How close to the (extended) expiration dates were the tests?
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Eric Topol has commentary on various COVID-19 subjects:
First Binex was one of the round of Gov freebies which had technically expired but had and extention
Flowflex was current
Todaysâ Binax has an expiration of 24-8-14
I have come to trust Flowflex more than Binax, mostly because I just canât get the drops into the hole on the BInax!
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and as another heads upâŠ
DHâs doc was happy to prescribe another âkeep on handâ prescription for Molnupiravir. Turns out that in the last 3 weeks this has been reclassified as a NDC (New drug) and now has a 1K cost. Medicare part D or the State or the Feds (3 weeks ago it was free to DH). There might be an option for a pre-authorization from Doc to deal with the cost.
I was informed by pharmacist that Paxlovid is also set to be reclassified.
True, the Binax tests do seem to be more susceptible to user error than some of the others.
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This morningâs FlowFlex test still shoes a faint positive lineâŠso right now the record stands at
tested three days ago with Binax = negative
tested two days ago with Flowflex = positive (not instant but also not just a faint line(
tested yesterday with Binax = absolutely completely negative.
today - test again with flowflex - still a light positive line.
I am confident there was no user error with the Binax tests.
My husband used to work in the diagnostics industry and was appalled at how user unfriendly that Binax test was compared to iHealth ones weâve received from the Feds.
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I think I might pitch the Binax tests we have.
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What are the current guidelines or what are people (any examples of people here) doing as far as when you will spend time unmasked with other people? Waiting for the negative test? 5 days post positive and symptoms gone? Other???
(posting out of pure curiosity NOT trying to start a ramble 
)
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I trust Flowflex!
We were considering my daughter coming after 5 days of Paxlovid if she had two negative tests 48 hours apart, but there is still a danger of rebound and her being stranded and also exposing me after I am still recovering, as well as her sister.
If she had gotten COVID 10 days ago, did Paxlovid and tested negative twice, I think that is the only scenario we would be comfortable with, much as we wanted to stretch it.
So we are going to Zoom Christmas just as we did with Thanksgiving. Shades of 2020!
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We all agreed it was okay to spend time with family given the maddeningly crazy test results. My SIL works at a high security facility that takes most published security measures (including COVID testing) to a next level. Heâs like mehâŠitâs been at least 15 days since DH was infected (even though didnât test positive for a few days initially). And who knowsâŠmaybe Binax is right and Flowflex just pics up bits and pieces of inactive virus.
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15 days? Iâd go about my business as normal especially if there are no mad sneezing and sniffing!
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It took me 17 days to test negative but 15 days also seems like a lot and he does have some negative tests. Maybe Flowflex will be negative tomorrow
This will be my final entry in the book of Test vs Test
We had a CUE system test that was about to expire. (CUE= almost as accurate as PCR). And guess what. The CUE says DH is NEGATIVE.
So, the FlowFlex is just wrongâŠdonât know what it is detecting but Iâm 99.99999% sure it is not COVID. Now, I wonder how many people are staying away from friends and family because of false positives on these darn things.
So, donât toss BinaxâŠjust really question the FlowFlex.
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I love the Binax ones compared to the awful one when you have to clip the stick to screw it inside the tube. Googling I think it was QuickVue? I really donât remember but I posted about it back in January. And that box never even gave me a good result. Just turned the whole strip pink. Binax turned up perfectly positive immediately.
Coworkerâs D works in an urgent care and had to get stitches trying to administer that kind of test or a similar type.
And who wants with clipping a plastic stick when they feel like crap?!
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The free ones that I got through the USPS included those from iHealth, MaximBio, Abbott (BinaxNow), and AccessBio.
Iâm not sure these are really the guidelines but this is what we are doing:
My H starting having symptoms on Saturday (which he said were just "allergies) but tested positive Sunday. Heâs been isolating since. Tomorrow ends his 5 day isolation and we are planning on mask wearing for the next 5 days. He is going to test and if heâs still positive, we wonât eat together and will continue to FaceTime from different parts of the house. Iâm hoping heâs negative by xmas but weâll see.
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The MaximBio ones are the ones that come with a tube of reagent where you break off the swab stick to leave the swab in the reagent, put the test strip in the reagent, then close the cap to wait for the result.
https://www.fda.gov/media/155635/download
The QuickVue ones do not involve breaking off the swab or closing the cap of the tube to wait for the result.
I hated QuickVue. That tab/plastic stick thing had a line where the plastic attached to the part you hold. It always looked like a positive at first glance since the glue line attaching those parts was pinkish. It wasnât just me. My travel buddy had the same âOh POOOâ reaction - and then realized it was negative.