I was administered an extremely perfunctory test at the airport in Bangkok one week ago today, before my flight home to the US. I too had serious questions about just how valid a test it was. Of course, I was happy my test results were negative. But if my test was typical of how exit tests are being given, I would not place a lot of confidence in the results.
My test was given on the airport grounds itself, by a private business that appeared to be associated with a local hospital. I paid my 250 Bhat (about US $7.25), filled out and signed a short form, let them copy my passport, and took a seat to wait my turn to get my nose swabbed. I was called less than a minute later, directed to sit in a little booth with my mask removed and my head tilted back. The tester stuck the Q-tip just barely into my nostril and quickly counted 12345! about as fast as a skilled auctioneer could could say that, I kind of barely felt the swab going around my nostril, they switched to the other nostril and did the same thing, I was told to go outside and wait. I had been inside the little sample collection booth for about 30 seconds total, and then I stumbled out wondering if I was really done. Yep, I was. I noted the time. About 16 minutes later, they called my name, handed me my negative results, and told me to go. I did.
Now, I had been testing myself daily for the previous week (twice on the day before my departure) -- and I always give my nose a very thorough plunging (maybe too thorough), so I was pretty confident I was negative. But it made me think about what incentives the mass test services have...they know, and you know, everyone getting tested wants very much to test negative (or else they get an expensive, surprise last-minute 10-day extension to their vacation). If somebody gets on a plane after being tested very quickly, and they are actually positive, all those folks they might infect are going to be far away soon enough. Giving someone the bad news of a positive result would probably cause some hassles starting right there and then, so why test deeply, thoroughly, effectively?
I dunno, it just seemed like a VERY quick and not very careful test. I was glad to get on the plane, and shocked to see virtually nobody with a mask on once I stepped off the plane back in Seattle. The first thing I did when I got home was to test myself again. That one was negative, too, thankfully. I've been hunkering down at home and giving my sore nostrils a rest for a few days. YMMV.
