Testing for COVID

[Terry]

I was feeling a bit ragged the last few days and was supposed to be taking care of a daughter after her surgery, so figured we should take the in home covid tests to make sure we were good to go. I tested positive.
We told her she needed to make other plans, and plumbing jobs are cancelled this week, my hand surgery set for this coming Monday is now rescheduled.

Went outside to pick up my morning paper and I see this on the headline.

Coronavirus has infected majority of Americans

The data offers the first evidence that more than half the U.S. population has been infected at least once since the coronavirus pandemic began.

www.seattletimes.com

I've had perfect health the last two years, wearing masks everywhere except for the last few weeks as so many of us thought we were pretty much done. Grocery stores for sure, and hardware too.
I've been wearing the mask most places still, but not when I'm out eating. And often not during plumbing calls, as most of the time I as alone working in the bathroom or garage by myself. The darn mask tends to fog my glasses. Not so bad for shopping, a bit tough while trying to see small parts. I was already going to be losing the use of a hand after surgery, now quarantine and then surgery. I will be having some breaks I guess.

The last few months, more and more of those I know had been getting this. At least being vaccinated, it's much better than the early cases that people were having.

 

[Dustbunny]

Sorry you're not feeling A1 and it comes at an inconvienient time !

Worldometer says 83 million cases of the virus in the US. Population 330 million so there is a way to go to half.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[wwhitney]

Worldometer says 83 million cases of the virus in the US. Population 330 million so there is a way to go to half.

There's two different data sources. One is to tally people who have taken PCR tests and gotten positive results. That's the 83 million count (I presume).

The other is to go out and test a sample of the population for immune markers that signify a past coronavirus infection. Presumably a test that doesn't show a positive for vaccinated people who were never infected. That's the source of the recent over 50% figure.

Together they suggest that only about half of people in the US who got coronavirus actually got a positive PCR test. Either because they had a mild case and didn't notice, or maybe they just relied on an at-home rapid test.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Terry]

Like Wayne mentions, you could have it, but unless you report it to a recording agency, the graph doesn't change, but you still had it. Mine was an in-home test, so mine doesn't change the stats on the Worldmeter either. The amount of people I know that have come down with it is a bunch. And in the area that I live in, it's more and more people getting it. I'm in one of the most vaxed area's of the US, but that doesn't mean you can't pick up the bug. It may be mistaken for feeling tired, or just an unusual cough, but it can also really be the bug too. A non-reported bug.

"The data from blood tests offers the first evidence that over half the U.S. population, roughly 190 million people, have been infected at least once since the pandemic began. That is more than double the official case count."

Most Americans have been infected with coronavirus at least once, CDC says

Three out of four children and adolescents in the U.S., and more than half of all adults except the oldest, have had the coronavirus, the CDC says, citing data from blood samples.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[WorthFlorida]

I have had both shots plus the wife and I received the booster last August. Well, Monday, Jan 3rd I help then maintenance guy at my church and he tells me he had COVID over Christmas. Standing next to hime he didn't have a mask on neither did I, we were outside. Thursday I started to feel crappy and a cough started, Friday was just a tad worse, Saturday I was OK. My wife by Sunday she was coughing, By Tuesday she was OK. I ran out to the store, mask on and all, bought two test kits, we were both positive on that Tuesday. We never had a fever or any other symptoms and we are sure the vaccine was doing its thing. May 8th we are on a cruise and Royal Caribbean requires a test 48 hours before the departure date. We leave May 8, return the 15th. After the 15th we'll be getting the second booster. The wife is Type 1 diabetic for 35 years and is 71. I'm 72 and Type 2 diabetic so that places us in a higher risk.

Just note you can test positive 10 days from the first day of the infection with a mild case. The wife tested again the following Sunday and was still positive. Two weeks after the first symptoms we were both clear.

 

[Weekend Handyman]

Sorry to hear you have caught COVID. Hopefully you get through it quickly. I have been lucky so far ... my co-workers have had it, my wife's co-workers have had it, students/teachers at my kids' school have had it ... my luck has been great so far ... knock on wood.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Take care Terry, I came down with it Day after Christmas and tested positive . It was sweeping through So Ca back at the holidays then fizzled down a month or so later . I had 2 shots plus the booster.
My wife tested about a week after me and was negative we didn't distance ourselves . I had pretty high fever but like a cold or a flu I suppose no fun to have but I've had way worse flu before. definitely coulda been worse I think those early cases were a different strain of virus, plus the fact has been all along that many people were Asymptomatic didn't get sick at all. a bad illness but most never need treatment thankfully