I'm in 💖 with #Pluslife!
Staying Covid safe when visiting with family and friends used to mean mask marathons, awkward solo dining, and wistful biscuit gazing.
But Pluslife testing has been a game changer, allowing me to safely socialise! 😍
🧵coming up with info and tips!
Pluslife TLDR:
🚀 A molecular NAAT test (think Metrix) now in Europe!
🧪 PCR level sensitivity
💸 Costs ~ €6 per test.
👯♀️ Possible to do pooled tests of up to 3-4 people
📈Use with the @virus_sucks_ app for extra confidence and even earlier detection!
💪 More info: virus.sucks/pluslife_en/
How sensitive is it?
Pluslife’s LOD (Limit of Detection) is just 400 viral RNA copies/ml — comparable to lab PCR tests 🤩
For comparison: rapid antigen tests require millions to tens of millions of copies! 🤯
What the studies say:
🚀99.68% accuracy (study: ) - comparable to fancy lab PCRs!
🎯98.3% sensitivity and 99.3% specificity (study: )
This is using the device alone, without the app which can make it even more sensitive!buff.ly/3WnW3rb
buff.ly/3WlyWxq
Is this some sort of heckin' magic?🪄
How does it work?
🔬Uses the LAMP method:
1. Converts any viral RNA to DNA
2. Amplifies the DNA into billions of copies
3. Detects using an optical method
4. Also checks for a common human gene to ensure the test is working correctly 👀
Will new variants make it less accurate? 🤔
This is very unlikely! Tests like Pluslife look for parts of the virus that do not mutate frequently. They also use multiple targets, so even if one changes, the others still get found👌
In the study above, all variants were detected.
What’s wrong with rapid antigen tests?
The bad tinder date of the testing world, rapid tests are widely available, cheap and easy to use but very unreliable!
Recent studies showed testing with rapid tests on day 1 of symptoms had a 92% false negative rate 🫠
All sounds too good to be true! Any downsides?
While the tests are relatively cheap (~€6), the reader is pretty pricey💰💰 (~€180 - €300 depending on discounts) making upfront costs prohibitive for some people.
Okay, I’m sold! Where can I get this miracle?
Grab yours here: 🚀
And don’t forget – the team has wrangled some really awesome discount codes! Just shoot them an email for the savings.altruan.de
virus.sucks
More coming soon on this Pluslife mega🧵
Including tips on:
🔸How to use it
🔸How to make the moment you ask your guest to stick a swab up their nose less awkward 😬
🔸How to make daily pool testing a breeze.. 😎
Continuing my Pluslife mega🧵..
How to use Pluslife?
Get ready to channel your inner CSI agent - lab coat & sunglasses optional! 😎🔬
TLDR:
- See my step-by-step pdf guide here:
🔗
- Results in 35 mins.
- Swab throat / cheeks / nose for best resultsbuff.ly/4c5WX1l
You can pool test up to 3 people with one test making it faster & cheaper! 🎉
Each person does their own swab (no sharing please! 😅), then extract each in the liquid one by one, & test as usual!
If the pool test is ➕, you'll need to then test individually to know who it is
Tip: use a power bank (min 15W/3A output) to power Pluslife for the smoothest app experience👌
Sometimes there can be interference when using power from a wall socket that can mess with your curves 😵💫
Using the App - the juicy cherry 🍒 on top of the tasty Pluslife pie! 🥧😍
The really special thing about Pluslife is the @virus_sucks_ app:
It lets you manually read the raw data in real-time for higher confidence & even earlier infection detection!virus.sucks/pluslife_app/
@virus_sucks_ Curve reading crash course! 🤓
If the test is negative, the 🟢 green control curve (channel 4) will rise exponentially, while all the other curves stay flat and don’t change at all (or only slightly)
@virus_sucks_ If one or more of the other channels rise exponentially in addition to the control - the result is positive! 😬 (Even if the device says otherwise)
Even just one channel rising exponentially indicates a weak positive. This is often seen at the very start or end of an infection
@virus_sucks_ Here’s what a full blown infection and a more typical positive looks like
@virus_sucks_ A line that goes up and down or is erratic is usually just an air bubble 🫧 in the
chamber.
If you suspect an air bubble you can usually see it if you examine the test
card. If in doubt, re-test!
How long is a negative result good for?
Many experts say 12-24 hours, others say 6 hours to be super safe. There’s no clear answer.
A negative Pluslife test is a strong sign you weren’t infectious at the time. But if you’re still in the incubation period this can change! If you’re at high risk, testing again is recommended.
I personally assume a clearly negative test in the morning using the app is a 👍for the rest of the day, but it all comes down to your individual risk assessment and probability.
@virus_sucks_ For more on how to use the app & read the curves:
I’ve also put together a small how-to guide with more examples here:
Next up: Top tips for testing family and friends for less 😳 and more 🤩virus.sucks/pluslife_en/#a…
buff.ly/4c5WX1l
@virus_sucks_ My top 4 tips for testing friends & family using Pluslife! 🧪✨
Read on to turn Covid testing into a swab-tacular experience! (Yes, I went there 😉)
Testing Tip 1🧪😎
Passing a used swab to your host? Awkward! 🥴
Instead, give guests these swabs that come in handy protective tubes!
Swab, seal in the tube, and return. Neat & tidy!
Buy them here:
(NB: If purchasing separate swabs, be sure they are the correct type - FLOQswabs. Not all swabs are suitable for use with Pluslife. See for more details)buff.ly/46DaTP7
virus.sucks/pluslife_en/#s…
@virus_sucks_ Testing Tip 2 🧪😎
Hosting a party? Do 2 swabs per guest!
Use one for the pool test and keep the other on ice or in the fridge, sealed in the protective tube (see above).
If needed, you can then retest without stress 🎉 (just be sure to label carefully!)
@virus_sucks_ Testing Tip 3🧪😎
Skip the lengthy verbal instructions and instead hand your guest a fun card with their swab.
Who can resist a cute cat showing them what to do? 😺
@virus_sucks_ Testing Tip 4🧪😎
Finding it hard to coordinate morning pool tests?
We have everyone swab in a 30-min window, seal in the tube (see above), and pop in the fridge. Then test them all together!
This way everyone can swab first thing, then eat and drink without waiting! 👌
@virus_sucks_ Got any Covid testing hacks up your sleeve?
Please share your tips, I’d love to hear them! ❤️
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