10 minute COV19 test

[Vinty]

I have read about these COV 19 tests which give a result in 10 minutes.
Do they really work, if they do, why aren't they being used in the UK.

https://www.businessinsider.com/emirates-tests-passengers-coronavirus-covid19-flights-2020-4

 

[IT Minion]

I have read about these COV 19 tests which give a result in 10 minutes.
Do they really work, if they do, why aren't they being used in the UK.

https://www.businessinsider.com/emirates-tests-passengers-coronavirus-covid19-flights-2020-4

Its a blood test, which probably means antibody test. They've had issues with accuracy, one example claim around 90% accuracy which is fairly decent but it means that some people will be missed whilst others will get false positives.

They may be the same types that we ordered millions of then rejected them as the ones we saw weren't accurate enough.

 

[EddieM]

As said, a bad test is worse than no test. Bad tests give a false sense of security and increase the likelihood of people unwittingly spreading the virus.

 

[ajohn]

There is one being worked on that is a quick virus test. Not approved yet and ? does it work. UK company but tied in with a large scale USA company who would validate it.

 

[Vinty]

As a vaccine for COV19 doesn't look imminent a quick and accurate virus test may be one route out of lockdown.
If large numbers of people can be tested cheaply and regularly so that asymptomatic and presymptomatic people can be weeded out before they can infect others then maybe life can return to some sort of normality.

 

[IT Minion]

As a vaccine for COV19 doesn't look imminent a quick and accurate virus test may be one route out of lockdown.
If large numbers of people can be tested cheaply and regularly so that asymptomatic and presymptomatic people can be weeded out before they can infect others then maybe life can return to some sort of normality.

It's what South Korea have been doing for months. They never went into lockdown at all.

 

[EddieM]

It's what South Korea have been doing for months. They never went into lockdown at all.

Mainly was a temperature test though IIRC. Still assuming the figures are to be believed, and personally I have no reason to doubt them, they obviously did things better than we have done.

 

[motorbiking]

We have to remember that we aren't all dealing with the same strain of the virus. What worked in one country for one strain, may not work for another.

 

[Vinty]

To date 33 strains of Covid19 have been identified I believe.

 

[JohnD]

I believe.

Why do you believe it?

 

[Vinty]

The Chinese said that originally there were 2 strains.
Others have claimed that the virus is constantly mutating.
According to doctors there is now a strain which is affecting young children , which obviously is very concerning.
These viruses are unpredictable, Covid19 could as some epidemiologists have suggested become a lot milder due to the laws of natural selection or it could combine with another virus like MERs and become even more deadly.
No one really knows.

 

[SirGalahad]

To date 33 strains of Covid19 have been identified I believe.

You sure? Not sure it's that many.

There are three main strains that cause more severe symptoms. The coronavirus is an RNA based virus so it mutates but these viruses that do mutate do not mutate erratically they still tend to keep a great deal of similarity to a vaccine that is effective against one strain that goes onto to mutate there is a good chance it will still be effective against the new mutated form.

 

[conny]

Although most blood tests are accurate for the vast majority of people, regardless of what test is being varied out, i.e. FBC, Lipids, Bone etc, there are some people for whom a blood test is of no use. My wife has beta thalassemia traits and a diabetes test will show up as positive one test and negative the next time. Most hospital doctors couldn't understand why until she started telling them about her b-t. The crazy thing is her blood platelet is kidney shaped so can be seen to be b-t.
There may be people who a Covid test will also be not suitable for a true reading.

 

[JohnD]

Why do you believe it?

No answer to that.

 

[noseall]

To date 33 strains of Covid19 have been identified I believe.

Why did you pluck the number 33 from the air?