Author Topic: Would you buy a virus test kit?  (Read 5991 times)

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Offline John

Would you buy a virus test kit?
« 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.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2020, 09:15:51 PM by John »
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Offline Angelo222

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2020, 10:03:06 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'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.
De troothe has the annoying habit of coming to the surface just when you least expect it!!

Je ne regrette rien!!

Offline mrswah

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Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2020, 10:08:27 PM »
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.

Offline Venturi Swirl

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2020, 10:23:44 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.
What difference would it make apart from to raise your stress levels if you test positive?
"Surely the fact that their accounts were different reinforces their veracity rather than diminishes it? If they had colluded in protecting ........ surely all of their accounts would be the same?" - Faithlilly

Offline Angelo222

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2020, 10:33:38 PM »
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.
De troothe has the annoying habit of coming to the surface just when you least expect it!!

Je ne regrette rien!!

Offline Angelo222

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2020, 10:35:41 PM »
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.
De troothe has the annoying habit of coming to the surface just when you least expect it!!

Je ne regrette rien!!

Offline Venturi Swirl

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2020, 10:38:46 PM »
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?
"Surely the fact that their accounts were different reinforces their veracity rather than diminishes it? If they had colluded in protecting ........ surely all of their accounts would be the same?" - Faithlilly

Offline Angelo222

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2020, 12:01:40 AM »
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.
De troothe has the annoying habit of coming to the surface just when you least expect it!!

Je ne regrette rien!!

Offline Robittybob1

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2020, 01:49:06 AM »
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.
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Offline Venturi Swirl

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2020, 07:15:29 AM »
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?
"Surely the fact that their accounts were different reinforces their veracity rather than diminishes it? If they had colluded in protecting ........ surely all of their accounts would be the same?" - Faithlilly

Offline Admin

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2020, 08:43:10 PM »
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
« Last Edit: March 20, 2020, 12:02:07 PM by Admin »

Offline Carana

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #11 on: March 20, 2020, 03:47:22 PM »
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

Offline Carana

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #12 on: March 20, 2020, 03:55:56 PM »
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.

Offline Eleanor

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2020, 04:27:05 PM »
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.

Offline Carana

Re: Would you buy a virus test kit?
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2020, 11:16:50 AM »
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.