[POLL] Have you ordered your free Covid tests yet?

[LTU_btc]

In the US the PCR test is ~$100 if you're paying out of pocket and in some places there are backlogs. Antigen test was like $5 even before the "free" thing.

I think PCR test costs about $80 in my country if you do it in private clinic. But offcourse you can get tested for free if you feel symptoms and sign up on hot line.

As I understand, even if you test positive using one of these tests (if you are asymptomatic) there's a 97% chance that it is a false positive. 

I heard that rapid antigen test isn't very accurate, but definitely not 97%. I got tested at work with antigen test and it was positive. Then I went to make PCR test and it was positive too, despite that my case was asymptomatic.
But in general I think that giving these free testest for everyone is waste of money and there is many ways to spent it better.

[o_e_l_e_o]

fearmongering their population into socialized medicine by any means necessary.

Imagine wanting a healthcare system which delivers better outcomes with shorter waiting times and at a lower cost! How ridiculous!

Far better that we keep paying more of our taxes towards healthcare and have to take out private insurance and still pay out of pockets and still be at risk of bankruptcy and still get worse care, as long as we don't get *shudder* socialized medicine!

[Ultegra134]

Antigen tests are prone to false negative tests

Makes sense to distribute these to everyone then, right?

My friend who works for a union in California had everyone at their job site be asked to take a rapid test.  Nearly all of them came out positive.  Some decided to retest (using an antigen test, same as the first as recommended) and tested negative.  My buddy decided to work from home for a week instead along with most others.  Nobody was showing symptoms of any kind.  However, the one person who was triple vaxxed and wears a mask all the time did test positive and went to the hospital for confirmation where he was tested to be positive again.  Again, no symptoms of any kind.  Do with that information what you want...  Two things are certain, these tests are not accurate and our government is wasting a ton of money fearmongering their population into socialized medicine by any means necessary.

Worked perfectly fine for me and my girlfriend. We both conducted these kinds of tests and were accurate enough to show us we were positive, after developing symptoms of fever. I don't know what kind of tests you've been distributed, but they worked just fine in my case.

[OgNasty]

Worked perfectly fine for me and my girlfriend. We both conducted these kinds of tests and were accurate enough to show us we were positive, after developing symptoms of fever. I don't know what kind of tests you've been distributed, but they worked just fine in my case.

Yes, they worked as intended.  You got a positive reading.

[TwitchySeal]

Antigen tests are prone to false negative tests

Makes sense to distribute these to everyone then, right?

They aren't distributing them to everyone.  They're making them available to anyone that needs them.  And really, there's no reason for anyone with health insurance to order one (unless they are just very hard to find in the area) from the government, since your insurance covers up to 8 covid tests per month.

[Ultegra134]

Worked perfectly fine for me and my girlfriend. We both conducted these kinds of tests and were accurate enough to show us we were positive, after developing symptoms of fever. I don't know what kind of tests you've been distributed, but they worked just fine in my case.

Yes, they worked as intended.  You got a positive reading.

Isn't that what they're intended for? I was sick and tested positive after developing mild symptoms, their sole purpose is to detect if you've been infected or not. I'm yet to understand your view towards the Covid-19 pandemic, do you not believe it's a serious matter, or that it does not exist/just another flu?

Definitely, it's not as serious as the first variants used to be, 2 whole years have passed after all, it's logical.