Over the counter Covid Tests Get Approval

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Undaunted
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Over the counter Covid Tests Get Approval

Post by Undaunted »

"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
Jun

Re: Over the counter Covid Tests Get Approval

Post by Jun »

I'm not sure how charging people 200~700 baht per test will work in Thailand.
For a start, 700 baht would be double the daily minimum wage, for those who have not lost their jobs due to covid. Hardly an incentive to get tested.

For comparison, in the UK we can go to a government website and order a pack of 7 lateral flow tests which are sent free of charge. Ideal for use before meeting elderly relatives etc.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Over the counter Covid Tests Get Approval

Post by Gaybutton »

What the article doesn't say is whether the test kit is good for only one test or can be used several times. If it can be used several times, it will be interesting to know how long the shelf life is and how to store it. Apparently it is used in conjunction with some sort of app.

In any case, I will not be among the buyers. I'm not going to trust an over the counter test kit. If I have any reason to suspect I have contracted Covid, I'll be seeing a doctor, which is what you're supposed to do anyway. I don't want my dying words to be, "But the test kit showed I was negative".

Don't sell me a test kit. Sell me Pfizer or Moderna. Then I won't need a test kit. I wouldn't even be surprised if getting these vaccines is further delayed until somebody's brother-in-law has made enough money selling test kits.

Go ahead and buy a test kit if you want to and feel secure relying on the accuracy of the results you get, but as far as I'm concerned, include me out . . .
Jun

Re: Over the counter Covid Tests Get Approval

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Wed Jul 14, 2021 6:23 pm What the article doesn't say is whether the test kit is good for only one test or can be used several times.
For it to be reused, I guess they would need some method to remove contamination from the device for repeat tests. Which seems highly unlikely.
So I suspect it's for one time use only, just like all the lateral flow tests in wide use elsewhere.

Here is their page referring to FDA authorization: https://www.ellumehealth.com/2020/12/15 ... stic-test/

"In individuals presenting with COVID-19 symptoms, the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test demonstrated a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 100%, and in asymptomatic individuals, the test demonstrated a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 96%".

A specificity of 96% seems to be worse than some lateral flow tests, which are over 99%.
To put that in perspective, if we tested 1000 people in Thailand, we would expect 1.5 of them to have covid based on data from World Meters.
The specificity of 96% would give 40 false positives on average. Compared with the lateral flow tests in the UK, which have specificity of >99.9%

I don't think this kind of test is intended for hospital use, rather as an additional precaution before meeting someone.
For instance, if you invited a visitor to your house, let's assume he has a 1 in 700 probability of having covid. If the visitor takes a covid test, with a sensitivity is over 90%, if he passes, we're at a 1 in 7000 probability of him having covid, so much lower risk.
Now you might think 1 in 7000 is still too high, but bear in mind that even without covid, a 70 year old male has a 1 in 44 chance of dying in the next 12 months.
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