For whatever reason, many people seem to think that protection is 100% or 0%. Hence the people who think that “vaccines do not work” or “prior infection is no protection” because the protection against another infection is significantly lower than 100% (even if still significantly higher than 0%), or because they know an anecdote who got infected after vaccination or prior infection.
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Yes, your story is a bummer (mostly for you, so sorry, but also for all of us). Because when I hear people say ‘the tests dont’ work well in the beginning because I know people who test negative (perhaps after an exposure or a symptom) and then positive later. Well this was not, IMHO, an indication of the test not working. I read it mostly as well yes, this person was in the process of developing covid, but perhaps the day they tested their viral load was low enough that it neither turned the antigen test positive while also probably making that person not infectious on that day even if they were in the process of developing covid. To me, that wouldn’t mean the test wasn’t working well. But your story makes me sad b/c your friend tested negative in the morning and then later that day (evening?) you were in a car and think your friend was the source of the covid case you later developed, so they were in fact infectious, even if it was perhaps 12 hours after their negative test. That leaves very little cushion time! Ugh.
I’ll second your UGH! Had to be the friend because he and his wife were the only people I was around lately except H who had multiple tests – both PCR & antigen – for medical procedures and is a month out from having it himself. (I have a boring life 
)
My takeaway is that Omicron can be transmissible prior to registering on an antigen test. Not that they aren’t good tools, but assume if someone has covid symptoms they may well have covid.
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Agreed. I tested positive within hours of my very mild symptoms a few weeks ago. So did several of my coworkers who got it. My husband tested daily for 10 days after I did. He was always negative and had no symptoms.
Well yes, and I will add that the moment my mom registered a hint of a cold symptom 2 weeks ago, we had her test and she tested positive right away on antigen test. So certainly a good chunk of people do test positive at first signs of symptoms. So it’s an often useful but imperfect test that can’t be fully counted on but nonetheless often helps…. [and note: despite several risk factors, she fared VERY well with it after taking Paxlovid. Not a big deal illness for her at all, thank goodness]. Also, we had her test at first sign b/c she had a known exposure from her physical therapist who tested positive the day after seeing her.
So basically a prior infection is just as effective as the vaccine. But if we let people know that then they may not get the vaccine. Honesty is what I’d really like to see.
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It is not so simple, since it depends on the variants involved and other factors.
It is also known from various research that prior infection + vaccination > prior infection in terms for immune response to future exposures. So even someone with prior infection will benefit from vaccination in terms of reduction of likelihood of future infection.
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My H and I tested positive after having dinner with relatives who just moved to our area and took a 5-hour plane trip to get to our area. They didn’t mask (posted photos of themselves on FB boarding the plane without masks). These relatives also tested positive. H and I have the same PCP and we both called in and both got a prescription for Paxlovid. It worked well for me–alleviated my symptoms (nasty cough and cold) withn 24 hours. Same for H. Neither one of us rebounded. I was somewhat reluctant to take it because I heard of so many who rebounded after taking it. Fortunately, that didn’t happen to us.
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I’m positive right now and got a prescription for paxlovid.
My husband had it first and I was negative for quite a few days before I tested positive. We weren’t around anyone who told us they had covid. We can only imagine that he got it from the one dinner we had inside with a friend who was here from out of town.
Husband tested negative for so long before he tested positive that he missed the window for paxlovid. He’s on steroids which are helping.
When I did my virtual visit the PA said that he’s only experienced one person who rebounded and he’s prescribed it a lot. So maybe people don’t know or aren’t reporting the rebound.
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H had Paxlovid rebound. Felt much better once he started the Rx, but back to ground zero after the course was finished. His PCP said they don’t prescribe a second a second round, but I did read that Fauci had rebound and did take a second course of Paxlovid. H has a myriad of issues that could result in complications, so it was still the right decision. He’s recovered and is back to normal.
As mentioned a bit upthread, I have covid now. Decided not to go with Paxlovid because other than being old and overweight, I don’t have underlying conditions. I’m just having mild cold symptoms that, four days in, don’t seem much better but are more annoying than concerning.
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My 79 yo aunt took Paxlovid once she tested positive a couple of months ago; she did well on it and no rebound. My 69 yo BIL tested positive last week after traveling. His PCP would not prescribe Paxlovid due to medication he was already taking and his symptoms on day 2, scratchy throat, low grade fever, headache and stuffy nose seemed mild 
. BIL did recover in several days, but I did wonder why his PCP didn’t want him to take Paxlovid.
I have some kidney disease, so checked with my nephrologist as to what my course of treatment would be, IF I were to ever test positive. At this time, I would have an adjusted dose schedule, different that the normal person. One of the 2 pills I will only take half the dose. I just wanted to know in advance her opinion in the event my PCP isn’t up to date on dosing.
Just some personal experience with Paxlovid.
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If you take certain medications, you can’t take Paxlovid because there can be negative interactions. I’m not a medical professional and am only reporting anecdotal data–that being said, my husband was taking an antibiotic for cellulitis following recent total knee replacement surgery when he got Covid. He had to go off the antibiotic when he started taking Paxlovid.
My dad couldn’t take it due to his heart meds. I’m so thankful he seems to have easily recovered from a mild case.
@Bromfield2 You are correct, there is a long list of medications that should not be taken with Paxlovid. My BIL was not on any that I was aware of, but when he told me about a new medication he was on, it was indeed on the list of those with potential issues when taken together. I guess one has to trust their PCP is current on treatment.
I tend to ask pharmacists about interactions, and there is a lot of info online.
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We depend on primary care physicians to be knowledgeable about (or know where and how to look to find the knowledge about) the widest range medical topics, but the incentives (of pay and prestige) encourage the strongest medical school graduates to aim for other specialties.
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Some of the sharpest people I work with are internists. They aren’t motivated only by the money, thankfully. The incentives in medicine are all wrong in this country.
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Not just in medicine, I might add.
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My daughter flew to Boston from San Diego and on the day of her arrival, had a sore throat and fatigue. Next day, by the afternoon, very bad sore throat, worrisome fatigue and bad headache. So far antigen test negative though haven’t done one yet this morning.
I have scheduled a PCR that will take 1-2 days to that gets her potentially to day 4 or 5. I also scheduled a NAAT test that is quicker.
My own doc does a fast PCR that takes hours.
She has type 1 diabetes so would qualify for paxlovid but I want her to get it early. She also has neuro issues that make her vulnerable to certain neuro side effects.
Advice? Should we do the NAAT or PCR at this point in time?
I am not feeling great but test negative. We will both keep doing the antigen test but I want her to get paxlovid as early as possible.
When I had Covid, I felt some symptoms on Monday, did a PCR test in the afternoon. On Tue feeling pretty bad, still waiting for my PCR test, did an antigen test. The antigen test was positive, but my PCR test came back negative. I think if I were to take a PCR test on Tue, it would have been positive.
If you could get fast result back for PCR I would do it, but I think the rapid test is pretty accurate.
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