I’ve seen many tests (we’re talking the average retail 4-drop kits) come up with varying degrees of positivity as a person goes through a bout with COVID.

Once they test positive, it’s usually coming up with that T indicator long before the C shows to.

However, I’ve noticed that even that length of time for the T to show can vary. Sometimes it starts faded and fills in but sometimes the line can go full color as soon as the liquid hits it. Other times it may take a while and come up after the C (once closer to getting over it).

My thought here is the virus particles per million in a person’s mucus are fluctuating during the course of their sickness and the more virus particles, the faster that bar is going to pop on the COVID test.

So then, is it stupid to think the faster the T shows up, the more infectious a person is with their coughing/sneezing?

  • bobagem@sh.itjust.works
    61·
    2 months ago

    Everyone is saying no, and I’m no expert, and I believe that for purposes beyond amusement value, the answer basically is no, but…

    1. The times that I’ve had covid, the strength of the T signal has started weak, gotten strong, and then trailed slowly off over the course of days.

    2. Same for family members.

    3. Same for acquaintances who I’ve seen post day-by-day test photos on social media.

    4. I’ve read that if you are vaccinated and boosted, your antigen response kicks in faster and so more closely parallels your communicability curve. That is to say that unvaccinated people will be communicable before home antigen tests start noticing that you’re responding. But people who have had covid or vaccinations will test positive sooner. And specifically I’ve read that during the incubation stage when you are infected but not very communicable yet the tests may miss you, but on the other hand that’s okayish because you’re not very communicable yet.

    5. Everything that everyone has said about all the variability can be at least partially controlled, if you are using the same test batch, in the same location, at the same time of day, following the same idiosyncratic procedure for each.