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Anyone else in the U.K. had a letter about a covid testing study?

Discussion in 'Epidemics (including Covid-19, not Long Covid)' started by NelliePledge, Jun 30, 2020.

  1. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    I’ve had a letter asking if I will take part in a study by Imperial College London comparing two home tests swab of nose & throat vs saliva. It says the swab ‘May cause some mild short lived discomfort’. I’ve heard that it’s quite unpleasant.

    i feel like I should do it as I’ve been asked but considering sore throat is one of my symptoms slightly concerned I might struggle with the swab.

    it’s the test to see if you currently have CV but doesn’t register if you’ve previously had it. I don’t think I’ve got it or have had it I’ve had little contact with people since lockdown and not been inside any buildings other than home.
     
  2. Wonko

    Wonko Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    6,674
    Location:
    UK
    I have not received such a letter, and TBH if I did/do would not do it.

    An accurate antibody, or other test to determine if I had had it, would be a different matter.

    But I've been shielding since the 18th of March, the only people I have had any contact with are delivery drivers, and all but 2 of them have been further than 2 meters away at all times.

    I suppose it's possible that I could pick it up off of a bag, or box, or even the banister or bin lid, when I put rubbish out - but not very likely, and allegedly within 14 days of no 'unusual' symptoms that possibility diminishes.

    So IMO taking such a test would be a waste of my time, their time, resources, and any discomfort would be totally unnecessary.

    In short (lol), it's all downside with no possibility of their being any upside for me, or anyone else.

    (I also fail to see the point of assessing 2 different testing approaches on people who do not already have a current positive test result, as what is being tested for isn't the virus but the reliability of the 2 testing approaches)
     
  3. wigglethemouse

    wigglethemouse Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    954
    In case you are interested saliva tests are now coming out. Maybe they are testing how good the new saliva method is vs swab? Columbia have a new rapid COVID-19 test using saliva.
    https://twitter.com/user/status/1275479500470603776


    News article :
    https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/one-two-three-spit-covid-19-test-born-columbia-fertility-clinic

    Paper : Field-deployable, rapid diagnostic testing of saliva samples for SARS-CoV-2.
    https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.13.20129841v1

    My understanding is that the Columbia test uses an improved RT-LAMP detection method. Here is the wikipedia entry for RT-LAMP
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Transcription_Loop-mediated_Isothermal_Amplification
     
  4. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    Ooh good point @Wonko they should be doing a different study. All/some of the folks who have suspected Cv should be asked to do both.
     
  5. wigglethemouse

    wigglethemouse Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    954
    There is a Q&A for the study here
    https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/covid-19-swab-and-saliva-test-faqs
     
  6. wigglethemouse

    wigglethemouse Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    954
    Here is the reason you got the letter from the FAQ link
    ETA:
     
  7. Keela Too

    Keela Too Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    I had a swab test. I had been using the ZOE Covid App to report daily symptoms, and they asked me to go.

    I was worried about the nasal swab, but in reality it was much easier than the throat swab.

    Honestly, I had no idea I could stick something so far up my nose!! Yet it was just weird. The throat one though is a bit gag inducing, but not awful either.

    I was clear. As expected.
     
  8. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    Yep that’s in the letter it’s pretty comprehensive.
     
    MeSci, MEMarge and Kitty like this.
  9. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    So did you have to do both nose and throat for the same test - the swab test consists of two separate swabs?
     
    MeSci, MEMarge, Kitty and 1 other person like this.
  10. Kitty

    Kitty Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    5,056
    Location:
    UK
    I've been doing swab tests weekly as part of the ONS study.

    The throat one can be a bit uncomfortable until you get used to it, mainly because you have to go right to the back of the throat (behind the 'arch') – it's really ticklish, and can make you feel like gagging slightly. But it's not in any way painful, and only takes a few seconds. With the study I'm in, you do your throat first and then both nostrils, all with the same swab. The nose isn't uncomfortable at all.

    If you want to try before you decide, maybe do it in front of a mirror with a cotton bud taped to a biro (or something similar)? You have to sweep around your throat gently four or five times, and try to avoid your teeth and gums. It's also worth blowing your nose before you do the nostrils bit, to make sure your swab doesn't emerge with an embarrassing gift on it!
     
  11. Keela Too

    Keela Too Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Oh... maybe that word “swab” shouldn’t be in my post.... it was the cotton bud on a long stick, it gets wiped over back of throat, then after that stuffed up each nostril in turn and twirled around a set number of times.

    So yes, nose and throat all done on the same cotton bud.
     
  12. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    No problem they call it the swab test so that’s fine I hadn’t gone on to the website to look at any details possibly this is all explained there.
     
    Kitty likes this.
  13. BruceInOz

    BruceInOz Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    414
    Location:
    Tasmania
    I haven't read anything about the study but I'm guessing they want to know how often the tests agree, whether that's positive or negative. As such, I'd have thought they may be just as happy to get those who know they will be negative as long as they are getting a reasonably representative sample.
     
    Invisible Woman, Kitty and Trish like this.
  14. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    A bit selfish but I think I’m going to pass.
     
  15. Sarah94

    Sarah94 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,601
    Location:
    UK
    My mum got selected to do the antibodies test... she doesn't have the antibodies, not really a surprise since as far as we know we haven't had covid!
     
  16. Wits_End

    Wits_End Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    1,323
    Location:
    UK London
    My caree got selected and volunteered to do the swab test. She found the throat part distinctly difficult to do, although the nose wasn't too bad (but it made her sneeze, which was unhelpful). You should be aware that:

    a) you have to book the courier first, and then do the test on the day he's due to collect it - we weren't given any indication of timing, just a time slot between 8 and 5 or some such, so she had to do it first thing to be on the safe side (it then goes in the fridge until collection). He turned up about 4 pm or so :(

    b) there is a long online survey you have to fill in the same day, after you've done the test. It does indeed take somewhere in the region of 10 minutes, and I'd say requires quite a lot of cognitive input (including things about your health and your response to lockdown).

    So ask yourself if you can cope with all that in one day before deciding whether to take part.
     
    ladycatlover, Wonko and NelliePledge like this.
  17. MeSci

    MeSci Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    4,441
    Location:
    Cornwall, UK
    This sounds different from the one I have received - it involves nose and throat swabs collected by a 'study worker' but carried out by oneself at a safe distance. Someone who completes "all 16 visits over a year" will get £425!

    So I am trying to register, but having used the email address I have received the message "this email facility is specifically for the use of participants with a registered disability which may prevent them from using the telephone."

    I don't think that ME/CFS is a registered disability, so I will have to try the freephone number later when I am more compos mentis.

    Just had a quick look at the webpage https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/covid-19-infection-survey but can't take any more in at present.
     
    Kitty likes this.
  18. MeSci

    MeSci Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    4,441
    Location:
    Cornwall, UK
    Kitty likes this.
  19. MeSci

    MeSci Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    4,441
    Location:
    Cornwall, UK
    I just phoned and registered, but at the end I couldn't string a sentence together or make any sense! I asked them to note my email address and also to phone after 1700 (I am going to be phoned by someone in the next 2 weeks).
     
    MEMarge, Kitty and It's M.E. Linda like this.
  20. Kitty

    Kitty Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    5,056
    Location:
    UK
    I've been doing this one since April. I've found the central contact team a bit hit and miss, but once you're actually allocated your health professional, it's much more reliable.

    My nurse lives near me, so she always does my test first. She'll ring on Mondays at around 8:00am to check I'm going to be at home that day; then phone all her other participants; then text me when she's setting off. She usually gets here around 10:30am.

    I'm at the end of my weekly swabs – five in all – and have now gone on to the monthly ones. I've also had bloods taken twice to test for antibodies, although you don't get to know the results of these.

    You're sent gift vouchers via email for participating. A link takes you to a page where you can select from a number of outlets to spend the voucher (you can split it between more than one outlet). You then receive the redemption code for your voucher by email. I usually avoid buying from Amazon, to be honest, but I've been choosing it for my vouchers; I know it's easy to redeem there and they sell so many different things!
     

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