had it at least you can be fairly certain you can't catch the disease again.
-
It doesn't work like that otherwise everyone in the UK under 70 might as well go out and get it too.
It is better not to contract the disease at all.
Is it? Then we will all have to self-isolate until they develop a vaccine in around 18 months. Not a very practical solution is it?
-
We have managed to secure a quantity of home testing kits from a reputable British lab and will be offering them to registered members in the next few weeks. The kits are now fully CE certified and IVD accredited.
If you are interested in pre ordering a kit or kits please let me know as soon as possible as these will be highly sought after and could well cost much more later.
This service is for private member's only at this stage.
Admin
-
If you know you'd had it at least you can be fairly certain you can't catch the disease again.
Hi Rob,
Ermm, though true of other viruses, that might not be the case here. A few weeks ago, cases of reinfection appear to have been put down to the probability of initial false positives, but I read late last night that there were indeed already the odd case of reinfection (I'll post a link if I can remember where - think it was from China).
Meanwhile a Twitter thread that I found interesting on tests for the disease itself and for antibodies:
https://twitter.com/NAChristakis/status/1240689942939877378
There's also this to bear in mind:
Coronavirus infects faster and lasts longer than Sars, raising new containment challenges, Chinese studies suggest
Researchers found that on average, infected people expel virus particles from their bodies for a relatively long period of 20 days, even before symptoms appear
Findings indicate longer quarantine periods may be needed for patients, according to researchers from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital
Linda Lew
Published: 12:37am, 20 Mar, 2020
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3076022/coronavirus-infects-faster-and-lasts-longer-sars-raising-new
-
We have managed to secure a quantity of home testing kits from a reputable British lab and will be offering them to registered members in the next few weeks. The kits are now fully CE certified and IVD accredited.
If you are interested in pre ordering a kit or kits please let me know as soon as possible as these will be highly sought after and could well cost much more later.
This service is for private member's only at this stage.
Admin
Which test is this? The one to test for the illness itself or whether someone has "recovered" and developed antibodies?
A noble initiative, but I'm a bit worried about reports that people in the frontline of caring for others (medical staff / cashiers) haven't been able to be tested yet.
-
I am a bit philosophical about this. If I feel a bit like this sort of ill then I will holler and no doubt get instant aid, even if only to get me out of the feeding chain.
I haven't been anywhere near anyone who could infect me for more than two weeks now, except for my son, and he doesn't socialise a lot.
He does work but mostly for absent clients. And those who are there don't want to get too close to him either. So people around here are being sensible. And he is allowed to go on working. I mean, try cutting a lawn at this time of year that hasn't been cut for a month. The Gardening Fraternity would grind to a halt and Brittany would fast become overgrown.
And if he comes down with it then I will be the first to know.
So use a bit of common sense.
-
If you know you'd had it at least you can be fairly certain you can't catch the disease again.
Hmmm, not necessarily. There's not enough evidence at the moment to work out how long immunity may last for this virus. Some experts put the lower limit at between a few weeks to a few months.
-
The way I look at it is this. If you test then you will at least know if you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus and if so stay at home. The problem at the moment is that there are spreaders walking around completely unaware that they are spreading the disease to others.
The test identifies the body’s response to coronavirus 3-7 days after infection, and gives a qualitative yes/no result within 10 minutes.
-
Hmmm, not necessarily. There's not enough evidence at the moment to work out how long immunity may last for this virus. Some experts put the lower limit at between a few weeks to a few months.
Are you sure about that...how expert are these experts
-
The way I look at it is this. If you test then you will at least know if you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus and if so stay at home. The problem at the moment is that there are spreaders walking around completely unaware that they are spreading the disease to others.
The test identifies the body’s response to coronavirus 3-7 days after infection, and gives a qualitative yes/no result within 10 minutes.
The problem here is that most people only want to know if they have got it. Not too many people care if they might give it to someone else. This is a secondary consideration, although most would probably rather not.
I am staying at home because I don't want to catch it. And of course, being in the high risk group of actual Death. And by Law in France, I am doing as I am told. But there isn't much ultruism in my soul at the moment.
If I get it then I will know almost immediately. At which point My son will inform The Authorities. Because I don't want to die just yet, and nor does he.
What everyone seems to be ignoring is that this is a selfish Virus and can only be ultimately dealt with By Law if the common herd refuse to comply, because for some weird reason they think that they won't get it. And don't care if they give it to me.
It will pass. These things always do. It is Age, you see. They will never get old because they never see it coming. But then I can still remember a time when I thought that I was invincible.
-
The problem here is that most people only want to know if they have got it. Not too many people care if they might give it to someone else. This is a secondary consideration, although most would probably rather not.
I am staying at home because I don't want to catch it. And of course, being in the high risk group of actual Death. And by Law in France, I am doing as I am told. But there isn't much ultruism in my soul at the moment.
If I get it then I will know almost immediately. At which point My son will inform The Authorities. Because I don't want to die just yet, and nor does he.
What everyone seems to be ignoring is that this is a selfish Virus and can only be ultimately dealt with By Law if the common herd refuse to comply, because for some weird reason they think that they won't get it. And don't care if they give it to me.
It will pass. These things always do. It is Age, you see. They will never get old because they never see it coming. But then I can still remember a time when I thought that I was invincible.
Well said Eleanor. We are also self isolating at the moment simply because my wife is in the severely at risk category. Young people have been exhibiting a worrying indifference to this disease, they simply cannot understand the fears of the older generations.
-
Well said Eleanor. We are also self isolating at the moment simply because my wife is in the severely at risk category. Young people have been exhibiting a worrying indifference to this disease, they simply cannot understand the fears of the older generations.
I'm afraid young people don't understand the risk they are posing to themselves...they are not dying because they respond to treatment... treatment that may require intensive care. When the respirators run out they will be dying too
-
I'm afraid young people don't understand the risk they are posing to themselves...they are not dying because they respond to treatment... treatment that may require intensive care. When the respirators run out they will be dying too
The UK is closely mirroring Italy in numbers of deaths but we are two weeks behind. If the current trend continues we can expect upwards of 5,000 deaths over the next fortnight. Most worrying however is the fact that the UK's current statistical trend is becoming greater than even Italys.
People are well advised to stay at home and not mix with others for the next few weeks at least.
-
Well said Eleanor. We are also self isolating at the moment simply because my wife is in the severely at risk category. Young people have been exhibiting a worrying indifference to this disease, they simply cannot understand the fears of the older generations.
It is a bit more serious than that, John. Some of this younger generation actually don't care. They think that The World is theirs.
We could be looking at Genocide if they had their way. I might be a bit more afraid of that than Coronavirus.
Coronavirus is just a means to an end to them. Kill off The Old by not treating them.
What they haven't yet sussed is that it is coming for them also.
-
Well said Eleanor. We are also self isolating at the moment simply because my wife is in the severely at risk category. Young people have been exhibiting a worrying indifference to this disease, they simply cannot understand the fears of the older generations.
John, I've posted some of the most reliable advice I've found so far, with caveats as it's new and expert advice is sometimes conflicting at the moment.
Politics / economy/ egos got in the way of taking this seriously in some countries. And / or some, due to other priorities, have found themselves faced with a sudden situation without taking heed of emerging facts.
Bottom line:
- Self-isolate as much as possible. Keep at least 1m-2 m from anyone else, including at home. Sub-points on this to come.
- Wash your hands as if you were going to do open-heart surgery with soap and water for 20 seconds. I've posted a clip on how medical staff do this. It's important. I'm following WHO-approved formula to disinfect hands when I've touched something, but can't immediately wash my hands. Sub-points on this to come.
- If there are several in a household - you all need to follow the same rules.
- Don't panic: just take it seriously.
- Every day, take time to appreciate your loved ones and find something to laugh about.
-
Hmmm, not necessarily. There's not enough evidence at the moment to work out how long immunity may last for this virus. Some experts put the lower limit at between a few weeks to a few months.
Now that is a scary thought.
-
A company called BioMedomics in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina in the United States has developed a lateral diffusion assay for antibodies against the coronavirus. It was mentioned in The Economist, p. 67. I would be interested in buying such a test.
-
A company called BioMedomics in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina in the United States has developed a lateral diffusion assay for antibodies against the coronavirus. It was mentioned in The Economist, p. 67. I would be interested in buying such a test.
What's a lateral diffusion assay?
-
It looks a good deal like a home pregnancy test kit. The lateral diffusion part just means that the solution you add travels through something that looks like a wick. If you see just one line at the control position, the result is negative, two or more lines is positive. The lines are from gold nanoparticles that have been attached to one of the molecules in the test kit.
https://www.biomedomics.com/products/infectious-disease/covid-19-rt/
-
It looks a good deal like a home pregnancy test kit. The lateral diffusion part just means that the solution you add travels through something that looks like a wick. If you see just one line at the control position, the result is negative, two or more lines is positive. The lines are from gold nanoparticles that have been attached to one of the molecules in the test kit.
https://www.biomedomics.com/products/infectious-disease/covid-19-rt/
Ok, thanks.
There's another (I've forgotten where I read it now) that also checks for other viruses / conditions to rule them out. But that might be for labs.
Just read the blurb. Not suitable for home testing.
and
While our FDA EUA application is under review, please note the following information:
This test has not been reviewed by FDA
Negative results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly in those who have been in contact with the virus. Follow-up testing with a molecular diagnostic should be considered to rule out infection in these individuals.
Results from antibody testing should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection or to inform infection status.
Positive results may be due to past or present infection with non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strains, such as coronavirus HKU1, NL63, OC43, or 229E.
Sounds a bit vague at the moment.