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> antigen tests aren't going to show covid until a couple days after symptoms start (typically)

This is false? It was definitely false pre-Omicron and my understanding is that it's still false.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.08.22268954v...

> sensitivity was 97.6% (95% CI 95-100%) for persons with symptoms.

Maybe you're saying my claim is exaggerated? Which I agree my wording wasn't precise. With antigen tests you'll have far more false negatives early on than later. The sweet spot seems to be a couple of days after symptoms.

If you're not saying that, I'm not sure what claim you're making that is contrary to my own.

The antigen test is supposed to show if you're currently spreading covid, which is a little different from experiencing it. You'll have symptoms for a while after you stop being infectious too.

With omicron the gap between them is a day or two smaller IIRC.

Personal experience - I started testing positive 1 day after onset of symptoms and my wife 5 days after. We started having typical omicron symptoms at the same time (low grade fever, etc)

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