Yankee Candle… a victim of Covid fallout?
I went to a NYC Health and Hospitals site for a PCR on Tuesday. Got my results (negative) in 27 hours. And I preregistered and didn’t have to wait on the blocks-long line–in and out in 15 minutes. Plus they sent me home with a Binax box.
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Lucky you! My D’s bf is stopping here on his way back to grad school bc we’re the only place he can get tested. (stocked up on home tests)
Anyone can preregister for testing. Here’s the link:
https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/covid-19-testing-sites/
Click on “brick and mortar sites” and borough.
Of course most will close early tomorrow and all day Saturday for the holiday, reopening Sunday.
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As a joke, my husband got me a scented candle for Christmas. He wrote “home COVID test” on the box.
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This was a fascinating article. So much respect for the scientists who devote themselves to the study of disease.
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SIL tried to get a Covid test today because their nanny called in sick this morning and he has a runny nose & sore throat. Nanny’s D was positive for Covid last week, but nanny tested on Tuesday (day 5 after D’s positive test) and was negative. Nanny hadn’t been feeling well since early Thursday. Nanny and daughter are both vaxxed, but not boosted.
SIL got a test order and went to Kaiser for a walk in test. Over 200 people in front of him and the line didn’t moved in 30 minutes. He gave up.
I tried to find a Covid test since I’ve been in their house when the nanny was there this week. I have a runny nose, sore throat and headache. Earliest available appointment at Walgreens or CVS was a week from today. Tried 3 nearby county test centers–earliest appointment was Jan 15.
D is reporting that at her hospital, half of the ER nurses on her shift are out sick with Covid. She also just texted that patients are now being treated outdoors in the parking lot because the morgue is full and half of the treatment rooms in the ED are being used to store dead bodies.
I’m so glad I snagged a few home covid tests in mid-December.
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Sorry to hear about all the testing snafus. Really frustrating! I’ve had some success with Walmart and a couple friends managed to snag one at a cvs. Nothing available for shipping.
Definitely a timing issue since they sell out so quickly. One pharmacy near us is keeping them behind the cashier counter.
Keep trying with Walmart (cheapest home tests by far). I managed to order several times - just keep them in your cart once you get a chance and keep hitting submit order until they go through. Took less than a day each time to get them ordered though I kept having to go back and try again - twice mail delivery and once same-day local pick up. The mail delivery came a week earlier than promised the first time; the second is delayed though and not sure when it’ll get here (currently showing next Friday).
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Don’t know if this will be allowed to stay but here goes.
Now, instead of a FB page or Telegram feed posting vaccines are available…it’s posting where one might snag a rapid test…if one is near their internet access point, has the stuff already in the ‘cart’ and an account set up for quick payment…
There.Is.No.Excuse.For.Lack.Of.Rapid tests.
This spells it out in a clear (and infuriating) manner…We can’t get our of our own way and continually insist on tying our own laces together and then are astounded we keep tripping over our own feet. Frankly, doesn’t matter if you wear blue or a red … this is enough stupid to go around all the way…
And to double down on what hasn’t worked (a top down approach) our upcoming is solution is to have rapid tests somehow managed thru yet another high level channel…the same type of channel that has been botching this for almost two years. GRRRRRR
’ Perhaps the biggest of these boondoggles still haunts us today: the continued regulatory blockade of—and executive branch errors regarding—at-home (“rapid”) COVID-19 tests. We discussed the testing situation at length back in September—noting then (1) the dearth of FDA-approved antigen tests (which are cheaper and faster than, and can be just as accurate as, lab-based “PCR” tests); (2) the numerous public health experts and economists begging the Biden administration to deregulate (lawfully) the process; and (3) the ominous-yet-obvious signs of avoidable future shortages. To be clear, I certainly wasn’t alone in making these arguments. Since then, the FDA has approved a few more rapid tests (still far fewer than European regulators, it must be noted), but—with the Omicron variant and holiday travel spiking U.S. demand—the testing situation here hasn’t improved and may have actually deteriorated.’
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If anyone has Anthem BCBS you can go on the website and order free tests for every member that is covered in your plan. You get them in 2 days. Each box has 2 tests.
Walmart seems to add the BinaxNow home tests to their website several times a day. I ordered some this morning (delivery in four days but I don’t need them right away). They sold out within 30 mins but there were more again this afternoon.
For someone who needs them quickly, best bet is to call or visit local pharmacies and ask what time they typically restock and then go at that time. Also try locally owned/small pharmacies. If they do sell them, might be easier to get them there if they have a smaller customer base.
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Same for Walgreens. I ordered 4 boxes a couple of days ago (and already delivered) and a friend was able to order today.
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A friend had a bad cold the first couple of weeks of December, he tested repeatedly, negative every time. He has allergies, so congestion is not infrequent. Late last week, again with the sniffles and a person they were with was also feeling a bit under the weather. That person tested positive early this week, and my friend finally got a test today and was ‘mildly positive’ which can happen when you test a while after the peak viral load.
This is that early vaccinated friend’s 2nd time testing positive in 2022. However, the good news is that the cold was way more miserable than the Covid.
I do…and no…I can’t.
I ordered 4 Binax tests from CVS last week (we are a family of 5). Scheduled for delivery Dec 29 and that day bump to a scheduled delivery of Jan 29. I don’t even understand that.
I’ve been getting home rapid tests from Walmart and Amazon. Not been able to get the BinaxNow since my first order though (I think that is the brand the feds are going to be distributing?)
Is anyone familiar with the tests you do at home and then mail to a lab? Seems better than waiting in the huge lines aty a test site. I think the testing sites could easily be super spreader events!
Unfortunately I just logged in and no longer see the link for the free tests. What a bummer. It definitely wasn’t advertised and I only found out about the service from a family member. I’m sorry it’s currently not available.