Posted on 03/26/2020 6:59:09 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
UnitedHealth Group rolled out a self-swab coronavirus test in Seattle on Monday and hopes to roll it out to more states as soon as possible.
Self-administered tests can spare health care workers, who normally administer such tests, from germs spread by a patient's cough or sneeze.
UnitedHealth released details of its 500-patient study that found self-swab tests to be as accurate as physician-administered tests on Wednesday.
"We know that broad, rapid and accurate testing is essential to addressing the COVID-19 crisis, yet the current clinician-administered process significantly limits testing capacity, puts frontline health care workers at risk of COVID-19 exposure, and is unpleasant for patients," lead researcher Dr. Yuan-Po Tu said.
The findings prompted the Food and Drug Administration to update its guidance on self-collection earlier this week.
"Based on available data, FDA believes that, for symptomatic patients, nasal swabs could be used that access just the front of the nose rather than the depth of the nasal cavity," the FDA wrote on its website.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
Where are the videos of the overwhelmed ERs in Washington or NYC? Where are the videos of ventilator triage decisions being made? How many more cases in NYC before we begin to see the scare scenarios promised?
When the public can get their own Cov-19 test, and self-isolate as needed, total isolation can be dismissed as unnecessary. Yes, it also requires that when people feel like a cold-flu coming on they chose to stay home, stay away from fellow workers, and wear a mask if they must go out.
Viral shedding - when the virus in someone becomes infectious to others, begins, in 85% of cases with the Corona virus family, AFTER the person begins to feel ill. An asymptomatic person rarely (14%) exhibits viral shedding and unless they do they are not infecting others.
The ease of testing and a culture of self-imposed isolation when ill will obviate the need for draconian social shutdown measures.
In Harris County Texas doctors are closing walk-ins and going to TeleDoc or similar. Grandson was told he didn’t have flu or strep, just some kind of virus, but the doc refused an order for testing because she didn’t know how he could get a test. Whole family got fever and chest congestion within 24 hours, even though they quarantined as much as possible. The only one not to get sick is the dad, who does all the outside errands. Go figure. Probably just seasonal allergy stuff.
93% of those who show up for testing who think they have the Corona virus don’t. Now we can all fall under this hypochondriac syndrome-it just shows the power of advertising or media-repeat something enough and perception becomes reality.
Now there is a home testing kit available for these mentally ill hypochondriacs:
At-home coronavirus tests now available, companies say (Fox News)
As coronavirus testing in the U.S. continues to lag behind that in other highly affected countries such as South Korea, several domestic startups are reportedly launching the first at-home tests.
The products have been greenlit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under new expedited guidelines to help combat the virus, according to Stat, a health care industry news outlet.
One such test provider is Nurx, a San Francisco-based company best known for home testing products for sexually transmitted infections and birth control, now offers testing kits for COVID-19 through the mail for $181 after prospective customers fill out an online form with their symptoms.
“We don’t look for the severity of symptoms, only the presence of them. They can range from mild to severe,” Nurx spokeswoman Allison Hoffman told SFGate.com. “But, people with truly severe symptoms should also seek immediate care. … In terms of temperature in particular, we determine a fever is 100.4 [degrees] plus.”
After filling out the online survey, Nurx will determine if testing is necessary based on the person’s symptoms and will mail the test via expedited shipping.
Nurx can give customers lab results within 48 hours of receiving the test, SFGate reported.
“We are pivoting from our prior service lines to make this available,” Chris Hall, senior clinical adviser for Nurx, told Stat. “It’s a heavy lift, but we think it’s important.”
nurx@nurxapp
Today we are introducing the first #COVID19 home testing and online consultation service. We’re eager to safely connect people with certain symptoms and risk factors with testing and medical care.
COVID-19 At Home Test Kit - Nurx ™
Nurx and its longstanding home testing lab partner, Molecular Testing Labs, are launching telehealth consultations and home testing for people who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
nurx.com
By Friday evening, Nurx’s website said it had hit capacity and would reopen Saturday morning.
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