Antibody tests

[AtW]

Exclusive: 'Game-changer' coronavirus tests could be delayed until June, causing prolonged UK lockdown

[eek]

Exclusive: 'Game-changer' coronavirus tests could be delayed until June, causing prolonged UK lockdown

I don't think delayed is the right term, available would be better.

[malvolio]

If you understood the difference between antigen testing and antibody testing it might help the discussion.

Antigens are fairly easy to create and tell you if you have or have had the virus, but not if you are infectious.

Antibody tests are more difficult to create, and tell you if you are no longer infectious.

Knowing the distribution of the virus is useful, obviously, but knowing who isn't going to catch or spread Covid-19 is rather more relevant to the lockdown policy. And for that you need a 100% reliable antibody test. And just to further complicate matters, you can only really do antibody tests safely in a Cat3 containment laboratory.

[AtW]

If you understood the difference between antigen testing and antibody testing it might help the discussion.

I know the difference.

It appears HM Govt does not the difference between test being available or not available - we had lies few weeks ago that it will be sold on Amazon for like £1.

Cheap mass antibody test would be very useful now because only bad cases are tested right now, which makes mortality rate very grim.

[BrilloPad]

I know the difference.

It appears HM Govt does not the difference between test being available or not available - we had lies few weeks ago that it will be sold on Amazon for like £1.

Cheap mass antibody test would be very useful now because only bad cases are tested right now, which makes mortality rate very grim.

That is how my teens talk. Iz AtW getting down with the kidz? Talk to the hand....

[malvolio]

I know the difference.

It appears HM Govt does not the difference between test being available or not available - we had lies few weeks ago that it will be sold on Amazon for like £1.

Cheap mass antibody test would be very useful now because only bad cases are tested right now, which makes mortality rate very grim.

At about 2.5% in th eUK - so not that grim and not much higher than seasonal flu, if you're looking at mostly weakened patients anyway.

And antibody test are species/variant specific, unlike antigen tests which are rather more generalised. Getting a reliable and 100% accurate antibody test is a year's work at minimum. Even if you bypass animal-based testing, which seems likely to happen. Not to mention the slight problem of manufacturing and distribution a few billion of them worldwide.

As for "lying", what do you call the spreading of inaccurate, speculative or ill-informed opinion? For one thing I don't recall our government saying tests will be on Amazon for £1 each next week, only that tests will be available. Which they are, just not for Covid-19.

[AtW]

As for "lying", what do you call the spreading of inaccurate, speculative or ill-informed opinion? For one thing I don't recall our government saying tests will be on Amazon for £1 each next week, only that tests will be available. Which they are, just not for Covid-19.

"Millions of 15-minute home coronavirus tests are set to be available on the high street or for Amazon delivery to people self-isolating, according to Public Health England (PHE), in a move that could restore many people’s lives to a semblance of pre-lockdown normality.

Prof Sharon Peacock, the director of the national infection service at PHE, told MPs on the science and technology committee that mass testing in the UK would be possible within days, saying evaluation of the fingerprick tests should be completed this week. The government later took a more cautious line, saying that the tests would not be available so quickly."

UK coronavirus home testing to be made available to millions | World news | The Guardian

Seen the price being mentioned in region of <£10 (only remember it because was surprised to be so cheap as obviously loophole to buy them and export for 50 times the price).

I don't understand why you defending Govt - they are professional liars in good times, frauds who should have been doing multiple terms in jail rather than public office, right now they are doing the same thing as before - it's just there is less time to forget what they said and they have to make specific promises that people don't easily forget over a week or two, why defend those scumbags?

The reason we are in deep tulip is because these fraud saved a few pennies by not preparing for what smart people were warning for a long time, every fooking year Nhs could not handle normal flu for Gods sake.

[AtW]

“ The huge stock of 17.5m antibody home testing kits ordered by the government after Boris Johnson said they could be a “game changer” could in fact be unreliable, scientists have said, saying that they may fail to detect up to half of coronavirus cases.

After the prospect of the pregnancy test-style kits was first raised, it was suggested the tests would be made available “within days” on Amazon and via Boots, to allow people who have had the virus to return to the workplace confident in the knowledge that they are safe.”

Coronavirus 'game changer' testing kits could be unreliable, UK scientists say | World news | The Guardian

[AtW]

Matt Hancock asks industry to help find viable coronavirus test | Politics | The Guardian

Erm, why didn’t he ask for that a month ago?

[AtW]

“ Hancock will issue the plea on a conference call on Wednesday, echoing his call for help on ventilators, after the government conceded that none of the antibody tests it has are good enough for mass usage.”

He pleas...

What a pathetic state of affairs