I think there is a fair chance I already had Covid-19 and now there may be a way to find out

[Ireland32]

No Cough , I don’t think you had it , I had a sickness in December lasted one month I coughed dry hacking for one month , I think i had it, but my gf never caught it , people were complaining about my cough when on the balcony BAD

Edited March 21, 2020 by Ireland32

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Ireland32 said:

No Cough , I don’t think you had it , I had a sickness in December lasted one month I coughed dry hacking for one month , I think i had it

Hard to know. Yes you're right a dry cough is a distinctive system. But some people feel no symptoms at all. 

[dash]

3 hours ago, placnx said:

I have been looking at various tests in development, plus the Chinese test alleged to be an antibody test. It's not clear that these tests will distinguish between someone sick and someone who has already recovered from the virus. Can anybody explain this?

IG-M fresh infection IG-G old infektion

[rabas]

16 hours ago, ukrules said:

This part is notable and represents a big change in detection methods :

Quote

It will be on sale from Monday, and unlike the current PCR tests, it is also effective in detecting the virus in patients at early stages of the disease, the firm said. It aims to supply enough kits for a total capacity of 10,000 tests per day.

 

So we appear to be talking about quicker more accurate detection and at an earlier stage.

 

Source : https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/03/13/national/kurabo-coronavirus-test-kits/

Note the first two comments under the article, both are quite sceptical about the claim of detecting antibodies before PCR can detect the actual virus itself.

[ukrules]

50 minutes ago, rabas said:

Note the first two comments under the article, both are quite sceptical about the claim of detecting antibodies before PCR can detect the actual virus itself.

Sure, only time will tell on this.

 

The PCR testing method is known to be pretty unreliable as well.

 

The whole testing situation needs to be sorted out and I'm sure there's 100's of separate teams working on various solutions all over the world.

[DrTuner]

On 3/19/2020 at 9:23 PM, ukrules said:

By the time you show symptoms there will be antibodies

The finding from the first case in Finland tend to disagree: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.11.2000266

[ukrules]

15 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

The finding from the first case in Finland tend to disagree: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.11.2000266

Interesting, I wonder what the difference is between the Finnish and the Japanese/Chinese antibody test that according to them allows them to detect it earlier.

 

If the antibodies aren't there at all as opposed to detection based on a different method used then the Japanese/Chinese companies test claim is nonsense, right?

[DrTuner]

26 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Interesting, I wonder what the difference is between the Finnish and the Japanese/Chinese antibody test that according to them allows them to detect it earlier.

 

If the antibodies aren't there at all as opposed to detection based on a different method used then the Japanese/Chinese companies test claim is nonsense, right?

It's a good question. I haven't seen details about the Japanese test. They are usually quite reliable when they say they've done something. 

[Dumbastheycome]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Those reports about reinfection are rare and most likely due to testing error according to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Most likely having had it does provide some immunity. The question is how much and for how long. Of course there is a lot that is not definitively known yet about this virus as it's so new. 

Valid  comment. A  consideration is that while the acquired  immunity prevents  a resurgence of disease for a period of time that the current tests demonstrate the existence of it in the system but it is  suppressed. Not  dissimilar to  influenza  where acquired immunity is  not 100% against later exposure. Or in the  case of  hepatitus B  which an individual's  immune  system  can  suppress to  non infectious status  but blood  donations  are refused because  of  possible transmission to a recipient who  does  not  have  equivalent  immunity  nor  can that donor individual's immunity  be transferred.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Dumbastheycome

[Mayhem11]

If a malaria drug may be the panacea to Corona virus, I will increase my quinine dose by drinking more G n Ts.

[dash]

Those reports about reinfection are rare and most likely due to testing error according to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Most likely having had it does provide some immunity. The question is how much and for how long.

 

Check the knowleg in feline medecine then you learn about reinfection and mutation

[unsubscribe]

Great post OP, I was wondering the same.

 

This test would be invaluable, people who are immune would be worth their weight in gold to help societies and the healthcare system keep running.

 

It would also be great in tracking risk and herd immunity, I really hope we see this test come out soon and that it is widely available.

[Scott]

Troll post removed.

 

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, DrTuner said:

It's a good question. I haven't seen details about the Japanese test. They are usually quite reliable when they say they've done something. 

Yes, here's another one that I came across, this time by a Korean company :

 

http://sugentech.com/products/products-view.php?ct=7&target=32

 

This one looks like the kind of test you could pick up at the pharmacy and use yourself at home, looks very promising - details on how you would use it are in the link.

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by ukrules

[Maestro]

Removed a nonsensical post.

[elgenon]

On 3/19/2020 at 6:26 AM, Jingthing said:

To be clear, I had these symptoms LONG AGO. I don't have the symptoms now so  there is nothing to treat.

I thought I made that clear enough. 
There is strong evidence that the virus was circulating in Wuhan for MONTHS before information about the crisis became public.

During those MONTHS before anyone knew about any virus, before "social isolation" masks and alcohol gels was on the mass public's consciousness there were masses of Chinese tourists in Pattaya. While the bus tour type were largely isolated to people serving them a fair portion of those Chinese tourists were independent travelers. I had frequent exposure to them over a long period of time in crowded Chinese restaurants. 

 

So yes I do think it's entirely possible that I caught the virus during the earlier days of this, well before Golden Week where there were mass cancellations. I can't possibly know the odds either way.

 

Back to the topic. Yes I would like to know if I did have it before for the reasons stated in my OP so if there's a test for that I'd be interested.

 

There was some noise that people were getting reinfected on the news but just tonight a famous U.S. t.v. doctor Dr. Gupta rejected that and attributed that to testing error.

 

Of course if this become a seasonal thing (entirely possible) that never goes away then immunity from this year would either be limited or nonexistent and high risk people would need to get new annual vaccine jabs. 

You of course know you can be asymptomatic but carry the virus?

[JDGRUEN]

OP, I understand what you are getting at - Just to know. I would for myself also. I had something a bit more than a moderate episode of fever, cough, bronchitis (came and went) before Wuhan broke in the news.

 

 From much research on Covid-19, I find that the number of asymptomatic infected people is estimated to be quite large. 

A Good and Bad thing.

Such people act as "carriers" / "spreaders"... Bad.

But the Good is that it shows the true number of total cases (confirmed + asymptomatic) when divided by deaths - the Death rate is likely low.  Blood tests studies in the future will be able to closely estimate the total actually infected. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by JDGRUEN
Clarity

[Jingthing]

I wouldn't have even suspected Covid-19 based on my symptoms except for the "coincidence" that I was going to a lot of Chinese restaurants at that time often crowded with tourists from mainland China, before the mask wearing and hand washing craze, no emphasis on sanitizing tables, sometimes with tables crowded together in small spaces. So I don't think my concern is illogical. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Jingthing

[thailand49]

On 3/21/2020 at 3:07 AM, Jingthing said:

As far as I know the type of test I'd be interested in that would show that person had it before but doesn't now is not available in Thailand or even perhaps in the U.K. yet. So your second question is moot. 

Yes I understand you want a test to know if you had it before, Moot to you but what about the people you were in contact with before you knew you had it if in fact you did had it.  Lets say you had it just like China the official in Wuhan knew but said nothing and let thousand leave the reason we have the problem now.  Even if you had the virus pretty much impossible to track but don't it even cross your mind the point isn't moot if you did have it and people were in contact with you the reason I hope you just had the flu.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, thailand49 said:

Yes I understand you want a test to know if you had it before, Moot to you but what about the people you were in contact with before you knew you had it if in fact you did had it.  Lets say you had it just like China the official in Wuhan knew but said nothing and let thousand leave the reason we have the problem now.  Even if you had the virus pretty much impossible to track but don't it even cross your mind the point isn't moot if you did have it and people were in contact with you the reason I hope you just had the flu.

Rather than fall for an obvious baiting game that reminds me of a when did you stop beating your wife type of question, I will respond generally.

 

Contact tracing is a useful tool in public health. 

 

It's value (depending on the nature of the disease) generally diminishes over time. It's supposed to be done ASAP. 

 

Covid-19 is very infectious. Even people with no or mild symptoms are also infectious, though perhaps not as much so as severe cases.

 

In an ideal world everyone that has suspicious symptoms now that we know quite a lot about this new disease should get tested. In reality there is still a severe shortage of testing going on and that is not happening. Some geographic areas are now doing massive testing such as New York State and South Korea. Thailand has recently (WAY OVERDUE!) begun higher volumes of testing resulting in not surprising scary spikes of cases. 

 

Sometimes people are diagnosed clinically without a test. This happened a lot in China. I assume contact tracing is sometimes done in those cases as well.

 

Contact priority is usually to people you have had very close personal contact with. Not someone you said hello to on an elevator.

 

Governments often get involved in contact tracing for "reportable diseases" but it can be casual as well, such as calling a booty call saying BTW I have the clap. Better get checked out.

 

People who are high risk are also high priority to contact.

 

Contact tracing is generally an EARLIER tactic in epidemics and pandemics. Once a disease enters community transmission phase and indeed exponential case growth phase, contact tracing generally falls in emphasis to the global tactics we are hearing about now:

 

Social distancing

Self isolation if you have suspicious symptoms

Testing if appropriate and available

Hand washing

 

Cheers.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

New York governor Cuomo who has emerged as a national leader in the fight against Covid-19 today mentioned the specific issue of a new kind of test targeted to identify people that have had it in the past, but not currently. He didn't say the test was available yet there but mentioned it in the context of health care workers. The idea being it would be very useful to know about health care workers that have immunity so they could be more of a safe "front line" in dealing with patients.

[Huckenfell]

I too have my suspicion as to whether i have had the virus.

About one month go i woke up early in the night in a terrible state, profusely sweating with an agony of body aching breathing was very difficult and i had to constantly keep gasping for short breaths plus  headache. I took paracetamol, possibly more than i should have, this went on all night but around 7 am i fell asleep and although i felt very weak after, i have not had these symptoms since. With the breathing i was very frightened as i could not get enough breath. I have had several temperature tests but all is normal. I still do have a tight uncomfortable chest.

[thailand49]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Rather than fall for an obvious baiting game that reminds me of a when did you stop beating your wife type of question, I will respond generally.

 

Contact tracing is a useful tool in public health. 

 

It's value (depending on the nature of the disease) generally diminishes over time. It's supposed to be done ASAP. 

 

Covid-19 is very infectious. Even people with no or mild symptoms are also infectious, though perhaps not as much so as severe cases.

 

In an ideal world everyone that has suspicious symptoms now that we know quite a lot about this new disease should get tested. In reality there is still a severe shortage of testing going on and that is not happening. Some geographic areas are now doing massive testing such as New York State and South Korea. Thailand has recently (WAY OVERDUE!) begun higher volumes of testing resulting in not surprising scary spikes of cases. 

 

Sometimes people are diagnosed clinically without a test. This happened a lot in China. I assume contact tracing is sometimes done in those cases as well.

 

Contact priority is usually to people you have had very close personal contact with. Not someone you said hello to on an elevator.

 

Governments often get involved in contact tracing for "reportable diseases" but it can be casual as well, such as calling a booty call saying BTW I have the clap. Better get checked out.

 

People who are high risk are also high priority to contact.

 

Contact tracing is generally an EARLIER tactic in epidemics and pandemics. Once a disease enters community transmission phase and indeed exponential case growth phase, contact tracing generally falls in emphasis to the global tactics we are hearing about now:

 

Social distancing

Self isolation if you have suspicious symptoms

Testing if appropriate and available

Hand washing

 

Cheers.

Thanks for the information and for making my point not baiting nor anything to do with beating your wife!  But as you can see it isn't a " moot " you had put in thoughts and that was what I was wondering aside from the testing.

Cheers and continue good health.

Edited March 23, 2020 by thailand49