Off Topic » Free Covid tests now available for U.S. residents

As of today you can order four free home Covid testing kits paid for by the U.S. government by visiting this website. They will be shipped directly to your U.S. home address via the USPS: www.COVIDTests.gov

Last night a SF TV station was doing a news story praising the free Covid test kits being mailed to everyone by the U.S. government and they presented a short interview by a Bay Area Congressman. He said that if we all keep testing we will be able to quickly end the Covid-19 crisis and return to our normal lives. :o (Oh my aching brain.) ::)

I’ll just say…

1. You get what you pay for.
2. Most places won’t accept a negative test from a self administered kit. So, if in doubt, you still need to go to someone for a test.

Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #4

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Zitat von zer0netgain im Beitrag #3

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I’ll just say…

1. You get what you pay for.
2. Most places won’t accept a negative test from a self administered kit. So, if in doubt, you still need to go to someone for a test.

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the self tests over her have proved useful as they give a fairly reliable result which might persuade someone not to leave home and spread the virus to a vulnerable person. Most people over here would then proceed to get a PCR lab test to confirm the diagnosis. If positive then there is a legal requirement to self isolate.

Of course, the more people that take a test, the more positive test results you get. As the UK is testing a bigger proportion of the population than most countries, then it looks like there is a big problem in the UK. The reality is that it is impossible to compare statistics from one country to another as there is no consistency in the testing practices or the recording of results.

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Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #4

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Zitat von zer0netgain im Beitrag #3

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I’ll just say…

1. You get what you pay for.
2. Most places won’t accept a negative test from a self administered kit. So, if in doubt, you still need to go to someone for a test.

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the self tests over her have proved useful as they give a fairly reliable result which might persuade someone not to leave home and spread the virus to a vulnerable person. Most people over here would then proceed to get a PCR lab test to confirm the diagnosis. If positive then there is a legal requirement to self isolate.

Of course, the more people that take a test, the more positive test results you get. As the UK is testing a bigger proportion of the population than most countries, then it looks like there is a big problem in the UK. The reality is that it is impossible to compare statistics from one country to another as there is no consistency in the testing practices or the recording of results.

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Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #4

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the self tests over her have proved useful as they give a fairly reliable result which might persuade someone not to leave home and spread the virus to a vulnerable person. Most people over here would then proceed to get a PCR lab test to confirm the diagnosis. If positive then there is a legal requirement to self isolate.

Of course, the more people that take a test, the more positive test results you get….

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Zitat von Mr. 36654 im Beitrag #5

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I live near two state prisons. Over 90% of the prisoners are vaccinated, and the daily reports of Covid infections amongst the prisoners are less than 1%. The prison guards (i.e. state employees with a strong union) and staff are around 45% vaccinated. On a daily basis, about 5~10% of the guards and staff are rated as COVID positive.

For some reason, I find that to be ironic.......

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Zitat von zer0netgain im Beitrag #8

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Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #4

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the self tests over her have proved useful as they give a fairly reliable result which might persuade someone not to leave home and spread the virus to a vulnerable person. Most people over here would then proceed to get a PCR lab test to confirm the diagnosis. If positive then there is a legal requirement to self isolate.

Of course, the more people that take a test, the more positive test results you get….

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I question the effectiveness of these home tests (several Covid test methods have come under scrutiny for many false positives), but frankly, if you have cold symptoms, don’t go out.

Zitat von Mr. 36654 im Beitrag #5

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I live near two state prisons. Over 90% of the prisoners are vaccinated, and the daily reports of Covid infections amongst the prisoners are less than 1%. The prison guards (i.e. state employees with a strong union) and staff are around 45% vaccinated. On a daily basis, about 5~10% of the guards and staff are rated as COVID positive.

For some reason, I find that to be ironic.......

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Not really. The prison guards are free to move about and therefore encounter more people who may be infected. Inmate population is restricted in movement and has limited exposure to the outside world. If you had strict control of people entering the facility proving they are not infected, you could have none of the inmates vaccinated and see the same results. Before the vaccines came out, I knew of very few people in my area who came down with Covid chiefly because they were limiting their exposure to others outside their home.

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Zitat von Mr. 36654 im Beitrag #9

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Thinking as an employer (i.e., the taxpayer), I'm hoping the 55% of employees that refused the vaccination aren't getting unlimited sick leave, but I'll guarantee you they're happy to fill the shifts of their ill co-workers at a 1.5 or 2.0x overtime rate.

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While anecdotal observation isn't the preferred basis for decision making, it's likely better than hypothetical ponderings. My first in-person observation of "perverse" COVID economic behavior was from a conversation with a young electrician that was renovating/upgrading the service entrance to my garage. It was early last Summer and I asked how COVID was affecting his work. He said...........it was great...lots of paid vacation. Later, he said he didn't believe in vaccines. Of course, he was in his late 20's and therefore should be low risk. So, as long as his employer is willing to carry the cost of paid sick leave for possibly contagious workers, this young guy is willing to take the free vacation.

The second observation was from my time spent as a Borough Council member and watching the response of our unionized staff and police force. We never achieved 50% vaccination rates by the end of 2021 for our workforce even with an offer of a 1-day paid vacation for each vaccination and booster shot (the State of Pennsylvania offered 5-days of additional paid vacation for vaccination to their employees). But, we certainly did pay overtime to fill the shifts of the employees that were out with a positive test or risk of exposure. Eventually, we had to stop providing free sick in an effort to stem the costs. Once the employee exceeded earned sick leave, they were off work without pay unless they used their vacation time. But, the 150% overtime rate, rendered the loss of sick leave a hollow threat.

See, municipal unions are like stepping back in time to the 1960s or 70s at a 24/7 production plant. If some worker doesn't show-up for their shift, someone on the prior shift is offered is the work at an OT rate and possible time of day differentials. That maintains production quota, but increases labor costs. As a result, unions at commercial product production plants are now very rare.

The local news media is certainly not helping much. They continue to stir the pot whenever they can. My daughter lives in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. It is one of the most vaccinated areas of the U.S. with something like 90% (or more) of all eligible residents vaccinated against Covid-19. Yet last night the local TV news carried a several-minute long spot showing a group of about 20 anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers marching around the county government center carrying signs demanding the end of all pandemic protocols and mandates that interfere with their "freedom" to do whatever they wish.

I wonder if that would work for me if I marched around the local Highway Patrol office carrying a sign, yelling, and foaming at the mouth, demanding the end to speed limits?

Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #12

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The local news media is certainly not helping much. They continue to stir the pot whenever they can....

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Zitat von Richard230 im Beitrag #12

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The local news media is certainly not helping much. They continue to stir the pot whenever they can. My daughter lives in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. It is one of the most vaccinated areas of the U.S. with something like 90% (or more) of all eligible residents vaccinated against Covid-19. Yet last night the local TV news carried a several-minute long spot showing a group of about 20 anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers marching around the county government center carrying signs demanding the end of all pandemic protocols and mandates that interfere with their "freedom" to do whatever they wish.

I wonder if that would work for me if I marched around the local Highway Patrol office carrying a sign, yelling, and foaming at the mouth, demanding the end to speed limits?

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As a follow-up to my first post, the PA Dept of Correction has now stopped prisoner family visits until the end of February, because the staff overtime costs are blowing the budget. 10% of the prison staff is COVID positive and roughly 50% are vaccinated (state-wide). 4% of the prisoners are COVID positive and they're 90% vaccinated.