Guy I share a table with at work (so we eat unmasked and share some supplies) tested positive this week. He was out all week so I haven’t seen him for 8-9 days. I have plenty of tests (from both state and feds) but I don’t feel a need to test at this time.
I think this is relatively new (I just found about it this morning), but CVS is letting you order test kits via their app, for pickup in store. You put your insurance info in during the order process and they have the tests waiting for you at the front of the store. Super easy, I picked up 4 tests today since the ones I ordered via USPS are still not on their way.
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Got the email that our kits are on their way. D21 is at school and many around her have gotten Covid recently, so having some tests for her is great! We are currently right outside of Boston.
I finally got mine yesterday that I ordered a month ago. To my surprise, they were made by Roche. According to an article in WaPo, Roche test kits, along with those made by Siemens, are more accurate than the other brands. I hope I never have to use them to find out, however.
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Happy to share I received an email notification yesterday and my 2 Binax tests (exp 2/23) arrived today.
I’m definitely appreciative of the effort but the packaging and labor must be costing a fortune.
DH just picked up a prescription and the pharmacist asked if he wanted free covid tests since insurance is now picking up the tab. He received 8 boxes (1 test per box). Is this a thing now?
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I just picked up an RX—was not offered any tests but would not have wanted more. We gave 11 already and don’t use them often.
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OF COURSE I just got notified that my tests are finally coming on Friday. Because we’re heading to our beach house for 3 weeks… tomorrow 
.
Perfect.
ETA: nope. They’re not coming Friday. They’re coming TODAY - that’s right, 6 hours after we pulled out of the driveway. 
Our tests are scheduled to arrive Friday as well…glad to have them, hope we don’t need to use them any time soon
I ordered some more tests through the state of Maine, and they came VERY quickly, in just a few days.
My tests finally arrived yesterday 2/22. Ordered on 1/18. Got email saying they would be delivered by 2/25 but arrived earlier than that! So, I guess it’s a case of promise later, deliver earlier 
The rapid tests should not be relied on for diagnostic purposes, but they are more useful for precautionary purposes. In other words, use one immediately before doing something where you may be concerned about asymptomatically spreading virus (e.g. to a medically vulnerable person), since they tend to give positive results when you are contagious (false negatives are usually in the pre-contagious or post-contagious stage). If the event of concern is multi day, use a rapid test every day.
With typical 2-3 day result delays, PCR testing for precautionary purposes would require quarantine for a week before the event to avoid both a pre-detectable infection becoming contagious after the test and getting infected after the test.
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Order 4 more tests next week, per the State of the Union speech.
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There are enough tests in our house for now so I am not planning to order more. We have 11 tests available and that’s plenty for our near term needs. The tests do have expiration dates as well.
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We are traveling this week and will take two boxes with us. If we use them, I will order more when I get back.
I did a home test this week and had a PCR test the next day. At this point, in MA, PCR’s are easy to schedule. Results were back in 2-3 hours.
I do PCR for any possibility of COVID - even with minor symptoms- to protect my very elderly mother and fellow residents in an assisted living facility,
However, even though my testing was precautionary only (turned out I had a weird migraine) and results were negative, there is a flag on my health care system for two weeks and I cannot get labs done that I need.
I may rely more on home tests unless I am fairly sure I have COVID, unless my health care system changes and removes flags with a negative PCR and resolved symptoms.
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Why do they want you to “quarantine” from them for two weeks after a negative test result?
You will have to ask them.
The first group of tests we received from the federal program will expire on July 7 (we ordered the first day the website was operational). I am thinking of ordering again now that they’ve opened up for second orders if we can receive ones with a later expiration date. Curious what the expiration date is for people who recently received their tests. Can you let me know if you received yours recently?
I have D use the soon expiring ones so she can be sure she’s not infected when she has ambiguous symptoms due to her ongoing chronic health issues. So far she’s always negative but glad to have convenient testing available.
The ones I bought at Walgreens expire in 2023, so we have been saving those and using tests by soonest expiration date. D and we have several weddings to attend next month so having tests will be helpful, so we can test after the events. We help provide care for my 93 year old mom.
We also have November wedding.