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If you live in Japan and haven't already been tested for the coronavirus, do you wish to get a PCR test?

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From the CDC:

After December 31, 2021, CDC will withdraw the request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel, the assay first introduced in February 2020 for detection of SARS-CoV-2 only. CDC is providing this advance notice for clinical laboratories to have adequate time to select and implement one of the many FDA-authorized alternatives.

https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dls/locs/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert-Changes_CDC_RT-PCR_SARS-CoV-2_Testing_1.html

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

He is the link to the CDC page regarding the PCR being disapproved:

https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dls/locs/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert-Changes_CDC_RT-PCR_SARS-CoV-2_Testing_1.html

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

No, the CDC will actually ditch the PCR at the end of the year because it is not reliable enough.

CDC encourages laboratories to consider adoption of a multiplexed method that can facilitate detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses.

If you google that, the "fact checkers" results will poor in to fool you (some more), so please see the direct link to the CDC page.

PCR have fooled the world in believing the flu had disappeared. lol

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Naw, I'm good.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you feel fine but test positive then you need to go into quarantine to protect other people. You will be spreading the disease and masks are not 100 percent effective.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

If you feel fine, in what way would your actions change if you test positive?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Why does everyone need to be tested, rather should test everyone who needs a test? Money and time do not grow in trees.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I don’t want a test right now, but I would like to be able to easily take one when I might need one without having to jump through a bunch of bureaucratic hoops designed to discourage me from taking one.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

If the govt was providing them for free, and I was looking to go an visit frineds or relatives, yes. Remidmer this word: asymptomatic.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

I can be an asymptotic fully vaccinated person. So should I get a PCR test everyday, three times a day to make sure if I show positive, to give the list of people I was with before those test results, or even better, give the time and train car number I was on during the 7:30 am Yamanote train rush?

If you want to.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I can be an asymptotic fully vaccinated person. So should I get a PCR test everyday, three times a day to make sure if I show positive, to give the list of people I was with before those test results, or even better, give the time and train car number I was on during the 7:30 am Yamanote train rush?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

The PCR is completely misused. I used this in the laboratories I worked in.

You not being able to use it correctly has no relevance on proper laboratories using it without any problem, present evidence that sensitivity and specificity are not what is reported in the literature or your argument simply holds no weight.

There is absolutely no importance with the number of cycles for methods that call it, the number of cycles do NOT increase the occurrence of false positives since many other forms of control are available as long as a machine from this century is used, the opinion of nameless people are just hearsay, tell them to present their data.

We have no idea how many of those tested are False positive

You may not because because of lack of knowledge or experience, but the professionals do, the methodology developed by the National instutitute of infectious diseases that is used as a standard for the tests done in Japan is proved to be specific at levels of 99.9% of the test, it is not realistically possible that a systematic over reporting of cases is happening, this is well known by anybody that follows the diagnostic methods for COVID.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking/covid-19-pcr-test-reliable-despite-commotion-about-ct-values

As I mentioned yesterday before the so called mods who seem to be protecting you deleted my comments, I find it interesting that you just happened to pop up at around the time this whole thing started.

So you think the COVID began in 2017? maybe you should focus more on the arguments and not the people so you don't break the rules, and also abandon these fantasy based conspiracies.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Nope. Getting PCR tested at a hospital in a inclosed biohazard tent with others waiting to find out if they are infected will likely get you infected besides whats the point of getting PCR testing in japan if they dont have any doctors and hospitals to treat you?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

I am fully vacced so no.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Why? If you are feeling fine, you could get tested and walk out a hour later and get it.

Seems like a waste of time unless you were in a large group that came up positive.

A third of those with Covid have no symptoms, so it is important those without symptoms are tested. Also, genome testing of PCR samples can be used to track the spread of the virus and identify new variants.

But Dave thinks it’s all a waste of time……….

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Kind of a weirdly stated question for such a simple "Yes" or "No" required answer. I have already gotten my first vaccination, and will soon get the second, and haven't felt any need to get the test, so "no", but I do wish it were much more easily available to be tested if you felt you needed to be, "yes".

OssanAmerica: "Which is why the crowd always whining about "not enough tests in Japan" don't know what they are whining about."

Wrong. The people saying there is not enough testing were pointing it out rightly so when there was not enough testing, plain and simple, like WELL before any vaccine was available and Japan was testing 1000 people in a city of 16 million, while other countries were testing millions nationwide (and Japan bragging that it only had a few positive cases at 8% + positivity while even 1% positivity in a nation that tests 100 times more people would result in a higher number of positive tests overall elsewhere). Vaccinations are now being carried out on a large scale here, and there is less need, and more testing available in general (even one is more than zero, remember!), but it is still not even close to the number of other nations who have a better idea of the infected public, and you are still hard pressed to find a place to get tested in many cases. And contact tracing? Basically doesn't exist here because they waited too long to start. So, while a few posters on here, myself including, feel personally we don't need it, there are a whole lot more who might want to and/or need it but cannot because the numbers tested are still pretty dismal.

-12 ( +6 / -18 )

First several posters are bang on. Makes no sense to test unless you are showing symptoms or part of a cluster trace. Which is why the crowd always whining about "not enough tests in Japan" don't know what they are whining about.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

If you don't have symptoms, then you can pay for a PCR test and get it.

If you have symptoms, it becomes much harder to get tested, as you need to go through the government. It could take days or even weeks for them to schedule you a "free" test. As most paid PCR testing center are not willing to test symptomatic patients, the patients who needs the tests the most have limited access. As such, the vast majority of people are unable to qualify for the new antibody treatments as they will be unable to obtain the confirmed covid diagnosis within the first 7 days of symptom onset.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

In normal circumstances, no. But If I needed to travel urgently, or if I had symptoms, or if I thought I came in close contact with someone who was positive, then I should be able to get free testing quickly.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

PCR, no. But I wouldn't mind an occasional antibody test.

Wny do you care @Raw Beer? It's harmless right?

Oh no, Covid-19 is not harmless, never said it was. But for me, I believe it is less harmful than the vaccine....

If I could confirm a recent recovery from Covid-19, I would feel even more at ease and it would help me put those around me at ease...

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

I will wait until I get paid for that, as with vaccines in some countries ;)

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

i like to study for at least two weeks at a cram school near my abode before taking any tests, but after that? yes, i would love to take this PCR test

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Wny do you care @Raw Beer? It's harmless right?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

PCR, no. But I wouldn't mind an occasional antibody test.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

hopefully the cost of the test were cheaper to the ovel of 500 yen or so.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

the question may not be appropriate because some people still want to take PCR test although they have already taken it before for other reasons. so this figure is misleading, which may exclude the people who still want to take the test,

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The issue is that you could be negative today and positive tomorrow and vice versa.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

If I was going to visit an elderly relative I'd have one but that wasn't really the question posed.

The question only says how many people would like to be tested, without saying in what kind of situation they are. Obviously some people without any risk factors would like a test just for curiosity, but others would have any of the multiple valid reasons to have one (like working in something where regular tests are indicated, just not in Japan).

My point is not that everybody should get tested, but that a lot of people can have perfectly valid reasons to want a test but can't get one in Japan as easily as in many other countries. Each asymptomatic case that is identified is a case that can be isolated before it can spread the disease around. The actual cost of each test is easily offset by the much better control that is achieved by making them easily accesible.

7 ( +16 / -9 )

I normally agree with you 100% @virusrex - Yes - if I was travelling (I'd have to have one) - If I was going to visit an elderly relative I'd have one but that wasn't really the question posed.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Why? If you are feeling fine, you could get tested and walk out a hour later and get it.

Seems like a waste of time unless you were in a large group that came up positive.

The question is not directed only to people that feel fine and have not been exposed, it can be useful to know how much people at this moment feel they have the possibility of being infected and would like to know better.

A test result is just valid for the moment.

And that is still a perfectly valid reason for a lot of people that would want to know the situation at the moment. What if you need to visit someone with preexisting conditions soon, or are feeling unusually tired and would like to know if you should take a few days off work? even if you feel fine the next day it would still be possible you are an asymptomatic carrier.

2 ( +16 / -14 )

Why? If you are feeling fine, you could get tested and walk out a hour later and get it.

I 100% agree!

A test result is just valid for the moment.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

I agree with Dave. Pointless waste of money. I could walk out of here right now onto the train (busy) and be exposed. - with the Vaccine drive the way its going. no point.

I've had an antibody test twice, purely out of curiosity.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

I would like to have a PCR test which is sent away to a lab and an Antibody test.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

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