Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Marilyn]

I don’t qualify for the free flu shot yet at 60. Hubby has for some years, but possibly due to his medical problems.
He booked in for his yearly eye tests the other day and I asked him what age those tests start, because I have not yet been suggested for an eye test, despite being classified as “diabetic” for 18 months now ( though my diabetic discovery was dismissed as due to pain by nurses and blood sugars returned to normal once pain resolved...yet the doctor discounts this and has me on Metformin...so am I diabetic or not?!)
Who knows. I feel I am falling through the cracks at times. I was supposed to have my Diabetes “challenged” by a blood sugar test, but that never happened either. I think it is easier to slap a label on people.
( I don’t have great faith in doctors.)

[PanBiker]

We have both been for a Covid test this morning. We don't have symptoms but the testing in Barlick is now open to anyone so why not? I have always advocated testing everyone as without that how do you know who are asymptomatic carriers?

Booked the slot online this morning at about 10am and had a choice of 11am or 11.30 so we opted for the latter. We were told to attend on time and we had to have masks and hand sanitiser. We went in the car although they are accepting foot traffic.

Sally booked the slot so was emailed a Q Code to show at the entrance. She booked for both of us but for some reason the system would not accept my email address so I receive a text on my mobile which had a link to the Gov. website. I had to put my DOB into the link when I got there and it showed my Q code for entry. Both were scanned and we were directed to the instructor who had a flip board which she showed all the instructions to us through the car window. It's a self test station so she passed us two testing kits through the window and then directed us to a guy who showed us where to park and told us to sanitise our hands before opening the packs then read all the instructions. He also said to use our hazard light if we needed assistance and to indicate when we had completed the testing.

Test is simple enough and had good instructions. Take swab from sealed packet swab tonsils for 10 -15 seconds then use the same swap for a nasal swab again for about 10 seconds. The kit came with a screw top vial which had some pink solution in. You place the swab into the liquid then snap off the handle to allow the lid to be screwed back on. The vial goes into a zip lock bag along with an absorbent pad. you then put the sealed zip lock and its contents in to a silvered barcoded bag. We were instructed not to seal that bag until the attendant came.

Put the hazards on and he came to inform us how to seal the bag, (tear off to expose adhesive strip) and further instruction for exiting the site. On to the next gazebo where the operative scans the barcode on the bag along with the Q code on your email or in my case on my phone. You do all this with the windows shut and with your mask on. You then pass the bags directly through the window into a plastic box, they are not handled by anyone else. That's it, job done and exit site.

Results will be sent by text, could be 48hours but should not be longer than five days after the test.

[Tizer]

Thanks for providing such a good report on your experience, Ian, it's good to know from someone like yourself how the system works.

Here's some good news. With China and Vietnam instigating bans it will shame the countries that continue the trade. It's good for protecting humans and it's great news for wildlife...
`Vietnam bans wildlife trade over pandemic risk' LINK
`Vietnam has banned the import of wildlife and wildlife products to reduce the risk of new pandemics. The move also bans wildlife markets for such items, including online sales. Vietnam has previously been accused of turning a blind eye to the sale of products such as pangolin scales and rhino horns often used in traditional medicine..'.

[PanBiker]

The results came in a lot quicker than we expected. Sally received an email a 10.15pm last night to say that she was clear. I didn't as the system would not accept my perfectly valid email address for some reason. No worries, we both had incoming texts on our mobiles this morning. I tested clear as well. So, one result in less than 12 hours and mine, probably at the same time but a slight delay in notification. both within 24 hours though.

I was wondering if anyone knew how the tests were done. Could it be on a colour reaction to the pink fluid the swab was put into?

[Tizer]

The `gold standard' method uses the polymerase chain reaction to analyse the RNA. That's complicated but automation speeds it up. I think there's a method now that uses a reaction of a fluorescent agent to give a colour when applied to a test strip. Did they give you any indication of how accurate the results are?

[PanBiker]

No, the main bit of the test message reads:

"Your Covid 19 test result is negative. You did not have the virus when the test was done."

Preceded by name and date of birth and followed by the usual advice for if you develop symptoms.

As far as I am aware the instructions (6 pages) in the self test pack only covered the mechanics of doing the test. No mention that I saw of how accurate the test was.

Seemed to me the likelihood would be a colour change in the solution in the vial as once you had snapped the swab off and screwed the lid back on that looked like your sample was a done deal so to speak along with its barcode. I imagined it probably being scanned electronically for colour change and reactors having further tests maybe.

[Sue]

I have absolutely no idea how the test works, i just about understood the polymerase method, with help from my knowledgable daughter. I agree with you about having the test no matter what. Rochdale trialled the walk in centres which of course resulted in more positive results, which is good to know but seems to be forgotten when looking at rise in numbers. . Its good to know it was so safe in terms of health hazard. Perhaps we will venture ourselves but I wasn’t aware non symptomatic people could get tests. Excellent turn around of results.

[Sue]

Ok done some research, its called universal transport medium and I presume it keeps the integrity of the nucleic acids. As far as I can tell it is still a polymerase test which magnifies the amount of nucleic acid present by providing the correct conditions for nucleic acid replication rapidly. The presence of the specific corona virus sequence is then machine analysed and results automatically generated. I THINK this is the process, the actual laboratory method is fairly standard procedure for nucleic acid analysis so I could find no detailed document. I am not sure how long it takes for the polymerase reaction. 30 minutes ? All developed long after I left the world of laboratory analysis. I think the time factor for results is the number to be processed, and the testing capacity of machines and laboratory.

[PanBiker]

If it makes any difference the self test pack contained an absorbent pad about 3" x 2" which went into the zip lock bag along with the barcoded screwtop vial which contained the test swab. Couldn't really see a use for that unless for spillages if the lid wasn't screwed on properly. The lid had a liquid sealing washer.

[Sue]

No it makes no difference it mentioned that on the testing site I got on to . It was a 20 page document and it was at the end, most not relevant to your question asked.

[Tizer]

All developed long after I left the world of laboratory analysis.

Same for me too, Sue.
Ian, Have a look at this and you'll see how complicated such tests are... LINK (Don't worry, I don't understand it either! )
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This is what we're up against these days, thanks to the enabling power of social media. There are some bad people about...
`Coronavirus: False and misleading claims about vaccines debunked' LINK
`In the week that Oxford University announced promising results from its coronavirus vaccine trial, we're looking at claims on social media about vaccines and misleading statements about their safety. The anti-vaccination movement has gained traction online in recent years, and campaigners opposed to vaccination have moved their focus to making claims relating to the coronavirus..'.

[PanBiker]

I think to the layman, a change of colour of the sample will suffice. Quick anyway, less than 12 hours.

[plaques]

From the misleading claims link..She also claims - without any evidence - that vaccines will "hook us all up to an artificial intelligence interface".

Why involve vaccines? we are already there with Facebook and Twitter. Also brain washed with TV adverts and Express newspaper right-wing propaganda. If artificial intelligence (AI) is a gateway to advanced thinking then some of this gang need wiring up immediately. Most of 'AI' is what we do already but much faster and doesn't require a savant like brain to hold all the data. If the fear is that it will out think them then I've got news for them they were probably at the back of the queue when brains were being handed out.

[Stanley]

I like that post Ken.....

[Tizer]

This shows what we are going to be up against when trying to vaccinate people against covid-19 and even flu. Social media and old-fashioned local rumour boosting the antivax campaign...
`Coronavirus doctor's diary: Will vaccine sceptics make trials a headache?' LINK
`It will soon be critical for the NHS to start vaccinating people against flu, to prevent hospitals being swamped with flu and Covid-19 patients this winter. Large-scale trials of Covid-19 vaccines, already under way in some places, are likely to start in Bradford in the autumn. It's therefore worrying, says Dr John Wright of the city's Royal Infirmary, that anti-vax conspiracy theories seem to have flourished in this pandemic..'.

[Marilyn]

We have nutters here too, who won’t even get dogs or cats vaccinated, let alone their own “little darlings”.
I honestly can’t comprehend how we are part of the same human race. Has history of disease offered nothing to these people?
( we can’t all live in a field and sniff Daffodils)

[PanBiker]

Guess what, given the opportunity I will be first in line for both my flu jab and one for Covid19 when available. Taken to it's logical conclusion the pandemic may have some benefit on removing some of the anti-vaxers from the gene pool. Alway look on the bright side.

[plaques]

The lead picture on the link doesn't help matters, a young lady cringing on being vaccinated. Last year when myself and Mrs P went in together she turned her head away and was surprised when the nurse said 'right all done' , "Oh I was waiting for you to start"! No problems afterwards not even a slight tenderness. Get it done and take advantage of modern medicine.

[Tizer]

Maz, it would be interesting to know how many of the anti-vaxers are also creationists. A lot of people are too easily led, and it was always so. Those who do the (mis)leading don't want it any other way, they value their power too much. The only way out is better education of children to think for themselves, question everything they're told, ask for evidence, learn some logic and don't pass on information until you're sure it's sound. The education needs to start very early and can't be left to parents alone to provide it. It will ruffle some feathers among the religious zealots, of course, but so be it.

I agree about that headline photo in the article - very bad choice. Vaccination is hardly felt. I've written to the BBC with the URL and this:
`In an article about the anti-vaccination problem your choice of the headline photo is very bad, showing a woman who looks like she is in great pain or fear when being vaccinated. It's painless but you are providing the anti-vax community with support by showing such a photo. I'm disappointed in the BBC for this, you're letting down our health workers.'

[PanBiker]

Agreed about the lead picture Ken and well done Peter, the media have to sensationalise everything. I have personal experience of this type of abuse.

When our lad was killed in a RTA it was recorded by the medics that he had drink in his system, not a lot, (he had drunk an odd beer). The level was not thought to be a contributing factor to the accident. This was reported at the coroners court as part of the inquest proceedings. The coroner made it quite clear in his summing up statement before the outcome was declared. The reporters were in the gallery of the court and the local papers covered the inquest. The lead photograph for our Dan who lost his life by, according to the coroner, "accidental unforeseen tragic circumstance" was a picture of a pub table with a pint on it a few beer mats and a set of car keys! I complained to the press commission on the grounds of inaccurate reporting but they would have none of it and supported the local rag. I don't have a lot of time for sensationalism and crap reporting.

[Big Kev]

The current pandemic has not only highlighted sensationalism, by the BBC, but the lack of intelligence shown by some of their reporting staff. Some of the ridiculous, repetitive questions asked are laughable.

[Marilyn]

Given that life can sometimes throw us health problems completely out of the blue, I wonder how many of these anti-mask folk will suddenly clutch at any treatment available for (say) breast cancer or bowel cancer or pancreatic cancer or melanoma.
Suddenly, their own lives mean something?
Some of us on here have “a couple more years” on such folk. We know how much a life means.
Panbiker, what do you believe to be contributing to your son’s death? Weather conditions? Inattention? Just a freak thing? Tiredness? Being unwell?
I know you have never spoken of it ( at least on here). We all know that a split second can alter our lives on any road.

[Tizer]

I'm sad to hear how the reporters treated Dan's story, Ian. Another story I've read in The Times this weekend was about Anthony Fauci (born 1940), the US health chief, who has been involved in all the pandemics and other US outbreaks in the last 40 years or more and is respected worldwide as an expert. We know Trump has now turned against him and that has contributed to a flood of abuse against Fauci, his wife and their three daughters. Fauci is has seen abuse before, when he worked to try and find a vaccine or cure for HIV in the 1980s. Then it came from homophobic people. He says the abuse this time is worse and he's totally shocked because he 's trying to save people's lives. The abuse is mainly generated and spread by those people who object to having their way of live disrupted by lockdowns, cancelled holidays etc.

This is the man who has served as the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984. Since January 2020, he has been one of the lead members of the Trump administration's White House Coronavirus Task Force. Wikipedia states: `Fauci is one of the world's leading experts on infectious diseases, and during the early stages of the pandemic The New Yorker and The New York Times described Fauci as one of the most trusted medical figures in the United States.' Obviously the abusers don't read or believe those two newspapers.

[Tripps]

I learned this morning that quarantine - which has been made mandatory for people returning from Spain is a lot more restrictive than social isolation.

Under quarantine - you are not allowed to leave the house for any reason. No shopping, no exercise for example. I wonder how many people know that. A bit academic though - it seems passengers at Gatwick couldn't find anyone to hand their forms to.

The fact that Grant Shapps has been hoist by his own petard is amusing, but the idea that any cabinet minister would think of going on holiday at all at this time is surprising to me.

[PanBiker]

Panbiker, what do you believe to be contributing to your son’s death? Weather conditions? Inattention? Just a freak thing? Tiredness? Being unwell?
I know you have never spoken of it ( at least on here). We all know that a split second can alter our lives on any road.

I did report on the inquest and the findings in Family Matters Maz shortly after the proceedings. Not going to go over it again but the point here is that drink was not thought to be a contributing factor although that was what was inferred and highlighted by the media regardless of what was found by the medics and the result of the coroners court.