FYI,
As a follow up to testing for Covid, there are very accurate, 15 minute home tests which are now available at most o pharmacies.
Easy to self administer, you just have to suck up the grotesque feeling of a small q tip, as deeply in your nose as you can bear.
Not expensive, espetially as compared with an urgent care visit.
Actually cheaper than the ones I purchased for your office.
Stay safe and be well.
AC
At this point, you have to assume that new Covid infections are from the Delta variant.
It is 5x as infectious as the original form, twice as likely as the British Alpha variant.
It replicates at a much more rapid rate and infected people generate, and expel 1000x more viral load.
Delta also attaches to the ACE-2 receptor to a much greater degree.
It impacts children and young people to a much greater degree.
It also appears to cause more serious illness, but only in those NOT vaccinated or those who have not had Covid before.
As far as testing goes, because of the above mentioned characteristics, you can become positive after exposure within as little as 18 hours, and be infectious at that time without symptoms. If you are concerned of an exposure, you can test as early as 2 days. You should repeat at 5-7 days.
As far as isolating goes, the duration of illness appears to be the same so the same timelines apply. Isolate for 10 days after onset of symptoms or from the date of a positive test. If you continue to have a fever, you should isolate yourself until 2 days after the fever ends. “Long-haul” symptoms such as loss of hair, smell and taste, headaches… can persist for weeks or months and do not apply when considering duration of isolation, just the onset of symptoms.
Some people argue that vaccinated people can still get sick. Although that is certainly true, there is still quite a bit of protection. In addition, the duration and degree of illness is significantly reduced after vaccination. 98-99% of ICU admissions and deaths are in non vaccinated people.
Vaccination is not a shield. It is a tool. You MUST continue to wear a mask when in situations where there are a lot of unmasked people, or are indoors with a lot of people, especially if poorly ventilated.
Stay Safe and Be Well.
AC