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Monkey Turned Wolf

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Wife and I have both been feeling miserable since tuesday. Took rapid & pcr test wednesday, rapid thursday, all negative. But stayed home from work skipped out on a hike with my dad and a mets game cause I didn't want to spread whatever I did have.

Wife is stage managing a play and they're scheduled for a rehearsal today (she took off last week to), so we took one more rapid test each before she went just to be safe...both positive. That explains why this is the first cold I haven't kicked in 3 days max.

I'm really glad that I decided to be safe and avoid people this week.
 

Steve

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It's not the bacon that's killing people in grocery stores. It's radicalized zealots with guns. But, I guess the good news is those folks won't need to worry about their cholesterol.

Wife and I have both been feeling miserable since tuesday. Took rapid & pcr test wednesday, rapid thursday, all negative. But stayed home from work skipped out on a hike with my dad and a mets game cause I didn't want to spread whatever I did have.

Wife is stage managing a play and they're scheduled for today (she took off last week to), so we took one more rapid test each before she went just to be safe..both positive. That explains why this is the first cold I haven't kicked in 3 days max.
Just sent the youngest back to school today. She's still testing positive, but according to the CDC and the school district, she's safe to return now. She'll need to wear a mask today and tomorrow.

At this point, I think if you're vaccinated and boosted, it seems to be pretty well under control. I hope you feel better soon.
 
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Dirty Dog

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Wife and I have both been feeling miserable since tuesday. Took rapid & pcr test wednesday, rapid thursday, all negative. But stayed home from work skipped out on a hike with my dad and a mets game cause I didn't want to spread whatever I did have.

Wife is stage managing a play and they're scheduled for a rehearsal today (she took off last week to), so we took one more rapid test each before she went just to be safe...both positive. That explains why this is the first cold I haven't kicked in 3 days max.

I'm really glad that I decided to be safe and avoid people this week.
The difficulty with these tests is sensitivity. The rapid tests have a much high rate of false negatives, which is why the recommendation is to do two of them, usually 72 hours apart. They can pick up the virus 1-5 days after symptoms start (rarely on the first day), and they're less likely to have a false negative the closer to the 5 days.
The problem is that the most infectious time is the 2-3 days before symptoms and the 2-3 days after. So by the time you get into the best testing period for the rapid tests, you're already past the most contagious period. It still helps, but it could use some improvement.
Feel better soon.
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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The difficulty with these tests is sensitivity. The rapid tests have a much high rate of false negatives, which is why the recommendation is to do two of them, usually 72 hours apart. They can pick up the virus 1-5 days after symptoms start (rarely on the first day), and they're less likely to have a false negative the closer to the 5 days.
The problem is that the most infectious time is the 2-3 days before symptoms and the 2-3 days after. So by the time you get into the best testing period for the rapid tests, you're already past the most contagious period. It still helps, but it could use some improvement.
Feel better soon.
Yup. I've told people (including my wife) exactly that when there have been scares in the past. Particularly with her plays, if there's a scare, just because people don't show up positive doesn't mean they don't have it and are spreading to the rest of the cast.

She normally thinks I'm being paranoid, but this time around I told her not to go even though she was negative, exactly because false negatives are a thing especially early on. She was annoyed but now she's happy she hasn't gone recently and I've got proof I'm not just paranoid!
Just sent the youngest back to school today. She's still testing positive, but according to the CDC and the school district, she's safe to return now. She'll need to wear a mask today and tomorrow.

At this point, I think if you're vaccinated and boosted, it seems to be pretty well under control. I hope you feel better soon.
In reality we should be pretty much non-contagious by now/soon, we tested positive today but it's been 6 days since symptoms started, but better safe than sorry.

And thanks both of you. I'm much better than I was at the end of last week, just tired and got a bit of a cough.
 

granfire

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Wife and I have both been feeling miserable since tuesday. Took rapid & pcr test wednesday, rapid thursday, all negative. But stayed home from work skipped out on a hike with my dad and a mets game cause I didn't want to spread whatever I did have.

Wife is stage managing a play and they're scheduled for a rehearsal today (she took off last week to), so we took one more rapid test each before she went just to be safe...both positive. That explains why this is the first cold I haven't kicked in 3 days max.

I'm really glad that I decided to be safe and avoid people this week.
get well!
 

Steve

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In reality we should be pretty much non-contagious by now/soon, we tested positive today but it's been 6 days since symptoms started, but better safe than sorry.

And thanks both of you. I'm much better than I was at the end of last week, just tired and got a bit of a cough.
That's what the experts say. Apparently, the guidance is, if day 0 is the day your symptoms start, you should be good after day 5. The school district says she can go back if her symptoms are improved, whether she tests positive or not, at this point. Though she has to wear a mask through day 10 if she's still testing positive. If she were negative at this point, she could go mask free.

All that said, the fatigue is the worst... that seems to hang on for a LONG time.
 
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Dirty Dog

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Yup. I've told people (including my wife) exactly that when there have been scares in the past. Particularly with her plays, if there's a scare, just because people don't show up positive doesn't mean they don't have it and are spreading to the rest of the cast.
100% correct. The tests detect a specific protein, but as with all tests of this sort, there is a limit to their sensitivity. Until the level crosses a threshold, it will not be detected.
She normally thinks I'm being paranoid, but this time around I told her not to go even though she was negative, exactly because false negatives are a thing especially early on.
I've seen studies with as much as 40% false negatives with the rapid tests.
She was annoyed but now she's happy she hasn't gone recently and I've got proof I'm not just paranoid!
Your mental stability (or lack thereof) is an entirely different issue...
 
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That's what the experts say. Apparently, the guidance is, if day 0 is the day your symptoms start, you should be good after day 5. The school district says she can go back if her symptoms are improved, whether she tests positive or not, at this point. Though she has to wear a mask through day 10 if she's still testing positive. If she were negative at this point, she could go mask free.

All that said, the fatigue is the worst... that seems to hang on for a LONG time.
Long covid is real, and it sucks big time. I've got a friend who is still short of breath 6 months after she had a bad case. Hope she feels better quickly.
 

granfire

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what kills me are people in the healthcare field who only do the least minimum, because it's mandatory for the job.

The Lab chick at the VA this morning 'masks don't really help this much'
Well, for starters her nose was half hanging out. When I told her I had undergone chemo and my white blood cells were tanking, zero reaction.
I am just glad they expect everybody to wear a mask in there. I would hope a professional would know to put the nose under the material as well.

I think I need to bite the bullet and wear N95s....

Unfortunately when I asked my doc about a 2nd booster, she said no. I guess because of my labs......
My mom had caught it even with 3 shots on board, and masking everywhere.
Luckily she felt bad for only a week and is doing fine now.
 

Buka

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There’s no way to continue without getting political, so I’ll just say I agree that it’s our own fault.
You're right, of course.
Although, I think it a shame that self defense, which we talk about constantly here, isn't allowed when people are getting murdered en masse.

"Okay, class, today we're going to talk about self defense in the preventative sense. Unless, you know, it's, like, serious stuff."
 

Steve

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You're right, of course.
Although, I think it a shame that self defense, which we talk about constantly here, isn't allowed when people are getting murdered en masse.

"Okay, class, today we're going to talk about self defense in the preventative sense. Unless, you know, it's, like, serious stuff."
Agreed.
 

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_Simon_

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Wife and I have both been feeling miserable since tuesday. Took rapid & pcr test wednesday, rapid thursday, all negative. But stayed home from work skipped out on a hike with my dad and a mets game cause I didn't want to spread whatever I did have.

Wife is stage managing a play and they're scheduled for a rehearsal today (she took off last week to), so we took one more rapid test each before she went just to be safe...both positive. That explains why this is the first cold I haven't kicked in 3 days max.

I'm really glad that I decided to be safe and avoid people this week.
Oh no... please take care and hope you're both better soon
 

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