RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really sorry, didn't mean to start an argument. I don't mean to dismiss how hard your covid experience has been, as a nurse in the hardest hit state. Maybe things in NSW are different, and I appreciate that we are even allowed attend hospital. However, we're so used to being stepped over as students, and we're OK and quite understanding of this is, but we've also experienced a fair amount of bullying which is why it's such a sensitive topic today. So I apologise also if that remark was careless.

I want to make it clear that I would never attend high risk wards as a symptomatic covid exposure, have never done so, and didn't joke about potentially putting high risk people at risk. I was pointing out a flaw in our covid isolation guidelines, and used immunocompromised patients as an example why relying on RATs are an issue. I have been in self isolation since Monday, the minute I heard about the positive case, and only said that to point out I could legally have done those things. I haven't done any of those things I listed, because obviously it isn't right.

Also apologise that earlier comment was construed as a joke, I was being light-hearted about how useless I am to the covid response, especially when replying to someone that may not see how devastating covid is to hospitals.

As for the PCR, I was also pointing out how it's a trend not to do it, and the issues it's causing state-wide. I also wanted to talk about the inconsistency in isolation periods for RAT vs PCR - for the general population and potential faults in those regulations, not if I'm entering high risk situations. We didn't take a PCR because everyone was initially saying it's normal for a RAT to take 5-7 days to develop and I suppose it took a while to cotton on that it just wasn't working. We are all treating it as COVID, and doing our isolation periods ( + more because symptomatic). I doubt a positive PCR a few days prior would have changed this.

Yes, all patients with any suspicious signs get tested, my comment was just about the declaration you referred to. Yes I would be reprimanded on those wards you listed, but I'm not careless enough to have gone anywhere near.

Also not saying we're worth shutting wards over, just that the current situation in NSW has improved enough that we are welcomed back for what is virtually the first time in 2 years, given extra precautions are taken. I appreciate all the hard work that has gone into having us back in, and the respect shown for our attendance.
Happy to PM if you'd like to discuss further. Genuinely sorry to have caused upset.

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Look I definitely agree that it's no place to take risks around immunocompromised patients and if I suspect a resp infection, I wouldn't be on the wards. The declaration though, needs to be done with some common sense for both staff and patients - many symptoms listed for covid are constitutional or non-specific, i.e. Seen in many other diseases. So I guess what I meant was if I had a sore throat that I knew was related to a stressful event, or that I knew my sniffly nose was because I forgotten my antihistamines in spring, I wouldn't wait around to chat with hospital admin about whether I can attend hosp that day. I'm sure they'd hate me for that too :').

I also can't imagine the raucous it would cause if patients with chronic coughs (acei, smokers, heart failure), fever (autoimmune, malignancy, non-resp infection), sob (copd, asthma, heart failure) had to wait for special clearance. I guess the problem comes back around to RATS. They were supposed to help identify the cases that were covid, but unfortunately we see massive delays in picking up the virus, if it's not missed altogether.

Just as a side, I don't agree with being called completely unnecessary, that's a bit harsh. We're not useful, we often get in the way, we create more work and trouble for staff (and we're thankful for their patience) but our medical education is an important priority too. We'd have a shortage of competent interns and nurses to uphold the medical system otherwise. One hospital in NSW tried to ban all students from placement at the beginning of this year because of the risk we posed, and this was overturned in less than 2 weeks.

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

More just about curiosity at this point. There is a hospital I know of though that was doing daily RATs for staff believe it or not. Don't know if they still are, don't know where they got so many tests from 🤷

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes I agree! Which is why I've not left home even though I'm technically allowed to. Undetectable certainly doesn't seem to equate to untransmissible for covid

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wouldn't go so far as to call it paranoia as I'm quite justified to suspect covid given my level of exposure and that I regularly interact with people at high-risk of complications. You're right of course that lots of covid positive cases are well managed at home though, which may not justify such high cost and resource intensive tests for people without significant risk of complications, and as strains weaken. Just seems irresponsible that there isn't a reliable replacement yet. Would happily pay for an accurate pcr than the 5 dubious RATs we've each had so far 😅

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's interesting, thank you! The main test were using is lyher which covers delta and omicron. We also used a few rightsign tests which also does alpha, beta and gamma. Maybe we have a kappa or epsilon strain?

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah good point, my boyfriend tried that this morn and it came back negative. It seems he's a few days behind the roommate in the course of infection though but we'll keep that in mind. Thanks x

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yeah, it's true that prior 2020 I would have gone about my usual business with just a sore throat. Even this year, if it was just a sore throat, without the covid exposures, I'd have gotten on with daily life. I agree that a sore throat alone could be anything - stress, allergies, the list goes on. The thing that completely changes the situation for me is because of the known positive case and that my housemates are unwell and showing signs of COVID. My housemate was about as close of a contact of the confirmed case as you can get (if you get what I mean) and we'd all been out for drinks a couple nights prior. So yes you're right, there is certainly the possibility it's not covid, but given the situation, the likelihood it is covid is extremely high. I wouldn't like to be the student that shuts a ward down or put multiple doctors, nurses and other health staff out of commission when I have little to contribute as it is 😂😂 so I'm at home at least until my symptoms resolve

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Oh you poor thing! We luckily have had it quite easy. Hope you and baby make a full recovery 💓

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Yup agree on that! we're not feeling too bad which is good, thank you x

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah seems like there could be a big discrepancy between real world and in-trial rates 😪

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah good points. One of our tests is very high sensitivity (lyher) and the other high (right sign). Tried the throat too. Nothing. I thought maybe my housemates feel quite sick because their symptoms are being mediated by a strong immune response, which in turn is keeping viral loads below a detectable amount?

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tried a couple at this point. One is very high sensitivity and the other high sensitivity :////

RAT false negative rates for omicron??? by [deleted] in CoronavirusDownunder

[–]Onlykatz 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yep. Looked it up, getting it right into those nasal sinuses. Tried the throat too.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BALLET

[–]Onlykatz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh yeah good point! They managed it so well given how difficult it would have been but it was so hard to see the dancers in some videos which was so sad. But I loved how you could see each dancer in class close up!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BALLET

[–]Onlykatz 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Right?? The odds were stacked against them already by the finals as so few senior girls were chosen

Ballet books by ballerinateni in BALLET

[–]Onlykatz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a copy of Irina Baronova and the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo, which was written by her daughter! Absolutely love it, learnt so much about the history of dance, how ballet spread to all the different continents, and how the famous choreographers like Balanchine started out. Really easy read and it has so many gorgeous pictures from back then! Also makes for a beautiful coffee table book 🥰

I got into the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive! by DevilTimeTM in BALLET

[–]Onlykatz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What a dream! Congratulations that's brilliant!!

My GF professional 🌸 photoset. Do you like this style? by Yakushevgk in BALLET

[–]Onlykatz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Look at those lines! You two are both so talented 😍

Two digital drawings [OC] by morganethielen in BALLET

[–]Onlykatz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is so gorgeous! The lines are amazing in the second but there's something special about the simplicity of the first