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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 07:11 AM
  #741
I traveled to India from the US to spend the holidays with family and for my cousin's wedding. We had a big party on Christmas day. After that, half of us came down with Covid. Luckily, my sore throat lasted only 4 days. But it has been a week since I first tested positive, and the test I took today was still positive. Because of this, I can't get back to the US. They do say if I get a letter from a doctor saying I'm recovered and no longer contagious, I can get back into the US. I'm going to try this, because I have no idea how long the PCR test will show a positive. I think it could be up to a month.
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 08:33 AM
  #742
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Originally Posted by downandlonely View Post
I traveled to India from the US to spend the holidays with family and for my cousin's wedding. We had a big party on Christmas day. After that, half of us came down with Covid. Luckily, my sore throat lasted only 4 days. But it has been a week since I first tested positive, and the test I took today was still positive. Because of this, I can't get back to the US. They do say if I get a letter from a doctor saying I'm recovered and no longer contagious, I can get back into the US. I'm going to try this, because I have no idea how long the PCR test will show a positive. I think it could be up to a month.
That sounds like a horrible situation to be in, yes you’re quite correct a PCR can pick up dead virus particles and therefore you aren’t to take one for 3 months after your original covid infection (this is in the UK not sure about India or US guidelines).

My own experience with lateral flow tests I tested positive until day 10 and I’ve been negative since. That said it can happen people can test positive by lateral flow for some time later in some cases, again it’s dead virus particles which haven’t been cleared out of your system I believe.

A letter from a doctor verifying recovery sounds like a good plan if they’ll accept that. Hoping all goes well and glad you haven’t been too poorly!
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 08:38 AM
  #743
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Originally Posted by BreakForTheLight View Post
My corona app popped up with a warning this morning. "You have an increased risk of infection because you were exposed over a longer period of time and at close proximity to at least one person diagnosed with corona virus".

I'm glad it's now also showing the date of the exposure because that tells me it 100% happened with a wall in between January 2nd I don't think I even left the house at all. It's possible one of my neighbours has tested positive. Although I would think in that case it would've been on more than 1 day. Hmm. Maybe someone visiting a neighbour.

Anyway, I took a self test just in case and it showed negative so all good I would hate to send half the office in quarantine in my first week if I had tested positive!

The warning won't disappear until 14 days have passed though, even after a negative test but at least I'm not required to quarantine.

The numbers in the city are rising like crazy again
That’s so strange the app picked up through a wall!! Glad you’re in the clear and don’t have to quarantine.

What are your numbers like? In my town it’s now almost 2,500 per 100,000 which is super high. Every day I’m hearing of someone new testing positive even 3x vaccinated.

I have no idea if herd immunity is even a possibility any more however. I’d like to think so but I’m not convinced.
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 11:01 AM
  #744
Down and Lonely - Your experience is why, even though I would love to take an international trip, I am taking a wait and see attitude right now. I am not overly concerned about getting the virus by this point. I've been vaccinated and I am relatively low risk as far as getting a severe case. However, there just seem to be so many things that could go wrong.

I have heard of tourists that test positive here being sent to government hotels until they test negative. If I traveled, to return to the country, I would have to get a negative PCR before leaving. Then, they test people again on arrival. If that is positive, I would have to isolate for 14 days. At least I would be allowed to do it at home, but 2 weeks without ever leaving the house is a lot. Also, my country has already closed the borders twice. Citizens and legal residents were allowed in, but coming back was chaotic for them. Airlines slashed the number of flights, so people had a hard time getting a ticket. I wouldn't want to experience that.

Ugh, things are trending up here. A lot of tourists from the US have brought in Omicron. Supposedly, they are being isolated, but with Omicron now reaching community transmission. I guess some people are leaving isolation, or they gave it to transportation/hotel workers while going to their isolation location and those workers passed it on to other people. The ICU and death numbers are much lower than the last time we had close to 4,000 cases a day, which is positive.

The government just opened the most important land crossing with Argentina. I don't think that is the greatest idea considering they are having over 100,000 cases a day there, with about twice our population.

They are already talking about a fourth dose here starting with the immunocompromised.


My birthday is coming up. I spent it last year locked down. I had hope of being able to go out for a meal this year, but my husband is kind of nervous about the higher case numbers. Maybe we will get take-out Peruvian food.



I hope you are able to get back home soon!

Last edited by rechu; Jan 07, 2022 at 11:02 AM.. Reason: added information
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 11:11 AM
  #745
@rechu really sorry to read you’ve got omicron in Chile now, yes it’s less fatal especially with good levels of vaccination but can still cause chaos by sheer numbers of infection. Here we have businesses who’ve had to shut down temporarily because too many staff are absent and unwell.

Also sorry to read you’re not able to celebrate your birthday in the way you would have liked. I hope your Peruvian takeout is good and you’ll have a nice time all the same. I hope next year you’ll be able to celebrate properly in the way you wish. It’s my 50th in April so I’m hoping things will be better as my last 2 birthdays were lockdown ones.
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 11:17 AM
  #746
Yes, unfortunately the US government won't accept a lateral flow test to get into the country, only PCR. But they do say you can get a doctor's note as an alternative, so I hope that works.
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 11:34 AM
  #747
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That’s so strange the app picked up through a wall!! Glad you’re in the clear and don’t have to quarantine.

What are your numbers like? In my town it’s now almost 2,500 per 100,000 which is super high. Every day I’m hearing of someone new testing positive even 3x vaccinated.

I have no idea if herd immunity is even a possibility any more however. I’d like to think so but I’m not convinced.
Actually it makes sense because the app works through bluetooth. It only measures distance and time in close proximation, it can't pinpoint an exact location or if there's any obstacles in between. I guess that's one of the reasons why they can't require quarantine if you get a warning message, they can only recommend. I know for a fact I haven't been in contact with anyone on that day so I'm just ignoring it now. It's only to help with contact tracing, not replace it. You could just switch off bluetooth as soon as you're home, but I use bt headphones so mine is usually on

Our local incidence is 511 per 100.000 so not quite as bad as the UK yet. But it's going up quickly. I wonder if maybe with omnikron, there will be no avoiding it anymore unless you live like a hermit. In South Africa the omnicron wave is apparently over already and I heard the UK has probably reached its peak as well. Maybe it's not so bad to get this wave over with quickly, especially if it's not as deadly as previous variants.
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 01:32 PM
  #748
Yes they said we’d reached the peak a while back then it went up again but I keep thinking this has to go down eventually.

Every day I hear of at least a few more friends it acquaintances coming down with it in a way that never happened before. I’m just hoping this is the last hurrah.
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Default Jan 07, 2022 at 01:59 PM
  #749
@Discombobulated - I hope you are able to celebrate your birthday in style this year. My 50th was last year. I had saved money to to go Europe. Obviously that did not happen. I still have the money sitting in a mutual fund, at least.

I was lucky that my birthday in 2020 was during a lull between the protests and riots here and the arrival of Covid. My husband and I went to a place in town for drinks and sushi.
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Question Jan 07, 2022 at 11:45 PM
  #750
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Yes, unfortunately the US government won't accept a lateral flow test to get into the country, only PCR. But they do say you can get a doctor's note as an alternative, so I hope that works.
@downandlonely - you should read this article by the NYTimes regarding the tests in Italy and India - and testing positive: Covid Live Updates: Omicron News, Vaccines and More - The New York Times

Quote:
...The high number of positive tests, all carried out by the same testing agency, SpiceHealth, created doubts about their accuracy, Dr. Singh said.

“From tomorrow onwards, we are changing the testing agency,” he added.

Reports of the positive tests created a stir in both India and Italy, especially considering the strict rules for traveling between the countries. Regular flights between them are suspended until the end of January. Both flights that arrived in Amritsar were chartered flights, believed to be carrying Indian nationals who work in Italy and their families.

The Indian health authorities have designated Italy as a high-risk country for Covid-19. To board a flight leaving Italy for India, passengers need to show proof of a negative P.C.R. test taken within 72 hours of departure, regardless of vaccination status. Upon arrival in India, all travelers are required to isolate for seven days.

All of the passengers from Italy who tested positive this week were placed in government quarantine facilities, Dr. Singh said. It was not immediately clear how soon they would be retested.
I wonder if the tests could be creating false positives?
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 12:05 AM
  #751
I wouldn't be surprised if they are creating false positives, considering the number of people who have tested positive. Also, my cousin got his test soon after contracting the virus and tested negative. When he got back to the US, he started experiencing symptoms, so he did have the virus, but it was too early for the test to detect it. Meanwhile, I really feel that I am recovered and not contagious, but I can't go back to the US.
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Unhappy Jan 08, 2022 at 04:02 AM
  #752
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I wouldn't be surprised if they are creating false positives, considering the number of people who have tested positive. Also, my cousin got his test soon after contracting the virus and tested negative. When he got back to the US, he started experiencing symptoms, so he did have the virus, but it was too early for the test to detect it. Meanwhile, I really feel that I am recovered and not contagious, but I can't go back to the US.


I'm so sorry @downandlonely - I hope you can at least enjoy the extra time you have with family while there. I can't imagine what it feels like to be blocked from coming back to the US! This reminds me of the old 2020 times when the pandemic first began.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 03:18 AM
  #753
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Our local incidence is 511 per 100.000 so not quite as bad as the UK yet. But it's going up quickly. I wonder if maybe with omnikron, there will be no avoiding it anymore unless you live like a hermit. In South Africa the omnicron wave is apparently over already and I heard the UK has probably reached its peak as well. Maybe it's not so bad to get this wave over with quickly, especially if it's not as deadly as previous variants.
Just a few days later and we are up to 685 per 100.000

I'm getting to a point where I kind of just want to get getting infected over with. Not so much that I would go to a corona party or stop wearing a mask I'm still concerned about long covid. And I don't want to be the one to bring covid into the office.

Or maybe I've even already had an asymptomatic case, but I guess that would be unlikely with how little I've been around people the last 2 years.

I wish I knew how I was doing anti body wise. Do I really need a booster?

There might be more restrictions coming up in Germany where places that are currently open to vaccinated & recovered people will also require a negative test (on top of the vaccination certificate) - except for people who have received a booster. It's so much - getting a shot every 3 months? And I've been lucky wih very little side effects. Stil I'd be worried about how my body.would react to a next shot.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 03:43 AM
  #754
I imagine we might need a shot every 6 months for a while.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 05:45 AM
  #755
How are you all dealing with coronavirus and the restrictions... #2
My grandson has covid. His unvaccinated asshole father is the reason why.

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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 06:02 AM
  #756
I will be thinking of your grandson. I hope he will be ok.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 09:02 AM
  #757
Sorry to read about your grandson and hope he will get well soon. Our friend’s family got it and the 2 year old was most poorly of them all but he’s back to health now.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 09:14 AM
  #758
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Just a few days later and we are up to 685 per 100.000

I'm getting to a point where I kind of just want to get getting infected over with. Not so much that I would go to a corona party or stop wearing a mask I'm still concerned about long covid. And I don't want to be the one to bring covid into the office.

Or maybe I've even already had an asymptomatic case, but I guess that would be unlikely with how little I've been around people the last 2 years.

I wish I knew how I was doing anti body wise. Do I really need a booster?

There might be more restrictions coming up in Germany where places that are currently open to vaccinated & recovered people will also require a negative test (on top of the vaccination certificate) - except for people who have received a booster. It's so much - getting a shot every 3 months? And I've been lucky wih very little side effects. Stil I'd be worried about how my body.would react to a next shot.
Because I got covid as a breakthrough infection and was vaccinated I was offered blood antibody tests, the 1st one was 3 weeks ago when I was still infected and that was before I had a chance to develop antibodies from that infection. All I was told was I did have antibodies which were likely from previous vaccination or infection (as I did lateral flow tests regularly all last year it will have been my vaccine.

So if you wanted you could buy a blood antibody test kit and it would tell you if you have antibodies- I don’t think any of them specify the level though.

Of course there is also T-cell response and other different reactions- the tests don’t measure those I think.

I’m getting my 2nd test kit sent out in next few days, so hopefully there should be antibodies from natural infection too now but I’m fully expecting to just be told I have antibodies which won’t give me much useful detail. Still, hopefully the results will be useful to the study.

Anyhow I’m getting my booster on Wednesday anyhow, I’ve heard quite a few tales of unwell ness with number 3 but my son and husband were fine with theirs - curiously neither of them caught covid off me either. Another mystery.
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Default Jan 09, 2022 at 12:46 PM
  #759
Actually the people I know had unwell ness with shot number 2 but everyone was fine with the number 3 booster. Me, I just a a very slightly sore arm, with the booster, that was it.

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Attention Jan 09, 2022 at 03:31 PM
  #760
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Yes I can see buying an antibody test yourself wouldn’t give the full picture, as I wrote there are T cells etc involved in immune response. The study I am taking part in is a genuine NHS one however, it’s to analyse antibodies in blood samples of people who got covid despite being vaccinated. I had antibodies but I got covid anyway - they didn’t explain anymore about why this might be but I’m willing to give my blood again because it will add to knowledge.

Antibody testing to check if you'''ve had coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS
The website you shared said the tests aren't for the general public, and they are for a specific group of people who hold certain jobs.

Quote:
Getting an antibody test
The test is not available to everyone yet.

You can get a free antibody test if you:

did a PCR test for COVID-19 and had a positive result
work in primary care, social care or education
are taking part in research
It also reiterates that it doesn't detect immunity or spreading:

Quote:
An antibody test does not tell you:

if you're immune to COVID-19
if you can or cannot spread the virus to other people
I was referring to your initial suggestion written and posted to another member:

Quote:
So if you wanted you could buy a blood antibody test kit and it would tell you if you have antibodies- I don’t think any of them specify the level though.
You didn't specific what you meant here, which could easily influence others on the board to see that as a viable suggestion (to purchase an a test) and thereby cause some misinformation (unintentional) or even disinformation (intentional) to occur thereafter. If you had instead suggested that there was a research study your friend could join (which I'm not sure is allowed on the forums), that would be different.

But even then, here's what the "Community Guidelines" state about research:

Quote:
Inappropriate Content

This is, first and foremost, a self-help support community. That means if your message (post or PM) isn't about offering support to another person or asking for it, it's potentially not appropriate for our community. Specifically prohibited from our community:

Advertisements of any sort
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Last edited by SprinkL3; Jan 09, 2022 at 03:44 PM..
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