Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

Indeed. It’s well known that China do the same, so it’s worth taking any story like that with a pinch of salt.

Just did our first capillary blood test as part of the ONS study.

Easier getting blood out of a stone than me it seems. I needed both lances and a further one from my wife's pack that she didn't use and it still took an age. I guess that my mild Raynaud's isn't helping. Hopefully I didn't squeeze too much for the sample to be spoiled by blood plasma.

Will see how much detail there is on the antibody result, especially as I had my first jab ~4 weeks ago so if it's a simple yes/no then it's not going to tell me much at all that I don't already know.

I did the blood sample last month (conversely I couldn't stop bleeding and the living room table looked like a murder scene afterwards) and got the letter back last week – like the swab results, it just tells you if you tested positive or negative for antibodies or if the test was inconclusive.

Mine was positive which was interesting as I reckon I had it last March (lost taste and smell for a week) so either the antibodies have lasted for over a year or I've had it again since then without knowing.

Mate has had a few haemorrhages behind his eye, which have resulted in vision loss and headaches. The docs think it's all very unusual and have been sending him for a barrage of tests and brain scans over the past month or so. He's started getting injections in his eye (as pleasant as it sounds) which may mitigate things or may not. They also don't know if his sight will deteriorate and, ultimately, be lost. Waiting on brain MRI to see if there's anything wrong in there.

They think it's long-COVID related, but aren't sure. He was hit quite hard around Xmas time by the virus. Everything's way up in the air with what the long-term effects are likely to be, and how to treat them. All quite worrying, particularly for him as he lives alone.

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Hope your mate gets a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

There's growing evidence that SARS-COV-2 is not really a "respiratory virus" as originally thought but a vascular virus/disease.

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Edit - post moved

Is this the finger prick blood tests?

I struggle with them (SUPERCLOTTER YAY!). Best thing I found was waking up, drinking a large glass of water (if allowed), having a hot shower and then keeping warm and moving until the finger pricks (dance, throw in some squats, pretend you're typing, etc).

Well, there is this thread ...

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/344879/

... which thankfully has had almost no posts, although I don't know whether that is because people are keeping it all in or just haven't found the thread.

Sorry to hear about your loss. I worry about the same things--late in the pandemic, we know more, etc., and it could still happen.

Best thing I found was waking up, drinking a large glass of water (if allowed), having a hot shower and then keeping warm and moving until the finger pricks (dance, throw in some squats, pretend you're typing, etc).

Water is allowed, and they advise washing hands in warm water for 30 seconds to promote blood flow.

The problem with any of the rest of that plan (having a shower/etc) is that there's someone waiting on the doorstep for the blood sample. The swab for the PCR test takes less than a minute, but it was somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes to do the finger prick and get the amount they require (0.25ml to 0.5ml) which is a good 5 big drops of blood from a small lancet hole, and you're not allowed to squeeze the finger.

I think I'll have a bowl of really warm water to dip my hand in (but not the spiked finger) next time.

Thanks for pointing that out, will move the post there.

Ah, I filled mine and posted them (this was for health/performance testing not Covid).

I would run fingers under warm tap too in the kitchen before stabbing commenced. You're not supposed to squeeze the finger or you damage the blood but you can kind of massage the length of your finger to encourage flow (gross but you should see my in action).

I had to dip my hands up to the elbow into the washing up tub for a few minutes, the lance just didn't generate a lot of blood. And just a bit of warm water didn't do it either.

Best to stick the lance in the side of the finger not smack in the middle or have you been given explicit instructions.

We were given instructions to use the side of the (index) finger and use the lance at a slight angle for best results.

As I said, my mild Raynaud's is enough to slow it down for me. Mrs GB had much less of a problem.

Ah, seems like you were told to do it properly, there's always the ear lobe :)

If I ever scratch or cut my nose it pours blood. Not sure how easy it'd be to get it in a vial though :D

Remind me not to come to you for drawing blood samples...

You only need to tickle his nose to get him to sneeze.

Anyone know where to book Day 2 and Day 8 tests that will send all tests in one package, ie for 2 people traveling?

We tried one site and the fuckstains want to charge £8 postage x 2 on top of the bullshit test prices.

I assume you’ve called all 300+ on the official list https://www.find-travel-test-provider.service.gov.uk/test-type/amber

Urgh. Moderna vaccine administered Thurs afternoon. Yesterday arm a bit sore and had a lovely day with my kids as I had the day off. Today headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, arm aches worse, muscle aches and needing the loo a lot.

Edit, all expected side effects so not worried. Had just hoped to have a nice BH weekend.

Positive lateral flow for me after waking up feeling horrendous, at the start of my last week off before starting a new job lol. Taken two nurse family members out of work too.

Since restrictions are de facto gone now, can't help but think how much spreading an asymptomatic me could have done. 3rd wave let's go?

^ Oh man, sorry to hear. Hope you're better sharpish with no long term effects.

Neighbour here is a dr with a dr lodger at his place. Both prev had covid iirc, both confirmed double jabbed, lodger tested positive this week so both isolating now.

Sounds like wave 3 could well be on the way.