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COVID Times: I Miss My Family & Friends

I miss my friends and family and bet you miss yours.

It’s been about eight months since I’ve seen my nieces and nephews and ten months since I’ve seen my mother. I’m reluctant to see the former because despite their denials, they, like many of there peers, have been quite social. The evidence is all over social media – should I believe my ears or my lying eyes?  And of course, I’m squeamish about seeing my mom because she’s 82, and although I don’t leave the house much and wear a mask when I do, I couldn’t bear to cause her harm. I’ve avoided matricide for this long, why blow it now?

All joking aside ( I love you Mom!!) , and this is important, if you feel similarly about your friends and family, please do everyone you care about an invaluable favor and read and Tweet this article: https://time.com/5873444/radically-rethink-covid-19-testing-approach/

Here’s the skinny:

– Fast COVID tests that can quickly transform our lives, already exist

– The tests cost as little as a dollar and it takes as little as a minute to get your results

– These salivary antigen tests will tell you if you are infective – that is, contagious to others

– the FDA hasn’t  approved them yet 

Imagine going to work/school/restaurant or a plane-trip and knowing everyone there is safe to be around? What would that mean to your life? Please read and Tweet and get ready to hug those you love!

To Test or Not to Test…

 

New COVID Test Underwhelming?

I don’t know if you heard them, but there are in fact, rumors that life will go on after COVID. I admit that some days it’s hard to imagine what it will be like to return to the old normal…

But until Covid’s in the rearview, our nation’s hope rests upon effective treatments and a vaccine. Until then, our nation’s best bet may be on better testing.

This week CNN announced that a new FDA-approved test for COVID could be a game-changer. My personal opinion is that the new test is a step in the right direction but it falls far short of being able to transform our lives.

Here’s some info about this new antigen test and a few reasons why we shouldn’t get too excited:

• it takes only 15 minutes, but it’s not accurate as the longer PCR test
• you have to go to the pharmacist or the doctor to obtain it
• according to Abbott, it’s 97% accurate, but only if you have had symptoms for 1 to 7 days
• the wholesale cost of the test is around $5, and you may still have to pay the pharmacist or doctor to run the test

FDA, Are You Listening?

Are you ready for some actual great news? I know you are…

There is already COVID-testing technology that has the following characteristics:

• you can take it at home – no doctor or pharmacist is needed – no reason to rock your mask
• it will tell you whether or not you are infected… and infective, that is whether or not you can transmit the disease to others
• it’s accurate, whether or not you have symptoms
• it will cost about $1.50 for each test
• it takes about 15 minutes

Unfortunately, the FDA has not yet approved it. I’ll tell you why in an upcoming email, but if you just have to know now, go to YouTube and search for ” Coronavirus Pandemic Update 98″ and join the fun at 3:07.