[Owen]

This is silly.

True, the PCR test does not identify variant. Variant identification is done via genome sequencing. The identity of the person associated with the sample is not retained when the genome lab is provided that sample. And the genome lab is not provided all samples.

Why would it be? Their job is to measure how prevalent the variant is in the total population. Not what one person had.

Now if you’re in a region with 90+% delta, well, then again, you don’t need the lab to tell you. For you, personally, it won’t change anything for treatment (or death).

[Republican Wildcat]

This is silly.

Stupid would be a better word for the article - and that's assuming the best. An infection test to sequence a genome that "no lab plans on making" - stupid concept. That's not the point of a test for infection and such a test could obviously not do an instant genome sequencing to tell you which mutation of the virus it is. Only samples that are then sent off to a lab to sequence get this treatment. That's just common sense regardless of how you feel about the public policy response to this virus...common sense that is completely discarded making rationale discussion virtually impossible.

This same individual has posted things claiming the virus itself doesn't exist and had never been sequenced, even though it has been sequenced probably millions of times by now by numerous labs in numerous different countries completely independently. The crazy conspiracies don't match from one thread to another...seemingly irrelevant that if one conspiracy was true the next one could not be - something cannot both be true and untrue at the same time...but that doesn't seem to matter. Just spreading misinformation / false narratives appears to be objective.

[rlmorel]

How would you know you are in a region with 90+% “Delta” if they aren’t doing gene sequencing on each positive case?

Not being a wise guy, but that was the first thing that came to the front of my mind…

[mass55th]

"True, the PCR test does not identify variant. "

The CDC admitted that it can't tell the difference between the virus and the flu.

[dirtymac]

talk about silly.

If you can’t test for the Delta variance how would you know you are in a 90% Delta variance area.

Because they told you so!! Good logic when they are lying to you all of the time.

[Drago]

Yep, you could get your personal sample tested for “which variant”, but be prepared to pay for it. And as you said it would not change your treatment/outcome much if any.

Cost:
https://research.ncsu.edu/gsl/pricing/

https://www.gao.gov/blog/gene-sequencing-can-track-covid-variants%2C-high-costs-and-security-and-privacy-concerns-present-challenges

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93145-4

[firebrand]

if you’re in a region with 90+% delta, well, then again, you don’t need the lab to tell you.

Or if you can't tell whether it's covid or a cold, it's probably omicron.