More tests equals higher infection stats. Then the nay sayers can tell everyone how great all the other countries are because their stats are soooo much lower than ours. Like I have said before, just give me the stats on hospitalizations caused BY Covid and the death rate stats caused BY Covid. Not "WITH" covid. Like TB, a lot of folks can test positive for covid and not actually have symptoms. Our resident physician posters can correct me (and will) if I am incorrect on that statement.

By the time the tests get to your mailbox, they expect the new variant will have already infected the entire population and be on its way out. Good timing to help anyone other than making everyone scared to death.

Undoubtedly there will be the emergence of more variants. Who is to say how dangerous they might be? It will be good to have the tests on hand..

So, the contention is that the unreliable home tests will magically become much more reliable if a new variant arises? Will it necessarily even test for this unknown variant? What is the expiration date of these home tests? The question comes down to this: Does having a home test on hand "just in case" actually do anything, or does it just make some people "feel better". We simply don't know at this point. But I really am disinclined to support a $20 billion+ price tag to make someone "feel better"

Agree hospitalization are the most representative metric we have. Last time I checked, they were lower than Delta at its peak despite much higher infection rates

I'm not aware that home test results are reported?

COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Yeah, it is free!

Yeah, it is free!

Golfing Eagles, Not exactly true. Just got home from Royal Carribean cruise. They accepted the home test. You actually purchase them through Royal Carribean. $70 for two. They are shipped from a third party and you perform the test via tele visit with the lab. They watch you and verify your results. They then send them via email to you in 30 minutes.
This was accepted and is widely used whether done at home or in a pharmacy.

Thank you---I did hear that some tests could be monitored remotely, I'm not sure that it applies to those tests obtained "free" from the government. Royal Caribbean can pay the monitors from the $70 cost of the test, and have a vested interest in having more people cruise. However, given the recent reports of cruises with fully vaccinated people who tested negative still having outbreaks, the reliability of home testing remains in question.

Also, I believe some destinations require PCR tests.

2nd post of 3 consecutive post about this. Can you please read the board before posting

Golfing eagle would you want to be driving around trying to get tested
if your sick ? This is what we have been told to do by our President.

If I get sick I am calling my doctor not using a test that may or may not be right.

If I'm sick, I'm not driving around AT ALL, and certainly not to get "a test". I would be isolating for 5 days, wearing a mask for the next 5 days, and seek medical attention if getting worse. And I would think long a hard about getting an "early" monoclonal antibody infusion until more data is in.

??? Your graphs show that as of a month ago hospitalization had already exceeded delta. What am I missong?

When/if the numbers finally go down they will say “see we gave you all those free tests and now it is getting better, now we need to raise your taxes”