Countries demanding Coronavirus testing for visitors - and testing kits available online

[editor]

As the world opens up a bit, some countries are insisting on proof of negative COVID-19 status before you're allowed in.

I'm not going to be getting on a plane anytime soon, but someone I know has been told that Sardinia will soon insist on this requirement (notwithstanding the fact that you could catch it on the way to the airport or whatever) so she's looking at options.

I just noticed that Superdrug are offering this service for £69: Coronavirus Antibody Test | Superdrug Online Doctor

Is anyone else doing it?

 

[spring-peeper]

Australia and Canada, and maybe more, have a two week quarantine upon arrival.

 

[editor]

Not everyone is impressed with the service: Superdrug accused of 'playing on people's fear' with £69 antibodies test

But here's a nice infographic. Everyone loves them.

 

[Teaboy]

I was looking at this yesterday. It appears to be the Abbott test (FDA approved along with Roche one) they are using which promises 100% that it won't give a false positive. It appears to only be 97.5% accurate sensitivity so that is potentially quite a lot of false negatives when scaled up but its clearly the better way around. (I may not have fully understood this as I'm not a scientist or stats person).

My feeling is that currently these tests are only of use for healthcare and government policy. Clearly they are critically important to get an understanding of how the virus has spread and how many people get none or very minor symptoms. For us though as individuals I don't really see much use because so little is currently known about gained immunity and if so how long it lasts.

IMO and to put it bluntly countries that ask for immunity certificates or whatever are rolling the dice.

 

[Callie]

I would imagine entrant screening would want a negative swab test rather than a negative antibody test?

Negative antibody doesn't prove anything interns of being infected with COVID 19. It takes at least 14 days for the antibodies to be produced so you could be churning out the virus but negative on the antibody test.

 

[Teaboy]

I would imagine entrant screening would want a negative swab test rather than a negative antibody test?

Negative antibody doesn't prove anything interns of being infected with COVID 19. It takes at least 14 days for the antibodies to be produced so you could be churning out the virus but negative on the antibody test.

True but given how many false negatives the swab test seems to be getting and how many people are being tested multiple times before they get a positive I'm not sure its that much more use anyway. Unless a more accurate test becomes viable it still rolling the dice imo.

 

[Callie]

Quarantine is probably a better plan. Does not work for short haul or tourism though.

 

[Boudicca]

I see quarantine as mostly a deterrent i.e. it stops all but the most determined from entering the country.

If you are a country which relies on tourism then requesting a negative test seems a better alternative.

 

[Sunray]

The US DoD did create a test that can detect C-19 the day you catch it

US military research agency developing new test for Covid-19

Darpa says its breakthrough technology could be manufactured at large scale

www.independent.co.uk

That would be a decent barrier to allow people into a country.

Its never going to be a Trump wall is it?