How about the money used on contact tracing be redirected and applied to widespread use of the $1 saliva paper test? I dont belive in the efficacy of contact tracing. If it takes 4-7 days to get one’s result, how well can people recall (if they choose to participate) who they were with over a week ago.
What if instead of a formal contact tracing operation the result just came back with the advise to let the individual do her own tracing.
They could be used as a quick test in the workplace, particularly in high risk settings where employees work in close quarters or have extended contact with the public. It could definitely help with schools – the teachers could use it for daily self-screening, and if some kid showed up in the school nurse’s office with the sniffles, it would make sense to start with that. (Screening all students daily would be even nicer, but I don’t think that’s workable). Your dentist and your hairdresser could insist on a saliva test before seeing you.
I agree scaling up so that every single person takes the self-test every single day is not at all workable, and overkill — but it would be cool if I had a pack of those strips and could test myself before I go to the gym, or before I go to a social gathering.
It makes much more sense than temperature screening.
@calmom and all, I can generally get in to my internist faster than my derm. I suppose my internist can get me into my derm faster if needed. The rash is continuing to spread. But the sense of itching is very low. (There must be a better way to say that!)
Has anyone tried this risk calculator from the Cleveland Clinic?
Looks like an attempt to estimate the chance of a positive test result for the specific characteristics (including symptoms) that you put in.
I just tried and got:
We’re sorry, but our calculator is not valid and not accurate for someone with your characteristics.
I thought it was interesting seeing what comorbidities were listed. IBD, which I haven’t read about before but not hypertension or diabetes which have been mentioned frequently.
still, might be worth a phone call tomorrow. With COVID raging, many folks are delaying going to the doc so your Derm might have an opening.
Our health network (U of Colorado) is recruiting 1000 volunteers for Moderna vaccine trial. They’re planning to invite candidates from high risk groups and occupations, so we don’t qualify.
Have you considered bed bugs? You have been to a hotel right?
Just as I don’t think all the people who have been in close contact with someone who tests covid-19 positive will do the required 14-day quarantine. And that is if contact tracing is even still effective at that point, because a high number of cases can render any contact tracing to be useless (especially in the case of shortage of and delay in test results at the same time, which is the case also in rapidly exploding areas).
Calmom said: "(Screening all students daily would be even nicer, but I don’t think that’s workable). "
I went to a nursery school where they checked our throats every morning. (It’s the only thing I remember about it, so I probably disliked the experience, but it was doable.)
I like the idea of contact tracing, but there have been too many cases where people refuse to name their contacts. Here in NY there are hefty fines and the people involved in parties have gotten the message. I was interested that now that I am finally allowed into the Building Department I have to sign in with email address and phone number so that they contact me if necessary.
edited to add: Why isn’t the quote function working?
Huh, quoting is working for me. @mathmom flag Sorin if you still have difficulty.
Our close friend’s son went to visit a friend in Massachusetts. After the son returned home, the MA friend tested positive. CDC contacted son. He got tested but results took awhile. My friend is a nurse who works with pregnant women so she had to stay home. She got results back quickly since she’s an essential worker. Negative, thank goodness. Then son’s test also came back negative but the CDC told him he still needed to quarantine.
This is the friend whose disabled brother got COVID and was hospitalized twice.
Contact tracing sounds very labor intensive. We, in this country, are not good at labor intensive. I think if we just close down the bar and enforce no large gatherings, we will manage without taking draconian measures.
Don’t know if this has already been posted, but Oxford vaccine trials show promise:
Our nephew is doing research in Oxford, and is right next door to where the vaccine development is taking place. His mom said there have been protesters outside their office. 
Oh good grief!
Seems to be working now.
@3SailAway said:
@Iglooo answered:
BD is already making 2M a week. What if the federal government gives them the resources to scale up? I mentioned that E25Bio, Sherlock Biosciences, Mammoth Biosciences, and an increasing number of academic research laboratories are also making these tests.
As @ucbalumnus says, we don’t need to test every person in the US every day. Just those who want to enter high-risk indoor spaces. (Offices, classrooms, dorms, nursing homes, gyms, restaurants etc.).