Positive ATK - What now?

[KinKinReowReow]

So after having managed to escape Covid for 2 years in Bangkok, the dreaded 2 stripes finally appeared on today's ATK test. 

 

Now, I am aware of the proper procedures and I intend to follow these, but I would really prefer home quarantine instead of any combination of hospital/hotel etc.

 

Are there hospitals/clinics you can go and take your PCR test, where the chances of them sending you home to self quarantine larger than others?

I could imagine that private hospitals would be more inclined to admit you than government hospitals, but this is just a feeling.  

FWIW, I live by myself, am young and healthy and only very very mild symptoms. 

Any experiences with this or advice, please share. 

Thank you in advance 

[richard_smith237]

No need for a PCR test… you’ve already tested ATK positive.

 

If you have mild symptoms there is no need to tell anyone, just isolate until ATK negative for 2 days in a row (about 7 days for most ppl).

 

You can phone the government Covid line if you want… they’ll tell you to stay at home & send a care package. You’ll be over it by the time the care package arrives ! 
 

 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by richard_smith237

[Ohyesuare]

I agree. You live by yourself, just isolate until you no longer test positive.

[tomazbodner]

26 minutes ago, KinKinReowReow said:

FWIW, I live by myself, am young and healthy and only very very mild symptoms. 

This part is the key. Self-isolate and don't bother with PCR. You already know you have it, PCR will only confirm what you already know.

If symptoms don't change, this should be over in a couple of days.

[beano2274]

The issue is about tracking where you caught it from, is it not beneficial to help stop the spread by reporting it, and then steps can be taken to find others who might be infected, before they infect more people with it

[internationalism]

just a risk of a large expenses, if they decide to take into hospitel.

Self-isolate for 10 days.

For peace of mind order supermarket food essentials, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables for vitamins.

At covid hospital I was given NAC, you can get it on lazada for a fraction of pharmacy price. 

Edited February 22, 2022 by internationalism

[Lacessit]

12 minutes ago, beano2274 said:

The issue is about tracking where you caught it from, is it not beneficial to help stop the spread by reporting it, and then steps can be taken to find others who might be infected, before they infect more people with it

It would be beneficial if tracking worked, all the evidence is once the number of infections hit a critical mass, tracking collapses under the weight of potential contacts. IMO Bangkok is past that number some time ago.

 

My advice to the OP would be to self-isolate, with a stock of ATK kits to ascertain when he is no longer testing positive. Only go to a hospital if breathing difficulties develop.

 

Having been in quarantine in a Thai public hospital, I can assure everyone it is no picnic. From what I gather, private hospitals are very expensive.

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

ATK’s are not highly accurate.  Even with a initial positive result if might be worth it to do a second ATK(preferably a different brand of ATK).  The second test can be done next day.  If you get two positives from two different ATK tests in a short span of time then you are probably infected.  

[NanLaew]

33 minutes ago, beano2274 said:

The issue is about tracking where you caught it from, is it not beneficial to help stop the spread by reporting it, and then steps can be taken to find others who might be infected, before they infect more people with it

It's omicron. It spreads faster than any tracking app. Nobody anywhere is interested in where it came from. Just self-isolate and stop it spreading.

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

ATK’s are not highly accurate.  Even with a initial positive result if might be worth it to do a second ATK(preferably a different brand of ATK).  The second test can be done next day.  If you get two positives from two different ATK tests in a short span of time then you are probably infected.  

This is Covid. It's not pregnancy we're testing for here. Just suck it up in self-isolation for 5 days and save yourself the expense of an extra test ''just to make sure."

[KinKinReowReow]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

No need for a PCR test… you’ve already tested ATK positive.

 

If you have mild symptoms there is no need to tell anyone, just isolate until ATK negative for 2 days in a row (about 7 days for most ppl).

 

You can phone the government Covid line if you want… they’ll tell you to stay at home & send a care package. You’ll be over it by the time the care package arrives ! 
 

 

 

 

This is good advice and I would do that, but I work for a company where policy is to get PCR tested once you test positive. So the PCR is a must. Question is now, where to take it with the lowest risk of getting admitted?

Thank you all for your helpful comments. 

[tomazbodner]

4 minutes ago, KinKinReowReow said:

This is good advice and I would do that, but I work for a company where policy is to get PCR tested once you test positive. So the PCR is a must. Question is now, where to take it with the lowest risk of getting admitted?

Thank you all for your helpful comments. 

Pretty much every PCR test provider will have to report your result to health ministry. It is then up to them whether they send ambulance your way or not. So it's hard to talk about any low risk options.

[sqwakvfr]

30 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

This is Covid. It's not pregnancy we're testing for here. Just suck it up in self-isolation for 5 days and save yourself the expense of an extra test ''just to make sure."

What if the first ATK was a false positive? ATK tests in Thailand are affordable.  Recently I paid for a single ATK in Los Angeles and it was $9.  The most I paid for an ATK in Thailand was 100 Baht.  The tests I bought in the US and in Thailand were both manufactured in China(not surprised).  I have tried several ATK tests and all came back negative but one was invalid and one was faulty because the testing strip did not produce a chemical reaction.  

[KinKinReowReow]

45 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Pretty much every PCR test provider will have to report your result to health ministry. It is then up to them whether they send ambulance your way or not. So it's hard to talk about any low risk options.

The question was therefore, if any members here had personal experiences with hospitals/clinics where they were either sent home or to hospitals. Which would effect my decision on where to go for the PCR

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

ATK’s are not highly accurate.  Even with a initial positive result if might be worth it to do a second ATK(preferably a different brand of ATK).  The second test can be done next day.  If you get two positives from two different ATK tests in a short span of time then you are probably infected.  

They are usually accurate to or above 90%. The bigger concern is with false negatives, the Chinese Lepu kits were withdrawn by the government from distribution for that reason. Faulty design.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, KinKinReowReow said:

The question was therefore, if any members here had personal experiences with hospitals/clinics where they were either sent home or to hospitals. Which would effect my decision on where to go for the PCR

IMO if you go to a private hospital and test positive, the odds are pretty good they will take you into quarantine. There's good money in it for them.

A government hospital may send you home to self-quarantine, or quarantine you depending on how severe the symptoms are.

Clinics would be a lottery, as it would depend on whether the doctor was affiliated with a hospital, and what that hospital is.

Myself and my GF were quarantined in a public hospital on the basis of ATK tests, no PCR was done. My symptoms were not severe, the quarantine was probably based on my age.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

What if the first ATK was a false positive? ATK tests in Thailand are affordable.  Recently I paid for a single ATK in Los Angeles and it was $9.  The most I paid for an ATK in Thailand was 100 Baht.  The tests I bought in the US and in Thailand were both manufactured in China(not surprised).  I have tried several ATK tests and all came back negative but one was invalid and one was faulty because the testing strip did not produce a chemical reaction.  

Any test kit which mixes the swab contents with a small vial of liquid prior to applying to the test zone will give a valid result.

Test kits that only involve touching the swab to the test zone will generate some false negatives.

IME the only way to generate a false positive on most tests of this nature is sample contamination, i.e. failure to observe sterile procedure.

 

[Lorry]

12 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Only go to a hospital if breathing difficulties develop.

That could be too late. 

You should have a pulse oximeter and if the oxygen saturation stays lower than 93 for longer than a couple of hours go to hospital. Don't wait until the next day. 

[Lorry]

12 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

ATK’s are not highly accurate.  Even with a initial positive result if might be worth it to do a second ATK(preferably a different brand of ATK).  The second test can be done next day.  If you get two positives from two different ATK tests in a short span of time then you are probably infected.  

If someone has symptoms and a positive ATK the diagnosis is certain. 

No need for further tests. 

 

If no symptoms it's a different story. 

[Berkshire]

On 2/22/2022 at 12:38 PM, richard_smith237 said:

No need for a PCR test… you’ve already tested ATK positive.

 

If you have mild symptoms there is no need to tell anyone, just isolate until ATK negative for 2 days in a row (about 7 days for most ppl).

 

You can phone the government Covid line if you want… they’ll tell you to stay at home & send a care package. You’ll be over it by the time the care package arrives ! 
 

 

 

 

Agree.....assuming the OP has been vaccinated.  But if not, the advice might be a tad different.