COVID Question: It’s been a while since we talked about the test

As far as we know, we will live with COVID-19 for a while. All signs indicate that the disease is endemic. That is, like a cold, flu, measles, it can last forever. I still don’t know what it will be like. Is it an annual season like the flu? A small, fast-moving outbreak every few years like measles? Every other week, OPB answers listener and reader questions and finds a way to live in an eternal pandemic.Submit yourself here..

As autumn continues, the flu season is skyrocketing. There are so many different respiratory viruses around, so I have that persistent question: Is this a flu cough? Or do I have a COVID-19?

I had a question from John, who is vaccinated. He wants to know. “Are there any specific symptoms of a breakthrough case that we should be aware of? Or do we need to take the test with special care whenever we have a cough / sore throat / runny nose, etc.? “

Guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for people vaccinated with COVID-19 changed several times last year. Currently, the CDC recommends that everyone, including vaccinated people, wear a mask in an indoor public space. The CDC recommends that people with COVID-19 symptoms be tested with or without vaccination and quarantined while waiting for test results. When exposed by close contact, fully vaccinated people should be tested 5-7 days after known exposure. If you do not have symptoms, you do not need to quarantine, but you should wear a mask indoors for 14 days or until the test results are negative. Also, regardless of vaccination status, if someone tests positive for COVID-19, you should avoid others for at least 10 days after the test is positive.

Which COVID-19 symptoms should I be aware of?

Symptoms can actually be different, especially in groundbreaking cases. Your only symptom can be a cough, fever, or headache.

I am vaccinated. Do I really need to take the test? Can I spread it out?

Testing is especially important as the number of infectious variants increases. Vaccines are very effective in preventing serious illnesses that require hospitalization, but delta variants overcome the defenses of vaccinated people and cause mild illnesses that can be passed on to others. Very good at. Don’t think you have a cold.

Even if someone like John is vaccinated, they may not get so sick. However, in the presence of symptoms, the risk of giving COVID-19 to others, or even another vaccinated person, is real. And if it’s someone who lives with you or spends a lot of time with you, the chances are high.There were many Family cluster Report — When the delta variant is passed from a vaccinated family member to a vaccinated family member. Therefore, it is very important to know if you are infected with COVID. This is to prevent others from getting sick, even if they are vaccinated.

What is the current best test option?

It really depends on the situation. Obviously, the best test is what you can get. However, the PCR test is likely to be the most accurate. This is because the PCR test does not require many viruses in the sample to get accurate test results.

Is it the same test with a cotton swab?

Some kind. The tests are better — for one thing, many tests use shorter swabs that are easier to use. Testing is also more complicated. PCR works by making a bundle of copies of a gene so that scientists can read the sequence. The PCR test uses “primers,” which are small pieces of DNA, to tell the gene copy molecule which part of the gene to copy. Therefore, previously, in our tests, we used some primers for the genetic material of the coronavirus, copied it, and read the sequence. So I could tell if anyone had a COVID-19 and that was it.

The new test is more accurate because it contains primers for multiple parts of the coronavirus genome. Other tests have added primers to check for different strains of influenza, or RSV, another common respiratory virus. If your COVID is negative and your flu is positive, that’s really really good proof that you actually have the flu. The PCR test process takes some time, but many places, especially county labs and community test centers, are now turning them around in a day.

How do you get it?

Start by reviewing the county test web page. There is a list of COVID-19 test sites that offer PCR, and the list shows sites that require free insurance. However, the time of county-operated clinics may be limited. If you can’t make an appointment, contact your doctor or look for other, more convenient and less accurate test options.

More convenient options. Is it like a quick test or a home test?

absolutely. Rapid testing is less accurate than PCR testing, but it is still a very important tool. They really only work if you have a really high viral load — there are a lot of viruses in your body. And when they are the most accurate, there is a fairly narrow time frame. They are also less accurate for vaccinated people, as vaccines help your body kill the virus, and that’s what the test is looking for.

But at almost any pharmacy, you can buy a quick test almost anywhere. And they give you immediate results! You can also buy some and take them home. If the rapid test is negative and you have symptoms, it is recommended that you take the test again after 1-2 days. Rapid tests often result in false negatives, so a single negative test is not always in a clear state. (It’s not so common to say that you don’t have a false positive, that is, COVID-19, but you have one.)

There is also a PCR kit at home. Do your own cotton swabs at home and mail them to the lab. But they can also have long turnaround times.

What if my kid is sniffing around? Need to test them? Is a school test enough?

At all. There are two state test programs that the school can apply for. One uses a weekly PCR screening of COVID-19 and the other uses a rapid test for children who are beginning to show symptoms at school. But you really can’t get enough testing, especially because the kids aren’t vaccinated. If the test is negative, the child is symptomatic, and the flu test is not positive, taking the second test is not harmful.

People need a negative COVID-19 test to attend some sporting events. Are you going to take the COVID-19 test forever?

To be honest, it’s not a bad thing if regular COVID-19 and flu tests become a part of your life in the future. We will probably live with this virus for a long time, and we have been monitoring really bad illnesses for a long time.We know it now COVID-19 was in the United States for Several months Before the first case is confirmed. However, as influenza surveillance in the United States is on the decline, the initial surge in influenza-like illness was assumed to be influenza. The 2009 H1N1 swine flu epidemic could not be recognized due to insufficient influenza testing.