I, my wife, and my two daughters have been tested multiple times.
This is because we live in a European country that takes widespread testing very seriously. The test regime is organized and communicated by the central government. Every individual is assigned to various cohorts that define their likely level of interaction in the population (student, public-facing service worker, back-office job, retired, etc.), and testing is rotated through the people in the cohorts in order to get as much overlap as possible and identify risk categories and developing trends.
My wife had her eighth test yesterday. I’ve been tested five times, my kids six each. It’s a very simple process with online pre-scheduling and a five-minute drive-through at one of several dedicated test centers nearby. All of this is fully paid for by the state.
The central government is also actively testing the national sewage flow and correlating the results of the nationwide individual testing with antibody detection in the wastewater. This provides a layered view that lets them calibrate both metrics.
And we, like the rest of Europe, are looking at the patchwork chaos across the Atlantic with abject horror.
Higher than we’d like. It’s partly the amplification of our widespread testing (we do more than our neighbors), and party the fact that we’re a smaller crossroads country that suffers an elevated infection level due to the cross-border traffic. Still, what we consider bad is nowhere near the catastrophe in the States. Even so, we’ve just implemented escalated lockdown protocols: restaurants and sporting facilities closed, shops have mandated maximum occupancy based on square meters of floor space, early curfew, and so on. Schools are still open, though.
I only get/got it for free because one of my employers has an in-house testing deal, which I have many reasons to believe might not be accurate.
I wanted to update that my wife got a test because she had symptoms. We have a HDHP with HSA and the insurance was billed $120 and settled for $60 out of pocket. My son could not even get tested at most places because he does not have private insurance. They wouldn’t even accept self-pay, which makes no sense to me. So, even if you have symptoms or have exposure I don’t know that any/everyone has an option for getting free testing. As far as treatment, I have a friend who racked up 5-6 grand in bills for a mild case, which is probably fairly low as far as medical bills go.
I’ve given blood three times since the Red Cross started testing for antibodies. Been negative three times.
Mom has had to have three tests before medical procedures. One time she got the test then the procedure was canceled so had to get it again before the reschedule.
I’d like to have a test right now to be honest. My brother was exposed to a positive person and I was with him maskless. But he didn’t even get a test. They’re not readily available around here.
I was tested for the first time yesterday. It was a nasal swab, PCR. Received the negative results today. I’m have a pulmonologist visit on Monday and the test was required before the visit.
It was done at one of 3 testing sites at a local hospital. I was asked for ID, referral from my MD. I was not charged, nor was I asked for my insurance card. It was not the free NY testing site, as that site was on another floor.
I live alone, no recent visitors. I go out only when absolutely necessary and have just about everything delivered.
I’ve donated blood three times since the Red Cross began antibody testing and have been negative all three times, and I’ve been tested in conjunction with my employment at least a dozen times. I’m a background actor and all productions require a negative test within 72 hours of the shooting time, and some roles require a second, rapid test within 24 hours of shooting, and then sometimes the day of shooting they’ll want a test just because the production likes to have a pool of qualified background actors just in case.
[aside]“Background actor” – I’ve never heard that term. But then I don’t get out much, especially recently. Is that what used to be known as an extra? You’re one of the people we see sitting in the restaurant whispering “watermelon-watermelon” to your table-mate while the main characters are having a pithy discussion in the foreground? Glad you’re still able to get work. [/aside]
My wife and I were tested once back in September. My BIL was living in an assisted living facility and was moving to another place. The test was required before we would be allowed into the facility to move my BIL’s stuff. We both tested negative.
You’re right, it’s a little bit dressed up term for an extra. I’ve got range though, sometimes I’m not the guy sitting in a restaurant, sometimes I’m the guy driving by. I’ve been a hospital patient in “Swamp Thing”, I had a recurring role as a Banished Brawler in “Reprisal”, I was a fisherman in “Outer Banks”, I got to play bingo in “This Country”. I don’t really get to act with big stars, but I get to act near them.
It’s working out all right for me. I have to fill out daily wellness reports and get periodically tested whether I work or not, they pay for the tests and I get a $20 bump in my paycheck for every test, but being one of a stable of certified COVID-19 tested actors is not a bad thing.
It has changed the nature of the business though, there used to be a lot more camaraderie around the set, people talking and laughing between takes, card and chess games. Now it’s masked actors sitting a minimum of six feet apart in outdoor shelters trying not to get the 'Rona.
We did get into some lively discussions about Tom Cruise’s on set outburst. Almost everyone agreed he was a jerk, but right in that instance, you can’t imperil a whole production because you don’t want to follow the rules.
Got an antibody blood test once while working a temporary job in a hospital around the time about a month after the virus first started being reported maybe it was two months.
The test was negative, I’ve never had another test since.
Got my first 'rona test on Friday. They did the nose swab thing (I guess there’s a throat swab one available too?) and man, they got me good. I’m told this wasn’t the brain-tickler ones that were common last spring, but it was still mighty uncomfortable. Results were negative.
I’m returning to work (F2F teaching in a boarding school) this week and all faculty and staff had to get tested.
I’m in Canada, so testing would be free if I wanted it, but I’m retired and have very few essential trips out of the house. So I’m mostly trying to respect the lock-down and don’t see a lot of point in testing for myself. I’m mostly relying on my own body to tell me if I have a problem. I will, however, be out there in a flash once I’m in line for the vaccine.
I’ve had two tests so far (both negative) and will have another next week. First was because I wanted to make sure I was fine to visit a family member in the hospital (insurance covered it). Second was free through work and that’ll be the same next week. We can get tests every two weeks if we want but they are not required. Both have been self-administered and no big deal.
