Day 676: Frustrations with Rapid Antigen Tests

 Two years ago, who knew that we'd all know the ins and outs of different kinds of virus testing?

Line 'em up! Here we are testing all 3 kiddos:

Last week the schools in Vermont announced a big change in their testing strategy. The powers that be have decided to move away from the more accurate (but longer turn around time) PCR test, and instead rely more heavily on rapid antigen tests to identify covid in schools (among other changes, see more here).  The logic here (as I understand it) is that because the omicron variant spreads so rapidly, waiting 2-3 days for a pcr test no longer makes sense as an effective way to detect and contain the virus. Instead, students (and staff) are told to use an antigen test for two days in a row (on day 4 and 5 after exposure, and/or at some point after you're positive, that part is still confusing, more below). The rules are different if you are unvaccinated (or you've been vaccinated with a certain vaccine a certain number of months ago, or a a different vaccine a different number of months ago, and haven't been boosted up to certain number of weeks ago), or if you are "vaccinated". Add that to the new CDC quarantine guidelines (that are different from state guidelines) and you've got a very confusing flow chart on your hands. 

(This will probably only be funny if you are French, but even with just the images I think it communicates how we are ALL feeling. Maybe it even better communicates the confusion if you don't speak French, haha!)

This is also frustrating because:

1. We know that rapid tests are not as reliable as PCR tests,

2. The rapid tests create an ungodly amount of single use plastic waste

3. Rapid tests are extremely difficult to find (although the school can supply them, but are also running low)

4. There is large space for user error when administered at home by parents (and there are many different brands of rapid tests, all with varying procedures AND varying accuracy)

5. And, related to 5, these things can be fucking impossible to read. 

I am brought right back to the days of pregnancy tests, tilting under a light, taking photos and playing with the contrast, consider me #triggered. This is no fun.

Here is a photo of S's test from Wednesday. To the naked eye, we didn't see much. Under a flashlight, a VERY very very faint red line. In the photo I increased the contrast. You can barely make out a line to left on the blue control line. 

So what does that mean? Is he negative? Is he positive? We did another test the next day with the exact same result. Do we take him for a pcr test? Wait 5 days and test again? Wait 5 days (new CDC quarantine, with the next 5 days masked) and then just send him back to school (even though he won't be masked at lunch, which technically violates the CDC recommendation but the school doesn't seem to mind)?  He is unlikely to spread it after 5 days, especially since he is totally asymptomatic, but...did he ever have it in the first place? Can we count this faint line as positive? 

To me, it makes the most sense to follow up with a PCR, but this hasn't been the recommendation from the school or our MD. We still might do that to get some clarity for ourselves, but still unsure. We will, as they recommend, follow up with more rapid tests either way. With a confirmed positive in our house, at this point I think we just consider S (and E, who had the same faint result) positive and move on. 

It is curious that M and I continue to test negative with the rapid antigen...it is possible our vaccines worked and we just won't contract covid? I decided to go ahead and get a PCR test myself on Friday afternoon (yesterday), it will be interesting to see that result. I also wonder if, having been exposed constantly in public schools, I had an asymptomatic or low-grade case at some previous juncture, so I'm not catching it now. 

We will also rapid test the whole family again Sunday night before heading back to work and school. We've gotten conflicting information, but it sounds like a negative rapid is recommended but not required before returning to school/work (the logic being that some people, even after their 5 days quarantine and when they are no longer contagious, may still continue to test positive on a rapid for 10-14 later). I'll let you know how it goes!

One final note: Even though I find the new guidelines confusing and frustrating, I want to be clear that SCHOOL NURSES ARE HEROS. I am in awe of the way they adapt to all these changing guidelines, and continue to do their best in the face of all of this to keep schools open and keep our kids safe. Thank your school nurse today. They deserve a medal and a vacation to Hawaii three times over!!!

Stay healthy out there! 

Case Count Saturday Jan 22*:

Vermont cases: 97,994

US Cases: 71,534,670

*(From the beginning of the pandemic, I have included case count numbers in the footer. But since the omicron variant spreading so quickly, and with the advent of at home testing, counting individual cases has stopped being practical.  Some official said recently that for every positive case that is counted, there are probably 5-10 more actual cases out there. Soon Vermont will transition to just counting hospitalizations and deaths, and not counting individual cases any more. I may continue to include some statistics, but this may phase out slowly).