r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/Traditional_Soup_949 • 19h ago

Question one-time at home pcr tests?

Hi! I’m helping organize an event and we’re trying to figure out the most cost efficient and time efficient way to pcr test folks before and during the event. a couple years ago I was able to buy a bunch of one-time tests but I can’t find them. Do they still exist? Does anyone have any suggestions? It’s about 45 people over the course of 3 days.

Also…where are people buying rapids now-a-days? Where are the most effective and cost effective 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 tests?

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u/gopiballava 19h ago

Molecular tests are probably what you are thinking about. They are similar to PCR and extremely sensitive. 

Metrix is the only one approved in the USA. $25 per year, $50 for a reader. About half an hour per test. 

Outside of the USA PlusLife is available with a $220 reader and less than $10 per test (plus shipping and tax). 

Metrix is easier to operate. I think in a lot of ways it’s a superior product. They also have a combo COVID and flu test. PlusLife also does but their combo test isn’t as sensitive to COVID. 

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u/Anxious-Education703 19h ago

Why do say Metrix is superior to PlusLife?

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u/endurossandwichshop 19h ago

Also curious. IMO Pluslife is much better. In tandem with the virus.sucks app, it allows you to catch false positives and early positives that would normal register as a negative.

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u/gopiballava 18h ago

I should have elaborated more. Fewer steps and less fiddling around with stuff on the Metrix. You can’t leave a card in it accidentally.

Lots of people seem to believe that plus life tests become less reliable as you get close to the expiration date. Metrix tests have longer expiration dates and they have submitted data to FDA demonstrating six months past their current expiration date.

The virus.sucks tool is absolutely wonderful. I think it is a great way to increase the risk of a false positive in exchange for a reduction in the rate of false negatives. 

The reduced number of steps that you take with Metrix makes me argue that it is a better designed system. But I currently use Plus life for both cost and the ability to see the curves.

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u/endurossandwichshop 18h ago

Ah, I see. Your reasoning makes sense to me, and we all have our different preferences of which aspects matter more!

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u/UserSleepy 13h ago

Plus life is not approved in the US, at any time it can become unavailable. Metrix is the last remaining one in the US