Do I need to get the test (Was I exposed)? YANMD
October 10, 2020 10:56 AM Subscribe
Part 1. Thursday I took a nice drive to a small town to walk in the town square, take photos and just relax. Just as I got out of my car, and before I even put my mask on, a man stumbled out of the bar (directly in front of where I parked) hacking his brains out and not covering. I mean he couldn't have timed it more perfectly if we were making a movie. He was 8-10 feet from me.
I turned my head right away.
2. Friday I drove to my new job (one of my jobs) in a small town where I picked up documents from the assessor. I was in a small back room maybe 10' x 15' but I'm not positive of the size. I was masked up but the ladies that came in, not for more than 2 or 3 minutes total (just to show me where something was), weren't.
So now I'm feeling a little (mentally) sick. The microCOVID tool I've seen on here put me at 6 out of a million I think. The test sounds awful (anyone here had it?) I just turned 60 but am in general good health.
YANMD.
Looks like I will be applying my mask BEFORE I get out anywhere, and do I really have to stay home the rest of my life?
I turned my head right away.
2. Friday I drove to my new job (one of my jobs) in a small town where I picked up documents from the assessor. I was in a small back room maybe 10' x 15' but I'm not positive of the size. I was masked up but the ladies that came in, not for more than 2 or 3 minutes total (just to show me where something was), weren't.
So now I'm feeling a little (mentally) sick. The microCOVID tool I've seen on here put me at 6 out of a million I think. The test sounds awful (anyone here had it?) I just turned 60 but am in general good health.
YANMD.
Looks like I will be applying my mask BEFORE I get out anywhere, and do I really have to stay home the rest of my life?
60 seconds? It’s 10 max, and while it doesn’t feel good it’s tolerable and I can guarantee you you’ve felt worse in your 60 years of life.
I’ve had the test 4 times since the pandemic began, all negative. You’re probably fine, but if you can easily access a test and would feel better knowing your results for sure, have it done. Taking steps to find out if you’re positive benefits all of us, since so many people are out living their best lives, completely asymptomatic.
Have it done.
posted by Amy93 at 11:17 AM on October 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
I’ve had the test 4 times since the pandemic began, all negative. You’re probably fine, but if you can easily access a test and would feel better knowing your results for sure, have it done. Taking steps to find out if you’re positive benefits all of us, since so many people are out living their best lives, completely asymptomatic.
Have it done.
posted by Amy93 at 11:17 AM on October 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
(I was tested with a nostril swab, they didn't push it far just swabbed the sides of my nostrils. And I came up positive, so at least we know it was an effective test!)
posted by tristeza at 11:19 AM on October 10, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by tristeza at 11:19 AM on October 10, 2020 [2 favorites]
A really important thing for everybody to know about COVID testing is that if it's positive, it's positive, but if it's negative, it doesn't mean you're in the clear.
A positive result in a symptomatic patient is a reliable diagnostic confirmation that informs the course of treatment. A negative result, on the other hand, gives you really nothing to hang your hat on.
From the AAMC explainer: "If you are tested in the days immediately after exposure, the false negative rate is anywhere from 50% to 100%. So just because you’ve tested negative doesn’t mean you’re not harboring the virus. "
So, these tests are not meant to "make sure you're not infected." It's useful when there's a positive, and also as a population
screening and monitoring tool. The gold standard is still the 14 day quarantine. Taiwan has kept its population of 38 million virtually virus free by enforcing a 14 day quarantine; they stopped testing all arrivals in July. Conversely, the white house apparently was testing everybody every day, and they still had a superspreader event. Because science.
In your particular case, do your best to self-isolate, definitely don't visit any at-risk people for 14 days, even with a negative result. The key is to avoid sharing air - do this by masking and physical distancing. You can still go for rides and go for walks. If you get tested, wait 5 days after exposure.
posted by dum spiro spero at 11:45 AM on October 10, 2020 [9 favorites]
A positive result in a symptomatic patient is a reliable diagnostic confirmation that informs the course of treatment. A negative result, on the other hand, gives you really nothing to hang your hat on.
From the AAMC explainer: "If you are tested in the days immediately after exposure, the false negative rate is anywhere from 50% to 100%. So just because you’ve tested negative doesn’t mean you’re not harboring the virus. "
So, these tests are not meant to "make sure you're not infected." It's useful when there's a positive, and also as a population
screening and monitoring tool. The gold standard is still the 14 day quarantine. Taiwan has kept its population of 38 million virtually virus free by enforcing a 14 day quarantine; they stopped testing all arrivals in July. Conversely, the white house apparently was testing everybody every day, and they still had a superspreader event. Because science.
In your particular case, do your best to self-isolate, definitely don't visit any at-risk people for 14 days, even with a negative result. The key is to avoid sharing air - do this by masking and physical distancing. You can still go for rides and go for walks. If you get tested, wait 5 days after exposure.
posted by dum spiro spero at 11:45 AM on October 10, 2020 [9 favorites]
Response by poster: I live in a mostly rural state that just went into the red zone (I don't reveal my exact location because Creepy People.) So both days I rarely saw anyone. 5 people while walking around the town square, 2 people besides the helpers at the assessor's.
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 1:25 PM on October 10, 2020
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 1:25 PM on October 10, 2020
I had a test. It was not unpleasant at all. I mean, I’d rather have not taken it, but I’d take it again gladly if I had to. There are a lot worse things than sticking something up your nose for a couple of seconds. And most tests are free, so there’s no reason not to. Do a drive through test at CVS for peace of mind.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:47 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by kevinbelt at 1:47 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Potentially relevant information: there are multiple ways the test can be administered. One has the swab going all the way through your nose to approximately the back of your throat. That one is pretty awful the first time, in my opinion, though progressively easier to deal with on subsequent rounds. Another has the swab inserted about an inch into your nose, and some places even let you do it yourself. That one is not a big deal, again in my opinion.
posted by teremala at 2:02 PM on October 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by teremala at 2:02 PM on October 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
We're all talking about the experience of taking a test, but I don't see anyone addressing whether you should - and I'm going to suggest you do take it, but not because I think you've been exposed. I'm suggesting you take it because if you don't, you're going to be driven nuts for days by a small doubt in the back of your mind. You could look at a ton of statistical tables and exposure likelihoods and you could guess, but if you take the test, you will know. And I have a feeling that you would be personally more comfortable if you know.
I took the test a week ago, with the nose swab - it was about ten seconds, and it was weird but not painful at all.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:50 PM on October 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
I took the test a week ago, with the nose swab - it was about ten seconds, and it was weird but not painful at all.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:50 PM on October 10, 2020 [3 favorites]
> One has the swab going all the way through your nose to approximately the back of your throat. That one is pretty awful the first time, in my opinion, though progressively easier to deal with on subsequent rounds.
I had that one done at a drive-through and it was a weird and unpleasant feeling for not even 10 seconds per side. Not awful, not really painful, just very weird and uncomfortable, sort of like eating too much wasabi. Don't let fear of the deep swab test stop you from getting it.
I agree that you might as well do it, because it's a few minutes of your time, it's probably free, and it might give you news that is useful.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:16 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
I had that one done at a drive-through and it was a weird and unpleasant feeling for not even 10 seconds per side. Not awful, not really painful, just very weird and uncomfortable, sort of like eating too much wasabi. Don't let fear of the deep swab test stop you from getting it.
I agree that you might as well do it, because it's a few minutes of your time, it's probably free, and it might give you news that is useful.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:16 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Put on your mask before you open your car door. Wear glasses.
Never ever touch your face with your fingertips, don't rub your nose, eyes, or mouth. Treat the outside of your mask like it was contaminated; only handle mask by ear loops and fold with the outside in.
After 7 days, the PCR test should be accurate. False negatives occur in the first 1-3 days after exposure.
posted by ohshenandoah at 3:39 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
Never ever touch your face with your fingertips, don't rub your nose, eyes, or mouth. Treat the outside of your mask like it was contaminated; only handle mask by ear loops and fold with the outside in.
After 7 days, the PCR test should be accurate. False negatives occur in the first 1-3 days after exposure.
posted by ohshenandoah at 3:39 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
From what I've read, it's more likely to come up positive if you have symptoms and you wait something like 3-5 days after exposure. (Go check out the Feminist Survival Project 2020 podcast and the "Amelia got the COVID" episode for more details on timing and how it didn't go well for her because of timing.) Negative results don't exactly put you in the clear, really. Only 14 days without symptoms is likely to do that. So I wouldn't tell you to take the test right now, maybe wait a few days to do that and/or see if you actually feel like you are coming down with something before you go to that trouble.
As for whether or not to go outside again, I don't know what to tell you there. Try to go places where other people aren't, and definitely not the town square, parking next to a business. Sometimes you may have to go inside somewhere and you can't help that, but maybe try to stick to empty areas, distant parks, etc.
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:36 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
As for whether or not to go outside again, I don't know what to tell you there. Try to go places where other people aren't, and definitely not the town square, parking next to a business. Sometimes you may have to go inside somewhere and you can't help that, but maybe try to stick to empty areas, distant parks, etc.
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:36 PM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]
I also suggest going to get the test just for peace of mind. I went on Friday morning to our public hospital (NYC) that had a COVID testing area (all outside, tented only while you were actually getting tested) and got my results back in less than 24 hours (negative, yay!). I have a MASSIVE fear of any sort of medical procedure - needles are a massive fear. I did both the nasal swab and antibody test and yes, while uncomfortable, was over very quickly. I treated myself to a chocolate croissant after!
So do it, it will be done quickly, and you will feel better (because I agree with others that exposure was probably limited).
posted by something_witty at 5:43 PM on October 10, 2020
So do it, it will be done quickly, and you will feel better (because I agree with others that exposure was probably limited).
posted by something_witty at 5:43 PM on October 10, 2020
The only hard part of the test for me was holding my breath (because they made me take my mask off) while there was a swab up my nose and the nurse was trying to make chit-chat with questions where I was supposed to answer or nod/shake my head.
posted by aniola at 6:49 PM on October 10, 2020
posted by aniola at 6:49 PM on October 10, 2020
I think it is worth noting that:
- According to the microcovid site, your chance of having Covid from the office encounter is, as you say, 6 in a million.
- I don't know a good source for the odds on the cough episode, but I am guessing the odds of getting covid from a single person coughing 8 to ten feet away from you outdoors for a few seconds (who we do not know to have Covid) are similarly small. (Can anyone else confirm this?)
6 in a million is very, very, very low odds. The odds that you will, say, die in a car crash this year are *much* higher than that. The odds that you will eventually be killed by lighting are in that ballpark.
You can get a test if you want, if it give you peace of mind. But I think it's worth understanding how very low "6 in a million" is when we think about risks.
posted by ManInSuit at 7:37 PM on October 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
- According to the microcovid site, your chance of having Covid from the office encounter is, as you say, 6 in a million.
- I don't know a good source for the odds on the cough episode, but I am guessing the odds of getting covid from a single person coughing 8 to ten feet away from you outdoors for a few seconds (who we do not know to have Covid) are similarly small. (Can anyone else confirm this?)
6 in a million is very, very, very low odds. The odds that you will, say, die in a car crash this year are *much* higher than that. The odds that you will eventually be killed by lighting are in that ballpark.
You can get a test if you want, if it give you peace of mind. But I think it's worth understanding how very low "6 in a million" is when we think about risks.
posted by ManInSuit at 7:37 PM on October 10, 2020 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: definitely not the town square
Yeah, it was a town square in a small town and I only saw five people--spread way out---in an hour, some just disappearing around the corner to go away forever. It was 2 o'clock on a Friday and it was deserted. As I said, it was just a freak thing that that man came out.
Usually I go to cemeteries (where everyone is at least six feet from you!) but I thought I'd try something different (silly me.)
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 11:09 PM on October 10, 2020
Yeah, it was a town square in a small town and I only saw five people--spread way out---in an hour, some just disappearing around the corner to go away forever. It was 2 o'clock on a Friday and it was deserted. As I said, it was just a freak thing that that man came out.
Usually I go to cemeteries (where everyone is at least six feet from you!) but I thought I'd try something different (silly me.)
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 11:09 PM on October 10, 2020
Response by poster: Conclusion: I did get the test and it was negative. If you can trust the test.
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 5:19 PM on October 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Rumi'sLeftSock at 5:19 PM on October 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
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Personally, I would do it again in a heartbeat if I thought I was potentially exposed - not only for the comfort those two negative results gave me but also because if I was positive I’d want to know immediately so that I could quarantine and protect those around me. That’s only because I have the privilege of free and local, easily-accessible testing, though - my answer may be different if it were neither of those things.
As far as staying home forever...my risk tolerance is lower, it would seem, than a lot of people - other than my one potential exposure (sitting for an exam I needed to take for work), and necessary medical care, I haven’t spent with a person (except my husband), or been anywhere other than my house and neighborhood sidewalks, since March. My immune system is shit, though. YMMV.
posted by okayokayigive at 11:12 AM on October 10, 2020 [2 favorites]