THE ILLUSION OF "FREE" COVID TESTS: A Deeper Dive Exposing Hidden Agendas
How much are the "free" tests costing all of us?
It's important to take advantage of the free COVID-19 tests, but make sure that you understand there is a lot more happening beneath the surface of this apparently generous action.
Let's start this journey by accepting that if the government was intent on protecting people they could do much more by simply updating the CDC guidance to reflect the science and data.
They could do more by being open and clear regarding the “free” tests. Will they add a large warning sticker, reminding people to wait until 4 or 5 days from symptom onset to use the “free” test, or to take a second test 48 hours after a negative result?
Will the tests directions say to swab your throat, and nose?(1)(2) The latest studies show this is much more accurate.
Will they advertise the website for recording positive test results to aid monitoring and public health data? If they do, will the CDC incorporate it into the data they provide?
During the 2022 State of the Union Address, President Biden said, “If you’re immunocompromised or have some other vulnerability, we have treatments and free high-quality masks.”
None of the available monoclonal antibodies work against BA.2.86 and its sub-variants. Paxlovid efficacy has been significantly reduced and tens of millions can’t take Paxlovid due to other health conditions. Where are the free high quality masks?
If the government was being genuine and offering these tests in good faith, they could also offer to mail out free N-95 masks for adults and children.
While people order the “free” tests, it would be a great opportunity to provide information on the efficacy of N-95 masks or on the importance of preventing airborne transmission within schools, homes, or businesses by increasing ventilation and air filtration. Despite tons of supporting data and science, they aren’t actively promoting this.
A study from January 2023 shows "Wearing of masks eliminated surface deposition and reduces the viral RNA in residual droplet nuclei which lends additional support to use of facemasks as a preventative measure in communities to reduce transmission."
“The vast majority of exhaled virions in both the supermarket and the passenger car remained entrained in the air until they were ventilated out of the space.”
Another study from July 2023 delves into airborne transmission within a high-rise building. The CDC a large study showing, “This demonstrates that when all students and staff participate in universal mask-wearing, transmission is reduced by 72%.”
Since they aren’t offering free high quality masks as we go into the 4th school year it appears as if they don’t want to remind people that COVID is airborne.
The CDC hasn’t updated the guidance to extend the isolation time beyond 5 days or to require a negative test to return to work or school despite the many studies showing people are most infectious for 8 to 10 days, with many still contagious well beyond that, going out to 20 +days.
A study published Sept 8th 2023, says “that participants exhaled an average of 80 SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA copies per minute during the first 8 days of infection, with significant variability both between and within individuals, including spikes over 800 copies a minute in some patients. After day 8, there was a steep drop to levels nearing the limit of detection, persisting for up to 20 days.”
This study says, “SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in exhaled air in 12 (24.5%) patients up to 23 days after symptom onset.”
A study from Oct 2022 says, “Rapid antigen test positivity remained high 5 days after symptom onset, supporting guidelines requiring a negative test to inform the length of the isolation period."
If they wanted to be transparent they could add a flyer to the package and post on the ordering website, “Ensure you obtain a PCR test through your doctor or at the very least, take a picture of your positive at-home test result and save it. Keeping a record of all positive results could prove invaluable should you need to apply for disability insurance or Social Security Disability benefits. Claims often face denials without concrete proof of infection.”
Instead most people don’t go to the doctor, therefore don’t have a record at the doctors office and throw away the tests so the positive tests go unrecorded, potentially absolving the government of monetary liability by making it challenging for individuals to prove their COVID-19 history when making a claim for Long COVID disability benefits. Sadly, this is the most likely reason for the government to send out the “free” tests. Think about it. What else does the government provide to everyone for free? You know the old saying, “nothing in life is free.” In economics, there is a concept known as "opportunity cost," which suggests that even when something is seemingly free, you must consider what you are giving up by choosing it. Let’s take a look at the numbers to see why the government would want to provide these tests.
In November of 2022 it was reported that "the Social Security Administration has identified about 40,000 disability claims that “include indication of a COVID infection at some point,” spokesperson Nicole Tiggemann said. How many people with long COVID are among the more than 1 million disability claims awaiting processing by Social Security is unknown."(4) How many more people are in need a year later?
The U.S. Census Bureau posted an update on their Household Pulse Survey for Aug 26 -Sept 4th, 2023.(5) The website shows the "Percentage of adults who previously had COVID-19, with symptoms lasting 3 months or longer" They found that approximately 28% of U.S. Adults reported symptoms lasting 3 months or longer. In ID, NM,& MS it are at over 34% of people reporting Long COVID symptoms. 15 U.S. States have more than 30% of people reporting Long COVID symptoms! All together, the U.S. Census Bureau is reporting that 35 million people, excluding children, say that have had persistent COVID symptoms lasting 3 months or longer. Roughly 1 in 10 adults.
This has a huge impact on education, work productivity, families & individuals finances, and the whole economy. If a fraction of that number applied for disability insurance or Social Security Disability and had the proof required, it becomes a huge burden on the government and big insurance companies. Much, much higher than the $600,000 million being spent to produce approximately 200 million “free” COVID tests. (6) Keep in mind that is taxpayer dollars they are using so it’s costing taxpayers but that is small change compared to what we look at next.
According to the Social Security Administration website, they show that as of 2003, that each disabled worker cost them approximately $11,000.00. Yes, that is still on their website so let's use that number, acknowledging that it is likely quite a bit lower than it is today. If we imagine that just 10% of the 35 million people reported in the household pulse survey applied for Social Security disability benefits in the next 6 months, that would be 3.5 million people. If we multiply the $11,000 by 3.5 million people, then the cost is $38.5 billion. Lets say that only 1% apply for disability. That still adds up to $3.85 billion.
Based on these numbers, we can see that there is a huge motive for the government to desire a loophole in limiting the number of claims. They undoubtedly know the numbers. It is highly unlikely that they don't realize these tests reduce their liability. It is also quite likely that they figured out that the people in lower income situations are more likely to utilize the free tests without understanding what they are giving up by using them and not getting a test through their doctors office. This will disproportionately impact people without health insurance since they are much less likely to schedule a doctors appointment and pay for a PCR test. They also know that because Long COVID often takes months to become such a burden that people can’t work, many people, particularly those that got the false negative test results, won’t connect the dots.
Let’s look deeper into this from the government and corporate perspective. They understand that most people don’t know about waiting 4 to 5 days from symptom onset. They likely figured out that a large number of people will use the tests on the 2nd or 3rd day without retesting. More often than not, that will produce a negative result and since symptoms are mild in a large number of working age people then the negative test sends them back to work or school. That alone is a huge win. If it is positive, the unscientific guidance says, go back after just 5 days which is another win if you don’t care about peoples health and the onward transmission.
If someone has a positive rapid test it calms them down because now they know what it is, instead of worrying because they don’t know what it is. As long as the symptoms don’t get worse, the vast majority of people won’t go to the doctor for another test to confirm it. From the government or corporate perspective, this reduces their liability in terms of the money they would otherwise pay out in insurance claims.
They very likely also understand that a certain percentage of the hundreds of thousands of infections everyday will be mild at first, but turn into long-term disabling conditions. A study from January 2023 titled, “Long-Term Symptoms after Mild Coronavirus Disease in Healthy Healthcare Professionals”, concluded by saying, “This study revealed a high prevalence of persistent symptoms of COVID-19 in healthy individuals.” Despite knowing this, we haven’t upgraded infection control standards in hospitals to mitigate COVID transmission. Not only are we putting patients lives at risk, we are putting the lives of those that care for the patients at risk.
To make matters worse, the CDC, aka the Centers for Disease Transmission, is looking to update infection control standards in hospitals. The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) is the body that advises the CDC on infection control in healthcare. Unbelievably, HICPAC is currently discussing drafts that weaken infection control policies.
Read more and sign onto a letter from the WHN that focuses on the prevention of airborne transmission here. The deadline for signatures on this letter was extended until October 13, 2023.
When we look at it from a business or monetary perspective, then we can see that a $600 million investment in tests, at the beginning of every anticipated surge, is actually saving many billions of dollars for the government and big insurance companies. Not only does it save money by preventing insurance claims, the tests and the CDC guidance help keep parent workers from staying home with their kids and puts them back to work. Millions of people are forced to work when they are sick because they don’t have the sick days to cover the time they actually should be taking off. It is sickening to think that they would make decisions like this but lets face it, this is how it has been done for decades.
In the United States, where the government should be by the people and for the people, the influence of billionaires through SuperPACs, charities, and undisclosed funding sources has shifted the balance of control. These massive donations create an obligation for politicians, who rely on this funding to sustain their campaigns and, subsequently, their political careers. This dynamic allows politicians to cater to the wishes of billionaires for extended periods, making the billionaires' investments in politics even more valuable.
The free tests and likely reasons for providing them is just one, of many examples of how the capitalist approach to healthcare and insurance has incentivized the degradation of societies health. When we ask the question, are the tests actually free, hopefully it is clearer to see that these tests come at a huge societal cost. Long-COVID sufferers and those who will join their ranks in the future bear the brunt of this cost. This puts immense strain on society, except for those at the very top who continue to pull the strings. We know they take mitigating transmission seriously for themselves and their children.
Despite substantial scientific evidence supporting the importance of mitigating airborne transmission and the effectiveness of related tools, public health often neglects this aspect. Why? The answer becomes evident when we consider that politicians control public health, and these politicians are heavily influenced by large donations from wealthy business owners and corporations.
This situation raises critical questions about the integrity of our democratic system and the impact of money in politics.
In the 2022 State of the Union Address, President Biden declared, "Third – we can end the shutdown of schools and businesses. We have the tools we need."
But where are these tools? Instead of equipping ourselves to combat the pandemic effectively, it seems that we've done quite the opposite. Monitoring efforts have been terminated, COVID dashboards have been removed and nearly any effort to prevent airborne transmission is ignored. It's disconcerting to observe that, in many cases, schools seem to operate as if there's no cause for concern, no longer alerting parents when someone in a classroom tests positive for COVID. It's startling to realize that schools are more forthcoming and take more precautions for lice than they do for COVID.
Critical upgrades of HVAC systems have been neglected in schools and other essential spaces. The protections that were once in place to safeguard the most vulnerable in society have been dismantled. There is a notable lack of effort to protect children, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, or older adults. Protecting people most at risk helps to protect everyone because some of the biggest evolutionary jumps have occurred in people that had persistent infections. Almost everyone that is hospitalized for any reason is at higher risk of becoming chronically infected. This is consistently being overlooked as airborne transmission is downplayed in healthcare settings.
Furthermore, the available treatments appear to be struggling against the evolving virus, and a vaccine capable of halting infections, transmission, or long-term multi-organ infection and persistence remains elusive. COVID has become increasingly adept at suppressing the immune system and infecting organs, leading to less acute symptoms and increasing the odds of Long COVID. COVID is an insidious beast. It is very stealthy at destroying the quality of life for millions of people. This situation has left millions unemployed due to Long COVID, and the numbers continue to rise at an alarming rate.
If the government were transparent, sharing this vital information and providing the resources to mitigate transmission, the free tests could be viewed as a positive response to the pandemic. However, history shows that the words aren’t matching the actions and the lack of clarity leaves room for serious skepticism and deep concerns of deception.
The billionaire controlled media and public health, through politicians, would have us believe that COVID has become less dangerous and is no longer a major concern. The major media coverage has nearly vanished. Independent sources that are not beholden to large donors, political parties, or any other group are more important than ever. Consider becoming a paid subscriber or donating a subscription to help support this work. Thank you for your support.
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Stunning. This is the most important article I have read in quite some time. I see layers of an onion being peeled back exposing new connections. I'm saddened that so much rhetoric is just lies and deception. I'm saddened to think of all the misery in so many families and households. And, care facilities! Glad this piece was written. I know that I alone will be defending my quality of life against a bulwark of opposing forces. I am free to select any bridge that I choose to live under.
The current Administration has done a terrible job of creating public awareness around the fact that COVID is still with us. They declared the end of the pandemic, ended all emergency measures, and clearly gave the public the impression that there’s no longer anything to worry about. It’s mind-boggling to me how many of my friends think Covid is nothing more than a bad cold.
I can’t understand this for the life of me, but it will cost dearly in increased health costs, disability payments, and even lives lost, Albeit at a lower rate.
I’m not saying the previous administration did a good job either, nor am I saying they did a bad job, because I don’t want this to be taken as a political comment it’s not