i'm getting tested tomorrow for covid-19

[mellowtigger]

This weekend, I started getting a weird feeling in my right ear.  I held my nose and blew gently to "pop" it a time or two.  On Sunday night, I had a temp of 38.0C/100.4F, sore ear, and sore neck.  I wouldn't normally be concerned, except...

Last week, for the first time in 1.5 years, a dozen "new" people roamed the office without masks, and I spent Monday-Wednesday in the office sharing their air.  I'm one of the essential employees who has been inside on Mondays during lockdown, working at home remotely on other days.  Offices are finally starting to open up again.  And a few days after my office gets a new population, I start running a fever.  The timing is bad.

So I looked into how I get a Covid19 test these days.  I haven't been tested since last year.  It's still not easy to do.  The Minnesota government has a convenient website to find testing locations, so I started with my usual clinic which was listed there.

1. I called them on Monday morning to provide my intention, which they referred to a different nurse who would call me back.
2. I waited for the call back, and they said they only do testing at a doctor's orders, and I should try Walgreen's instead.
3. I used the MN website to find my nearby Walgreen's listed, so I called them.
4. They only do testing with appointments, which are made via their website.
5. They ask for insurance, so I found my insurance card.  In spite of being a major national provider, their name wasn't pre-populated on the website, so I had to look up an address for them online.  (Hopefully that address is appropriate for this purpose.)
6. I scheduled my appointment for Tuesday morning.

I don't think it's covid-19, but it's worthwhile to get tested.  Meanwhile, I'm self-isolating and not going to the office like usual today.

Reminder: Don't get covid.

Update 2021 Aug 24 Tue 09:00:  I woke up with sinus headache, ear ache, jaw ache, and neck ache.  I registered no temperature on the first try, but I took aspirins last night, so maybe it's still being masked.  Appointment at Walgreen's in an hour.  I still don't think it's covid, because it hurts to eat/drink.  I haven't had solid food since yesterday before noon.  I tried a liquid meal of Soylent in the evening.  Much better experience, but the cold drink still sent burning ice spikes up to my right ear.

Update 2021 Aug 24 Tue 10:15:  Easy.  I didn't have to push that swab as far back into my sinuses as I thought I would.  The pharmacist tech told me to circle 5 times in each nostril, so I definitely accomplished the desired collection time.  Strange, though.  My paperwork says that there are no US FDA-approved tests, only tests for Emergency Use Authorization.  We've been testing for at least 1.5 years, so how can there be no approved tests?  Who is not doing their job?  Is this oversight why some testing companies get to change protocols, then the culpable party gets to choose a different protocol that makes them look better?  I disapprove of this situation.  Testing should be very well understood by now.

Comments

[zipperbear]

A friend of mine, vaccinated months ago with Pfizer, just had some mild symptoms, and sudden loss of smell/taste. He got a negative test result (but after saying "5 seconds each nostril" the technician seemed to do 0.5 seconds, so he's unsatisfied), and later had a brief episode of phantosmia (phantom scent), which apparently is an occasional symptom of Covid recovery, as is parosmia (distorted or wrong smell).

Meanwhile, for my Covid test Friday to get off the cruise ship, the technician counted to 6 quickly in each nostril. Since we're in Istanbul for 3 nights, we got another PCR test this morning to be within 72 hours of flying home, and he swabbed the throat first, then a couple of seconds in each nostril. No results yet.

[mellowtigger]

Thanks for those timing details. The confirmation email from Walgreens said that I'll be performing the test myself. Apparently. I'll try to keep that duration in mind through the discomfort while I poke my own brains out. ;)
"A Walgreens pharmacist will then provide directions on how to self-administer a nasal swab and collect your test sample."

[foeclan]

Yeah, I had to do that for my drive-up test at Walgreen's. It's not pleasant.

[mtbc]

Good luck, we'll see how it goes, I guess. Delta does seem to present symptoms a little differently from the original.

[mrdreamjeans]

Several of my neighbors have had Covid testing kits sent to our building. They got the results back really quickly after submitting a sample.