3 ms·
This test will not be able to help by shipping it out to everyone. As someone else in this thread already described, if you give everybody in the US this test,
by chki 7y ago
This test will not be able to help by shipping it out to everyone. As someone else in this thread already described, if you give everybody in the US this test, the probability that if someone tests positive he/she is not actually infected is well over 99%. Also there will be a lot of cases where people are infected but haven't had an antibody reaction yet. Those will not test positive.
- jariel 7y agoThe test will still be immensely helpful. Most people who are infected don't know it, this will tag mamy of them. The 'false positives' can be taken care of by a visit to the hospital. The 'no antibodies yet' can be taken care of by self-isolation - within a few days, they'll have antibodies and can test again.
- chki 7y ago>The 'false positives' can be taken care of by a visit to the hospital. That would overwhelm hospitals immediately. >The 'no antibodies yet' can be taken care of by self-isolation - within a few days, they'll have antibodies and can test again. But if the test is negative you don't know that you should self-isolate. That would mean everybody needs to self-isolate but then we don't need the test.
- jariel 7y agoNo, 'positive testers' to hospitals to a proper test would not 'overwhelm' them if it's set up right. In many places, they're setting up separate, coronavirus clinics. A home test would be a perfect filter for those needing proper testing. When someone gets the 'positive' from the clinic, they can self-isolated. If they're doing 'self-testing' once a month and it shows up negative, they can go about their business as normal. And when someone does test positive, they should have to notify everyone they've been in contact with for the previous 7 days, or whoever possible. Identification/testing/tracking will help a lot.