How I Beat The Covid Test Lines

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Abstract

when a movie extra is hired for say a Wednesday (as I was this week), part of the job includes getting tested on Monday, Tuesday, and then on set Wednesday.When I arrived Monday, the wait time was about 15 seconds. On Tuesday, there was nobody. Even better, I will be paid $50 each for the Monday and Tuesday tests. Not bad.Two weeks ago, I fell ill. I don’t know if it was Covid or not. But I did stay home for 4 or 5 days. My cousin (who is like a sister) was distraught that I didn’t get tested. But now that I’ve been paid$ 100 — and waited barely at all to be tested — she is relieved to hear I was negative both times. I can visit anytime.It’s 5:25 AM right now — and I’ll be on my way to the set in an hour. At $165 for 10 hours (and I have to arrive in a suit today) and a couple of decent meals, working as background talent isn’t exactly the stuff of stardom. I could earn more Doordashing.But it’s a change of pace, a

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chance to hang with new people and maybe make a friend, and as mentioned, an opportunity to get Covid-tested with no lines — and get paid for it. So all in all, not a terrible deal.The set is just a mile away today. So I can ride or even walk there. And experience has taught me to bring a book so I don’t get bored out of my mind (which can happen on movie sets. Moviemaking is a painstaking process).Obviously, I’m not really suggesting that everybody become a movie extra just so they can get paid to be Covid-tested and enjoy the no-wait feature. But if you do feel sick, stay home. If a million people Americans tested positive yesterday, my guess is there are 10 times as many who are positive but haven’t been tested. It’s a tip of the iceberg type stat. All of this means this omicron bug is going around like a cold or the flu. Most people will be infected. It’s on you to take care of yourself and to try not to infect other people.</article></body>

It’s not the way you think

You see it all over the nightly news: Lines of people queueing to take a Covid test. It’s a big problem. This isn’t Russia. Americans don’t like to wait on line. But I found a way! Become a movie extra (excuse me — “background talent”).

Covid protocols on the commercial movie and television sets dictate that all participants (tech people, too) must Covid-test negative within 24 hours of their appearance. Thus, when a movie extra is hired for say a Wednesday (as I was this week), part of the job includes getting tested on Monday, Tuesday, and then on set Wednesday.

When I arrived Monday, the wait time was about 15 seconds. On Tuesday, there was nobody. Even better, I will be paid $50 each for the Monday and Tuesday tests. Not bad.

Two weeks ago, I fell ill. I don’t know if it was Covid or not. But I did stay home for 4 or 5 days. My cousin (who is like a sister) was distraught that I didn’t get tested. But now that I’ve been paid $100 — and waited barely at all to be tested — she is relieved to hear I was negative both times. I can visit anytime.

It’s 5:25 AM right now — and I’ll be on my way to the set in an hour. At $165 for 10 hours (and I have to arrive in a suit today) and a couple of decent meals, working as background talent isn’t exactly the stuff of stardom. I could earn more Doordashing.

But it’s a change of pace, a chance to hang with new people and maybe make a friend, and as mentioned, an opportunity to get Covid-tested with no lines — and get paid for it. So all in all, not a terrible deal.

The set is just a mile away today. So I can ride or even walk there. And experience has taught me to bring a book so I don’t get bored out of my mind (which can happen on movie sets. Moviemaking is a painstaking process).

Obviously, I’m not really suggesting that everybody become a movie extra just so they can get paid to be Covid-tested and enjoy the no-wait feature. But if you do feel sick, stay home. If a million people Americans tested positive yesterday, my guess is there are 10 times as many who are positive but haven’t been tested. It’s a tip of the iceberg type stat. All of this means this omicron bug is going around like a cold or the flu. Most people will be infected. It’s on you to take care of yourself and to try not to infect other people.