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FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

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Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#121

Post by anonuser123456 »

burtonator wrote: post #113
absherwin wrote: post #45

This is an antibody test which will only be positive days after the onset of symptoms. This is principally useful for several purposes: 1. Figuring out who to isolate in hospitals if the RNA test isn't available in sufficient quantity 2. Understanding who has already recovered from COVID-19 and is thus immune with all that implies in terms of inability to spread the disease and reduced need for PPE 3. Enabling us to…

I'm interested in the frontline response here as if you already have immunity that person can serve in "risky" positions like working at airports, etc.

Serious question: can an employer discriminate based on immunity status?

My personal opinion is absolutely. But I'm 99% certain a vocal minority will spoil it for us.

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#122

Post by imperio59 »

scrollaway wrote: post #88
WoodenChair wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any reviews? Any third party verification? How do I know that this is legitimate? These are sincere questions, I'm not just being difficult.

Isn't FDA clearance the very definition of "third party verification"?

Looks like they got a CE seal on Feb 20, per their website. That's something at least.

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#123

Post by joe_the_user »

absherwin wrote: post #45

This is an antibody test which will only be positive days after the onset of symptoms. This is principally useful for several purposes: 1. Figuring out who to isolate in hospitals if the RNA test isn't available in sufficient quantity 2. Understanding who has already recovered from COVID-19 and is thus immune with all that implies in terms of inability to spread the disease and reduced need for PPE 3. Enabling us to…

This is an antibody test which will only be positive days after the onset of symptoms.

This isn't really what your Twitter link says. That links says: "Both IgM & IgG (those are two different kinds of antibodies, with IgA being a third) were low or undetectable at day 0, but increased by day 5 in nearly all patients (N=16)"

-- Reports strongly indicate there are many infected people who are asymptomatic after five days.

Which is to say, this test could be extremely useful if applied widely and systematically to many people; food service workers, health care workers and so-forth.

Currently the virus test has a week turn around time. So both tests effectively find people with a week's exposure.

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#125

Post by dan_quixote »

orblivion wrote: post #108
dan_quixote wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife is a health care provider in Seattle (meaning that our family has much higher than average exposure risk) and the last few months have been brutal. We've all been sick one way or another since January and have had all the common Covid symptoms. So I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a test showed I've already had it.

If that's true, it seems to me that it would imply that this whole thing is a mass hysteria, at least as applied to the U.S. population, since Seattle would have looked like Italy a month ago.

The total number of confirmed deaths (~250 in the US) is still incredibly low compared to the normal number of deaths attributed to respiratory problems over the same time range. Anecdotally, I keep hearing from other healthcare professionals about the high number of respiratory-related deaths in hospitals lately - most of which never get tested for Covid. I'd really like to know if there has been a bump in respiratory deaths since January that exceeds the number of Covid cases.

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#126

Post by socksy »

jupp0r wrote: post #82
mikeha wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And also this. >Positive results may be due to past or present infection with non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strains, such as coronavirus HKU1, NL63, OC43, or 229E.

I feel like false positives are less damaging than false negatives at this point. Unnecessarily putting people into self quarantine is not the worst, as opposed to giving false security to potentially infectious people.

Not so great if people are using to test to see if they're "immune"

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#127

Post by [deleted] »

ethbro wrote: post #111
jimmcslim wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don’t know if this is something that anyone official is talking about yet, but it seems like it should be. I agree. I think this will greatly help with people's mental state, etc, plus they can help family and friends who are under quarantine. The question of how long immunity lasts, is it effective, etc is still a bit open. Also, how in a Western democracy do we distinguish (from the point of view of law enforce…

Perhaps requiring people to sew a red-colored letter to their clothing?

[deleted]

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#128

Post by amvalo »

joezydeco wrote: post #2

They also cleared the Pinnacle BioLabs assay. You can order a 2-pack or a 25-pack. https://www.pblabs.com/products/pinnacle-biolabs-covid-19-no... Mine arrived in the mail this morning.

Seems to be a scam. If you look up their FDA registration number nothing shows up.

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#129

Post by HenryBemis »

dmurray wrote: post #92
eps wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hold on. Has it been confirmed that recovered people do in fact develop immunity?

It's ok to take that on faith. If you recover from the virus, it's because your immune system knows how to kill the virus. We don't know of any immune system interactions that don't work that way. There's a chance that immunity is short-lived, or that there are multiple strains of the virus which do not produce equivalent antibodies, but 100% of scientists will believe you develop immunity of some sort.

I was hearing some doctors saying on the radio that any flu immunity is short lived, this is why we need to have the anti-flu vaccinations every year, that cover the typical/usual strains. If immunization lasted forever there wouldn't be a need for annual vaccination.

Re: FDA just cleared a $20 Covid-19 antibody test

#130

Post by copecopecope »

jupp0r wrote: post #82
mikeha wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And also this. >Positive results may be due to past or present infection with non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strains, such as coronavirus HKU1, NL63, OC43, or 229E.

I feel like false positives are less damaging than false negatives at this point. Unnecessarily putting people into self quarantine is not the worst, as opposed to giving false security to potentially infectious people.

But this is an antibody test, for people who have already recovered from the virus. False positives in this case are precisely what would give people a false sense of security.
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