Jen Psaki is Good at this Job

[jimmyjazz 45950]

4 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

~$2 per test to produce has been reported. I've burned through 7 or 8 boxes for my family over the course of things. 

So the cost drops to $8B annual, and that's if every American (including infants) tests 12 times per year, which is absurd.

I mean, we're almost 2 years into this thing, and I haven't taken a covid test YET.  My wife has taken three.  One daughter took one.  The other three kids and our grandson haven't tested at all.

It's silly not to get these things out there via USPS or something like that, overnight on request, with maybe an automatic buffer shipment of a few per household every few months or so.

[mchookem 16335]

y'all are cute acting like half the country wouldn't burn a free test kit in their front yard if it showed up. what a waste of money that would be lol.

 

[RomaVicta 29907]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

To put a sense of scale on the cost of such a program, the retail price of a BinaxNow kit (2 tests) is $25, so $12.50 per test.  Let's say every American took 1 test per month, so 12 tests per year.  That's $150 per American, annual, or approximately $50B.

We are currently handing out $120B in stimulus money each month.  The annual cost of testing every American once per month would be 3.5% that of our stimulus program.  Yes, it's a lot of money.  That's retail price.  I'm pretty sure the actual cost is much lower.

Unprejudiced question here:

Is big pharma or other medical cabals getting rich off the present system?

It's usually a good starting point for investigation, but I don't know anything about this.

 

Also: Dopesick on HULU is a brilliant series about Oxycontin marketing, addiction, and those fighting it. Can't recommend it enough

[TexasEd 8067]

4 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

We should send them out for free. 

 

3 hours ago, Anastasis said:

It's amazing to me at this point we haven't figured out how to facilitate broad access to rapid testing.  I mean it's not like we have all of these direct to door delivery systems running around ever day with massive distribution hubs to leverage. 

 

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Probably 80% of the country lives within 1 mile of a Walgreens, CVS, or other pharmacy that provides free rapid tests. How much easier access do people need?

 

HEB has them when they're open so does Walmart.  You can take them at home and get the results in 15 minutes.  We've been using them.  They cost between $15-20 for two but then you have them at home and use them when you need them.

Everywhere I have seen for public tests was either free or covered by insurance.  Hell, Texas already has free Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment for people who are positive and high risk to keep the non-vaccinated out of the hospital.  They even send a team of 3 to your house if you ask nicely. What do you think that costs?  Would save more just pushing for vaccination and boosters.

I don't see the problem here, sounds like it is made up.

[Neonmoon 38129]

1 hour ago, mchookem said:

y'all are cute acting like half the country wouldn't burn a free test kit in their front yard if it showed up. what a waste of money that would be lol.

 

Doing nothing is not an acceptable answer. It doesn't matter if half are sacrificed to MAGA fires. 

That gets you this retort. 

[Neonmoon 38129]

2 minutes ago, TexasEd said:

They cost between $15-20 for two

Look, I know that's nothing for everyone on this board. 

But $20 is $20 to some people. Free makes it easier for everyone. No reason not to take the test. 8Billion is like 10 fighter jets. It's a drop in the bucket. It's a no brainer. Anything to help end the pandemic. Then we can go back to fighting about tax cuts and pee pee tapes. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

3 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

Free

“Free” 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33870]

3 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

“Free” 

glad you cleared that up 🙄

[fattyflattie 4639]

2 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

glad you cleared that up 🙄

It’s not free, and should have been presented as such. 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33870]

1 minute ago, fattyflattie said:

It’s not free, and should have been presented as such. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

6 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

Did you miss the post that we could buy 8 fighter jets in lieu of this? 

[jimmyjazz 45950]

6 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Did you miss the post that we could buy 8 fighter jets in lieu of this? 

Is your IQ above 80?

[fattyflattie 4639]

12 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Is your IQ above 80?

Possibly. It’s high enough that my family and I went and got our shots, went and purchased test kits to keep on hand when the kids went back to school, and was able to do it all without the govt sending it to me.  I was even able to afford them. Amazing, I know. 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33870]

1 minute ago, fattyflattie said:

Possibly. It’s high enough that my family and I went and got our shots, went and purchased test kits to keep on hand when the kids went back to school, and was able to do it all without the govt sending it to me.  I was even able to afford them. Amazing, I know. 

I'm less convinced after this post

[fattyflattie 4639]

1 minute ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

I'm less convinced after this post

Oh no. Now I’m concerned. 

[jimmyjazz 45950]

3 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Oh no. Now I’m concerned. 

I don't know why I'm doing this, since you are clearly full of shit, but "free" refers to the cost to the end user, not the government.  You knew that.

[fattyflattie 4639]

Just now, jimmyjazz said:

I don't know why I'm doing this, since you are clearly full of shit, but "free" refers to the cost to the end user, not the government.  You knew that.

I do know that.  It’s free to the people that “$20 is $20” as stated above. It’s not free for the rest of us.  Also, you are a smart guy, and you know that free in no way, shape, or form, actually exists.  

[TexasEd 8067]

1 hour ago, Neonmoon said:

Look, I know that's nothing for everyone on this board. 

But $20 is $20 to some people. Free makes it easier for everyone. No reason not to take the test. 8Billion is like 10 fighter jets. It's a drop in the bucket. It's a no brainer. Anything to help end the pandemic. Then we can go back to fighting about tax cuts and pee pee tapes. 

You left out this part of my message:

1 hour ago, TexasEd said:

Everywhere I have seen for public tests was either free or covered by insurance. 

Are people actually paying out of pocket for tests at a drive up?  Like I said, everywhere I have seen was free or covered by insurance.  Who is paying for COVID tests that is not doing it for convenience to keep at home when they need it?  I could see people in BFE do it because they live 30 miles from a populated area, but that is still for their convenience and half those people think it is a hoax anyway.

[jimmyjazz 45950]

26 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I do know that.  It’s free to the people that “$20 is $20” as stated above. It’s not free for the rest of us.  Also, you are a smart guy, and you know that free in no way, shape, or form, actually exists.  

If we're balancing the books, I would happily sacrifice 8 fighter jets per year to pay for free covid testing on demand.

[TexasEd 8067]

27 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I do know that.  It’s free to the people that “$20 is $20” as stated above. It’s not free for the rest of us.  Also, you are a smart guy, and you know that free in no way, shape, or form, actually exists.  

The blueberries I picked on the Appalachian trail and added to my oatmeal for breakfast seemed like they were free.

 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33870]

is someone charging me for this air I'm breathing?

[Ten Bears 2481]

8 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

is someone charging me for this air I'm breathing?

If you're on a ventilator they are.

[Biff Tannen 45684]

11 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

is someone charging me for this air I'm breathing?

[Neonmoon 38129]

1 hour ago, TexasEd said:

You left out this part of my message:

Are people actually paying out of pocket for tests at a drive up?  Like I said, everywhere I have seen was free or covered by insurance.  Who is paying for COVID tests that is not doing it for convenience to keep at home when they need it?  I could see people in BFE do it because they live 30 miles from a populated area, but that is still for their convenience and half those people think it is a hoax anyway.

I know plenty of people who have paid for COVID tests. While you may be right, that it is “free” at some places, and covered by insurance, there are still some hurdles for it. The lower 95 ain’t jumping through any hoops, and many lazy ass people aren’t either. It doesn’t cost much (comparatively) and the benefits far outweigh the costs. 
 

( I added the quotes on free because @fattyflattie is moron)

[TexasEd 8067]

1 minute ago, Neonmoon said:

I know plenty of people who have paid for COVID tests. While you may be right, that it is “free” at some places, and covered by insurance, there are still some hurdles for it. The lower 95 ain’t jumping through any hoops, and many lazy ass people aren’t either. It doesn’t cost much (comparatively) and the benefits far outweigh the costs. 
 

( I added the quotes on free because @fattyflattie is moron)

Sounds like a them problem.

Can't fix lazy or stupid.  If they need free they should be able to get free.  I'm not volunteering to drive them to the right spot.

[wildcat09 29354]

It isn't hard to fucking mail at home tests to people and then they don't need to risk getting others sick when they're feeling shitty and need to test.

[CooterBrown 18012]

At this point, if you’re not vaccinated, go suffocate to death on your freedom outside of the healthcare system. Eventually, you have to say we’ve done what we can reasonably do and let Darwin handle the rest. I will be at that point about 3 months after 0-5 year olds are eligible for the vaccine.

[Anastasis 23469]

Our approach to testing has been a 360 abortion since day one and continues to be one today.  Psaki's little smile in her retort cracks my shit up though.  You got 'em, Psaki.  Very clever. 

[elfenix 34240]

my test was free* because i billed it back to my firm for exposing me

 

 

 

*not really because i did have to drive to a walgreens which i otherwise wouldn't have been to and then read the instructions and do the test and the first one didn't work so i had to use the second and then i had to take the 30 seconds to fill out an expense report and all that took up my valuable time and i lost out on whatever else i could have been doing for those pedants who took introductory microeconomics as part of their electives in high school or college but almost certainly didn't get a degree but feel they are fully equipped to argue with degree holders about economics and also don't understand how language is used by normal people

Edited December 8, 2021 by elfenix

[Bullneck 19090]

Page 14 of the Jen Psaki thread is Jen Psaki "free."

[Sawbonz 27561]

3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

If we're balancing the books, I would happily sacrifice 8 fighter jets per year to pay for free covid testing on demand.

How about neither?

[jimmyjazz 45950]

8 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

How about neither?

I'd be happy with 8 fewer fighter jets, but nah, I think the covid tests need to be as available as possible.

[Guest Lobo]

23 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'd be happy with 8 fewer fighter jets, but nah, I think the covid tests need to be as available as possible.

You mean "Less"?  ***

Dammit, why aren't I informed of these things? 

[Sawbonz 27561]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'd be happy with 8 fewer fighter jets, but nah, I think the covid tests need to be as available as possible.

I disagree 

[jimmyjazz 45950]

7 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

I disagree 

Can you elaborate?

[Sawbonz 27561]

9 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Can you elaborate?

The virus is endemic at this point and will be until we can get the vax rate over 90%. Testing isn’t going to make a dent in spread until that happens.

 

Plus we don’t have a plan to contact trace and isolate positives.  So it’s really just throwing money down the drain. 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Sawbonz

[jimmyjazz 45950]

8 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

The virus is endemic at this point and will be until we can get the vax rate over 90%.

90%.  Lulz.  I'm sure you agree.

 

Quote

Testing isn’t going to make a dent in spread until that happens.

 

Plus we don’t have a plan to contact trace and isolate positives.  So it’s really just throwing money down the drain. 

It's not as if such a plan doesn't exist.  I think you're letting perfect defeat good.

[TexLonghorn 5667]

If I could derail this thread for a second to talk about Jen Psaki and how good she is at her job...

Did anyone catch Jen 'accidentally' referring to Lindsey Graham as "her"?

[Mdhorn 5949]

On 12/8/2021 at 9:02 PM, Sawbonz said:

The virus is endemic at this point and will be until we can get the vax rate over 90%. Testing isn’t going to make a dent in spread until that happens.

 

Plus we don’t have a plan to contact trace and isolate positives.  So it’s really just throwing money down the drain. 

I get my building access revoked if I don't take a covid test every two weeks.  It damn sure does help the business know who's vaccinated and who isn't if it's mandated to have the shot or lose your job.  It's that simple.  It's private so they can do it.  If I get covid, then I work from home and quarantine.

And yes, testing does make a dent.  Before mask, getting vaccinated and testing mandates (travel, school, businesses), 12 people a day in PG County were dying from Covid and now it's at a 7 day average of 0.  It only spikes again when the mandates are suspended.  It works like a charm in fact but really, you knew this.  

On the news tonight I saw where some dumb fucks are suing the CDC and hospital because they are on life support for taking ivermectin to treat covid.  When did either advise to take Ivermectin? I'd start with suing Joe Rogan and Republican lawmakers if I was going to amp up dumb lawsuits.  

I support reaching herd immunity through die off too, except the virus mutates which makes all of us unsafe in the future.  Not that idiots or disingenuous people that are just asking questions or making non-fact based assumptions care.    

Edited December 15, 2021 by Mdhorn

[Sawbonz 27561]

3 minutes ago, Mdhorn said:

I get my building access revoked if I don't take a covid test every two weeks

Why the fuck do you think a Covid test every 14 days makes any sense from an epidemiological standpoint? It’s fucking idiotic. You have people on this very website who are fully vaxed and boosted contracting Covid with no known contacts. How the fuck is a test every 2 weeks of asymptomatic people going to matter?

increasing the percentage of people with immunity is what is driving down the hospitalizations and deaths. That immunity is coming from ever higher vaccination rates and recovered cases    Same as it ever was

 

[Mdhorn 5949]

Just now, Sawbonz said:

Why the fuck do you think a Covid test every 14 days makes any sense from an epidemiological standpoint? It’s fucking idiotic. You have people on this very website who are fully vaxed and boosted contracting Covid with no known contacts. How the fuck is a test every 2 weeks of asymptomatic people going to matter?

increasing the percentage of people with immunity is what is driving down the hospitalizations and deaths. That immunity is coming from ever higher vaccination rates and recovered cases    Same as it ever was

 

So you don't think it helps to quarantine people that contact covid which get discovered through testing?  BTW, it goes way down in places that do this.  It's damn surprising really--shocking.  How does that work?  Could it somehow disrupt the transmission chain?  Now if I hop on an airplane which is going to happen in two weeks, then all bets are off.  

[Sawbonz 27561]

Just now, Mdhorn said:

So you don't think it helps to quarantine people that contact covid which get discovered through testing?  BTW, it goes way down in places that do this.  It's damn surprising really--shocking.  How does that work?  Could it somehow disrupt the transmission chain?  Now if I hop on an airplane which is going to happen in two weeks, then all bets are off.  

Of course quarantining positives is effective. What is not effective is testing asymptomatic people every 2 weeks.
 

Tell me how many positives do you think you miss if you are testing q 14 days for a virus that is often asymptomatic, infectious at 48-72 hours and cleared by 7-10 days? And In asymptomatic people antigen tests give false negatives up to 40% of the time. It’s idiotic. 

Do you want to make the argument that we should PCR test everyone q2 days? Because that would work. No one would put up with it, but it would be effective. 

[Mdhorn 5949]

We're also annexed to a hospital which helps with the testing but data and money say that if it were ineffective, they wouldn't do it.  It's not any more complicated than that.  

Edit: We've been doing this for well over a year now so it seems to work well enough that they continue to throw money on it and collect data.  

Edited December 15, 2021 by Mdhorn

[TwiceHorn 31470]

On 12/8/2021 at 12:40 PM, RomaVicta said:

Unprejudiced question here:

Is big pharma or other medical cabals getting rich off the present system?

It's usually a good starting point for investigation, but I don't know anything about this.

 

Also: Dopesick on HULU is a brilliant series about Oxycontin marketing, addiction, and those fighting it. Can't recommend it enough

I think pharma, big and small (Moderna isn't very big, Pfizer and JJ are, obvs), are making money.

Unlike some of the niche drugs that they sell, that treat comparatively rare conditions, the volume on Covid stuff is so huge they don't need the grotesque margins that attract so much negative attention.  Nor are they having to engage in shady marketing.  Literally every man, woman, and child on the planet needs their drugs.

Nor have they had the opportunity to do things like patent the latest, greatest "improved" formula for insulin that they can overcharge for, when the regular old stuff would do. And convincing docs they need to prescribe the expensive shit.  In other words, they don't really have to worry too much about competition.  They're all selling as much as they can make.

I'd be interested to hear what medicos say about what this is doing to hospitals, financially.  I'd wager most Covid patients have little ability to pay beyond what their insurance pays.  But most cases enter hospitals via ER, where the hospital is far less likely to deny or curtail treatment for financial reasons, and where insurance may be more "generous" than with more conventional, non-emergent care.  And, Medicare is footing the bill for a great number of the hospitalizations, and they're notoriously stingy.

In other words, I'm sure hospitals are generating literally billions or hundreds of billions in billings by their "normal, retail" standards.  But I'm pretty sure there's no one paying those bills.  Maybe some in part.

Edited December 15, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[Sawbonz 27561]

11 minutes ago, Mdhorn said:

We're also annexed to a hospital which helps with the testing but data and money say that if it were ineffective, they wouldn't do it.  It's not any more complicated than that.  

Edit: We've been doing this for well over a year now so it seems to work well enough that they continue to throw money on it and collect data.  

That’s begging the question. There is no epidemiologically sound rationale for testing asymptomatic people q 2 weeks

[Mdhorn 5949]

Just now, Sawbonz said:

That’s begging the question. There is no epidemiologically sound rationale for testing asymptomatic people q 2 weeks

I think everything works together. I'm not arguing for testing without vaccination or masks.   If I'm vaccinated and wearing a mask and testing regular, it's highly effective and I have two jobs and they both do this so I know that it's not isolated or a failure and it's been over a year now.  

Now I'm curious why it would be isolated to only do one of mask, testing and vaccination and why wouldn't it work?  It's not flawless and Tylenol isn't flawless for headaches or pains but it certainly helps the majority.  

[Sawbonz 27561]

6 minutes ago, Mdhorn said:

I think everything works together. I'm not arguing for testing without vaccination or masks.   If I'm vaccinated and wearing a mask and testing regular, it's highly effective and I have two jobs and they both do this so I know that it's not isolated or a failure and it's been over a year now.  

Now I'm curious why it would be isolated to only do one of mask, testing and vaccination and why wouldn't it work?  It's not flawless and Tylenol isn't flawless for headaches or pains but it certainly helps the majority.  

You’re still begging the question. Testing q 2 weeks is not effective to catch a significant number of positives for this virus. 

[Mdhorn 5949]

17 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

You’re still begging the question. Testing q 2 weeks is not effective to catch a significant number of positives for this virus. 

This isn't practiced on its own anywhere--it's not isolated to show its effectiveness, same with masks. Again, business wouldn't pay for it if it weren't effective and the only data they care about is corona virus cases.   

Edited December 15, 2021 by Mdhorn

[Bullneck 19090]

 

 

[jimmyjazz 45950]

On 12/14/2021 at 10:40 PM, Sawbonz said:

You’re still begging the question. Testing q 2 weeks is not effective to catch a significant number of positives for this virus. 

I'd like to see the analysis on expected results of this policy.  It would seem that plenty of cases would be missed, but if it catches (say) 30%, that's not zero.