At home Covid tests

[lawdog77]

Starting Wednesday, one can order 4 free at home tests.

https://www.covidtests.gov/

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Is that a 1 time order of 4 tests?  Looks like it.

File this in the "look, we are doing something" section of performative covid theater.

[jesmu84]

This was done so poorly.

[pacearrow02]

This was done so poorly.

!!!!!   Are manslaughter charges justified??

[Jay Bee]

If by Wednesday, you mean Tuesday

[lawdog77]

If by Wednesday, you mean Tuesday

Thanks for the heads up a day early. Now if I could only figure out a way to get more by "registering" fictitious people. Maybe a politician or two know how to do that

[BrewCity83]

Thanks for the heads up a day early. Now if I could only figure out a way to get more by "registering" fictitious people. Maybe a politician or two know how to do that

It's gonna be harder to get a second order of these things than it is to get an absentee ballot.

[MUBurrow]

This was done so poorly.

+1.  This is so much less effective than just like, making them available and cheap at any pharmacy. 

[Jockey]

+1.  This is so much less effective than just like, making them available and cheap at any pharmacy.

Except then the people here would complain because they have to go out in the cold and drive somewhere to get them.

We are a nation of whiny babies.

[Sir Lawrence]

To order free At Home COVID Tests, see the link below ...


https://special.usps.com/testkits?fbclid=IwAR0i45xwIlgy8wf20RWjS7v3TzpvFQG_pDgwsuH3nt0wjAAku0SGhdqta18

[MUBurrow]

Except then the people here would complain because they have to go out in the cold and drive somewhere to get them.

We are a nation of whiny babies.

I guess.  This just seems like a lot of bureacracy and inefficient allocation of limited supply.  How many of these tests will get shipped and then never used?  And does this mean that supply to pharmacies will be scarce longer?  Subsidizing these tests and doing everything we can to encourage production is a good thing, but just have them available for people when they need them.

[BrewCity83]

I'm going to order my allotment mostly so I can share with family and friends that might need them in a pinch when tests are not otherwise readily available.  Having said that, I hope they do go to waste.

[mu_hilltopper]

I ordered them, but .. it'd be rare I'd use them and not get a "real" test.

Case in point, though.  My 15 year old got his booster and the next day had a fever, was weak.   So .. of course that seems like a side effect, but he's at school and it's guaranteed there's a few cases walking around each day.

So would I would have used a rapid test on him just for a little mental comfort.  (He was fine the next day, so it was side-effects.)

[jesmu84]

I guess.  This just seems like a lot of bureacracy and inefficient allocation of limited supply.  How many of these tests will get shipped and then never used?  And does this mean that supply to pharmacies will be scarce longer?  Subsidizing these tests and doing everything we can to encourage production is a good thing, but just have them available for people when they need them.

This.

Produce the tests. Get them out to public access. Make them available for folks who need/when needed.

But this whole process seems like folks will order who don't need them then sit on them letting them go to waste.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I thought Trump and DeVos shut down the postal service?

[wadesworld]

I thought Trump and DeVos shut down the postal service?

Shut Trump down before they could do that. Thank god.

[Lighthouse 84]

Shut Trump down before they could do that. Thank god.

Good thing too!  Joe's got that place running like a well oiled machine!

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Good thing too!  Joe's got that place running like a well oiled machine!

DeJoy is still in place, unfortunately.

[forgetful]

This.

Produce the tests. Get them out to public access. Make them available for folks who need/when needed.

But this whole process seems like folks will order who don't need them then sit on them letting them go to waste.

Although I'm not a huge fan of the current plan, what other alternatives are there.

People were buying available supplies in bulk to resell online. Some stores were limiting the number of purchase, but they also didn't want to police who already bought some that day, so most people who needed/wanted them couldn't get any.

This at least allows each household to get some now.

The problem is, people are selfish. If people just bought when they needed them instead of seeing a chance to make a profit online, we would never have had a problem.

Basically, Americans suck.

[JWags85]

Was in NJ over the weekend visiting my sister in law.  She asks us to stop by their local pharmacy on our way to grab lunch cause they have COVID tests.  Considering we can't find any of note in Wisconsin, we were surprised they had plenty. Pop in, they don't have Binax or any of the reputable tests. Just a generic one neither my wife and I had ever heard of.  Ok, fine, we'll take 2 boxes...oh wait, this kind proprietor is charging $49.99 each.  FOH

[Jay Bee]

Can't wait for all of the, "I requested the tests early on, but it's been weeks and still...nothing!"

[The Sultan]

Can't wait for all of the, "I requested the tests early on, but it's been weeks and still...nothing!"

Yep. I am pretty sure that will end up being the case. People are going to have these in their closets for years.

[#UnleashSean]

Can't wait for all of the, "I requested the tests early on, but it's been weeks and still...nothing!"

When I tested positive for covid freodtert sent out an email stating I would receive a care package to help me through.

That email came 3 days after I tested positive, the delivery date was for 4 days after that email. And then it never came. 

[Hards Alumni]

Although I'm not a huge fan of the current plan, what other alternatives are there.

People were buying available supplies in bulk to resell online. Some stores were limiting the number of purchase, but they also didn't want to police who already bought some that day, so most people who needed/wanted them couldn't get any.

This at least allows each household to get some now.

The problem is, people are selfish. If people just bought when they needed them instead of seeing a chance to make a profit online, we would never have had a problem.

Basically, Americans suck.

Yes, we do.  We're conditioned from a very young age.

[Warriors4ever]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/19/politics/senior-citizens-medicare-free-covid-tests-retailers/index.html

I'm not sure what the deal is with why Medicare isn't part of the free home test program, but surely CNN could have found better examples for why it needs to be included than at least two of the people interviewed in this article? One guy is running around like Covid doesn't exist, and the other lady is traveling internationally. Not exactly poster children for people who really could use the benefit financially.

[JWags85]

Basically, Americans suck.

This isn't a USA USA USA! chant moment, but when given the chance, nearly all people of varying race/culture/creed will be selfish when it comes to self interest.  People praised the selflessness of Asian cultures when it came to masks and social protocol, but there are myriad other instances of shameless selfishness when it comes to them culturally and social standards.

No country is a utopia and the US has countless blights and reputational black eyes that should be remedied, but by and large, in my experience, the people that think the US/Americans are shockingly horrible on an individual basis, either haven't experienced much elsewhere or just view them in a selectively rosy lens.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

This isn't a USA USA USA! chant moment, but when given the chance, nearly all people of varying race/culture/creed will be selfish when it comes to self interest.  People praised the selflessness of Asian cultures when it came to masks and social protocol, but there are myriad other instances of shameless selfishness when it comes to them culturally and social standards.

No country is a utopia and the US has countless blights and reputational black eyes that should be remedied, but by and large, in my experience, the people that think the US/Americans are shockingly horrible on an individual basis, either haven't experienced much elsewhere or just view them in a selectively rosy lens.

Or hating America is cool and edgy in some circles.

[🏀]

Or hating America is cool and edgy in some circles.

Totally agree. I hate America so much, I'm going to storm the capital!

[Hards Alumni]

Or hating America is cool and edgy in some circles.

I don't hate the USA, but that doesn't mean we suck as a people a lot of the time.

I guess that makes me edgy and cool in your eyes?

[wadesworld]

Totally agree. I hate America so much, I'm going to storm the capital!

Zing!

Shut it down.  (Or stop the count?)

[Lennys Tap]

This isn't a USA USA USA! chant moment, but when given the chance, nearly all people of varying race/culture/creed will be selfish when it comes to self interest.  People praised the selflessness of Asian cultures when it came to masks and social protocol, but there are myriad other instances of shameless selfishness when it comes to them culturally and social standards.

No country is a utopia and the US has countless blights and reputational black eyes that should be remedied, but by and large, in my experience, the people that think the US/Americans are shockingly horrible on an individual basis, either haven't experienced much elsewhere or just view them in a selectively rosy lens.

And as systems go, I'll take the messiness and potential abuses that go with freedom over the abuses people suffer when they abrogate that freedom for what the people in power assure them is for the good of the collective.

[jesmu84]

And as systems go, I'll take the messiness and potential abuses that go with freedom over the abuses people suffer when they abrogate that freedom for what the people in power assure them is for the good of the collective.

Oh, so the US?

[Lennys Tap]

Oh, so the US?

Generally speaking, no.

[forgetful]

I don't hate the USA, but that doesn't mean we suck as a people a lot of the time.

I guess that makes me edgy and cool in your eyes?

This was what I meant in my post. Jwags is right that in many parts of the world, people suck too.

To me the difference is we pretend to be better than everyone else, when in reality, in many cases we are the same, and in some cases worse.

[Jay Bee]

Totally agree. I hate America so much, I'm going to storm the capital!

Is that similar to the Capitol?

[Hards Alumni]

Is that similar to the Capitol?

I see you're a member of the thin blue line.

[Lennys Tap]

I see you're a member of the thin blue line.

Only the thin blue line know difference between the Capitol and the capital? How depressing!

[Skatastrophy]

Only the thin blue line know difference between the Capitol and the capital? How depressing!

We may not be smart, but we're principaled!