MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Update:
We've just managed to get one.
Thoroughly unpleasant experience. Particularly as the tests are self administered inside the car and without any medical knowledge, and alongside a lot of screaming, I've no idea if I got it far enough inside the lad's nose.
There will be a lot of false test results.
As a tip, if you get one appointment, just take as many people as you can, and they'll give you test.
As a tip, if you get one appointment, just take as many people as you can
To hold down the child while you swab his brain stem? 🙂
I must admit, when my time comes I'm not sure if I'm preferring throat or nose.
and without any medical knowledge, and alongside a lot of screaming,
That was our experience - so much so that we couldn’t get our 5 yo tested. In the end we got a home test and bribed him with chocolate. We ordered the test last Thursday, the sample was collected on Sunday. We still haven’t got the result.
just take as many people as you can, and they’ll give you test.
+1. Although we could only book our kids in (all adults were symptomless) in the end they tested us all.
I must admit, when my time comes I’m not sure if I’m preferring throat or nose.
It’s both, with the same swab.
It’s not pleasant. I can’t see many people rolling up to take a test just because they fancy one.
I've had three in total so far; the one done by someone who actually knew what they were doing was far more uncomfortable, to the extent that I don't know whether the two I did (before the other one) were actually meaningful or not.
Curiously, though @Houns said the Ironbridge site was deserted yesterday afternoon, yesterday evening the queue was three miles long! We were going somewhere nearby and I'm glad we managed to avoid getting stuck in it...
I must admit, when my time comes I’m not sure if I’m preferring throat or nose.
Aye it's both, first in the throat, then up the snoz, all the way to the brain.
10 seconds rubbing your tonsils was hard through. I was gagging.
Said the the Mrs, "you'll be ok though, you're used to having massive things rammed to the back of your mouth"
"WHY'S THAT DAD" said the 8 year old.
"Erm...oh nothing"
My wife got her result - negative - at about 7pm, having been tested at 10.30am yesterday.
She can now pick up her prescription for antibiotics, which is the reason she needed to go to the GP in the first place. We all knew she had sinusitis, but social responsibility and all that. It’s the first time the whole family’s been off with sinusitis!
Even on this thread there seems to be a few getting tested when they know they don't need to.
robowns
Love it how people always resort to this argument. It’s a shambles, it would have also been a shambles under Labour.
I've got no love for Labour, but I'll bet the contracts for tests etc would have gone to competent companies and by tender.
The problem is corruption in the current govt. It's time we replaced the PM Dominic Cummings. He's too short-sighted and one eyed.
It's going back to late July but even with plenty of capacity at the site 25miles away I was directed to one about 60miles away. Did get a local test but cant remember if it was by going through the whole process again or switching sites. As the crow flies the first option might be closer but not by much.
Just in terms of sorting out the yes loads of people are having to go miles or no they aren't question. You'd kind of think they would be able to get some form of report from the testing location database / system that tells you where people are coming from to each test centre. Just at a postcode level. Maybe I'm being a bit optimistic given the exam fiasco but if the government ethos is all about the data it's not unreasonable to expect it. It would cut down on the pantomime time that seems to go with anything they do at the moment.
I can’t see many people rolling up to take a test just because they fancy one.
Well, not twice, anyhow 🙂
Someone relayed an anecdote about someone from their company with symptoms who rolled up to the Bradford test centre today, but found out it wasn't accepting walk-ins any more. Never mind, said the staff member, we're not busy at all, just log on now and book and you'll be able to come straight in. Result: No availability at Bradford, nearest test 70 miles away...
Bradford (and Leeds) with some of the highest rates in the country, directing people away from a near-empty test centre.
Even on this thread there seems to be a few getting tested when they know they don’t need to.
Yeah, if all the people testing negative didn’t go for tests in the first place, it wouldn’t matter that fewer tests are being processed at a time when we’re pushing people back into workplaces and schools.
You’d kind of think they would be able to get some form of report from the testing location database / system that tells you where people are coming from to each test centre. Just at a postcode level. Maybe I’m being a bit optimistic given the exam fiasco but if the government ethos is all about the data it’s not unreasonable to expect it. It would cut down on the pantomime time that seems to go with anything they do at the moment.
Local health authorities are asking to be able to manage their own areas for just this reason
But unless you are a party donor/own some race horses you don't get to be in charge of anything
Test centres are open and overmanned - unsurprisingly as G4S, Mitie, Serco and associated HR firms can bill per employee. They seem to be under instruction to minimise tests though. No more unbooked tests, few available booked slots per day.
Over the summer it was easy - each site had hundreds of tests they could give out each day. Testing capacity seems to have dropped.
Test results are taking a long time to come back at the moment. Ours are currently 5 days when a few weeks back they were 24 hours (ie issue is capacity at labs).
If you do need to test and have to administer the test yourself there’s a decent guidance video; use a mirror if you’re testing yourself. The throat swab is the hardest as it mustn’t touch your cheek. The nose swab doesn’t need to go quite as far as you think. And it’s a long ten seconds.
(10th week of testing/ managing weekly testing)
UPDATE: Pretty much 24 hours passed and no results yet. We are as a family coughing a lot more and now I'm paranoid that the tests will come back positive!
We're both teachers and are expected to carry on working, Mrs has 5 hours of online video call lessons to run, I'm the school SENCO and we've got two young kids. Bloody hard work this is
So my 14yo daughter got sent home from school n Monday as she had developed a runny nose and stinging eyes but no fever. She was told either to stay at home for at least a week after the symptoms had gone or get a COVID-19 test. She started feeling better the next day and was keen to get back to school so we called our GP for a test the next day. She had the test yesterday morning and downloaded the app with her number to receive the result. The negative result came at 10 yesterday evening so she’s back at school today. Hooray for German efficiency!
Our result took 48hrs, negative thankfully.
Please excuse the stupid question, but how are you supposed to get a test if you don’t drive? I presume that you cannot go via public transport. Do you get sent a test through the post?
Another example of ‘our’ useless government stuffing the poor (and those who choose not to have a car)
@phiiiiil yeah I couldn’t believe it when folk on here said how busy it was, hence why I wanted to double check we were talking about the same place. I pass it a couple of times a week and at the most I’ve seen two cars at the gate whilst they were being given their instructions.
I had my tests (I had to retake mine) back in May at the safari park in Bewdley, (got a slot within 30 mins of booking) I don’t know if they’re still doing tests there as the park is now open again
As no doubt has been mentioned above (haven’t read all the posts) we’re now entering cold and flu season, kids back at school etc, so those who are experience normal cold and flu symptoms are worried that they could be Covid symptoms and thus getting tested which of course is putting strain on the system..........
........ Of course ‘our’ government aren’t that stupid that they didn’t consider this and put extra capacity in place to help ease this pressure
gauss1777
Free Member
Please excuse the stupid question, but how are you supposed to get a test if you don’t drive? I presume that you cannot go via public transport. Do you get sent a test through the post?
Yes, you register and they post one out, you then take the test at a pre-arranged time before pick-up is scheduled and post it back. the process takes 3-5 days from the point you order the kit to when you get your results.
On a good day at a testing centre, you'd get your results within 24hours.
This all bodes well for Operation Moonshot when we are going to test 'up to ten million people a day':
Apparently Boris is going to build a bridge to the moon where there will be a huge testing centre with a capacity of tens of millions. It will be world beating.
Wife took a chance and rocked up unannounced at our local test centre. "Oh yes no problem!" they said. Tested right away. "the only thing" he said "the computer system has been down two days so you might not be able to register" ...
where the **** was that in the press conference then
****ING ****ING GOVERNMENT SHITSHOW
Apparently Boris is going to build a bridge to the moon where there will be a huge testing centre with a capacity of tens of millions. It will be world beating.
Perhaps The Clangers could help with testing, under the scrupulous supervision of The Soup Dragon.
Perhaps The Clangers could help with testing, under the scrupulous supervision of The Soup Dragon.
Only if they're Tory donors or in a close relationship with a Tory MP:
Shock Horror! Top Tory two-timed wife with Soup Dragon reveals Metal Chicken as PM drops Clanger'. Or something like that.
My brother was tested at local centre on Monday
still no results
Yes, you register and they post one out, you then take the test at a pre-arranged time before pick-up is scheduled and post it back. the process takes 3-5 days from the point you order the kit to when you get your results.
On a good day at a testing centre, you’d get your results within 24hours.
Thanks Daffy.
I wonder what my work’s response would be if I told them it’s going to take 3 to 5 days?
UPDATE:
It's been 45 hours since the test, no result
And then there was the time off before getting the test...
I wonder what my work’s response would be if I told them it’s going to take 3 to 5 days?
Gauss, I'll let you know... :-0
Got a family member trying to get a test for a couple of days.
No availability- nothing. Not local, not anywhere. The system has broken down.
Absolutely raging about this government now. I've given them the benefit of the doubt on CV19. On the ground schools are not following the national guidelines on isolation/testing. The testing is ****ed and they're on about moonshots and clear rules.
moonshots
- symbolism is back in favour with Team Boris.
So what is the trick to getting a test then?
6 year old has woken up with a temperature which according to the NHS website means we are now self isolating for 14 days until we can get a test as you only have to display one of the symptoms. He is a 6 year old who has just started back at school there are bound to be bugs going around.
Cant get a test anywhere but will keep on trying. Have tried a few different postcodes as well.
He will likely be fine by the morning, so not sure what we are supposed to do in that situation either!
Robbo just been through the same scenario, two of my kids though have woken up with a fair bit of coughing. Pretty certain its a normal coldy type thing but have been trying to get tests sorted all morning as they won't be allowed back to school etc. I put in all our details and got to the 'Choose a test site near you' screen. Keep this window open and every 5 minutes or so put in your postcode again and hit 'find a test site' again. They are adding slots all the time at different test centres, they just disappear really quickly. Eventually something will appear. I got a test site 36 miles from us. Bit crap having to do this but this is what we've got to work with so got to make the best of it for now.
Cheers Wilko. We have got a test now doing as you said and just keep trying. Only 30 miles away so not too bad and hopefully will get results early next week so fingers crossed it is negative and he can get back to school.
I work from home so that doesn't affect me and my wife has just started taking appointments for her beauty business next week so hoping she doenst have to cancel any but will see what happens!
Is the overwhelming number of people seeking tests something to do with a big increase in Covid cases and people being contacted and told to isolate? Following that logic - things aren't as bad as they could be if only 50-60% of contacts are being traced.
I might be proven wrong but I think my son just has a cold but because he meets the symptoms he has to be tested and we have to isolate. If this is just a normal cold going around because of schools going back then you are naturally going to get an increase in demand. We would have normally kept him if today and he would be back in on Monday
Anyway got the test done (all 3 of us as you are allowed as one person in the household is showing symptoms) so hopefully we will get the all clear by Monday.
We could have left it 24 hours but felt it was more responsible to get tested and isolate until the test results than risk spreading it. Will see when the results come in!
my brother still has no results , tested monday morning!
Utterly predictable. At least it's keeping the number of confirmed cases down though. #winwin
My Mrs was tested on Tuesday morning, still waiting for results.
So now it's our turn
9 year old son has developed a persistent
cough this evening, been back in school a week!
No home tests available
No walk in or drive in tests either
Wtf do we do now?
Same story here too. Been back at work 2.5 weeks (teacher). Last night developed a fever, headache, and flu symptoms. No tests available.
The annoying thing is I'm the only one at work actually taking social distancing seriously.
Much that I dislike Han Matcock he might have a point over this. Have just seen a senior colleague at work recommending that someone else goes down the "key worker" route on the testing pathway to get tests for the whole family before they piss off to some sunny island. "Just say you have symptoms."
The mind boggles.
The annoying thing is I’m the only one at work actually taking social distancing seriously.
we are now waiting our test results. Apart from my son going to school we have been nowhere for a week so the only place he could have picked it up is from school if he is it. Hopefully it is just a cold.
Much that I dislike Han Matcock he might have a point over this.
Maybe, but plucking a 25% figure out of the air (how would they know that people claiming symptoms didn't actually have them?) and blaming all your system's woes on it just sounds like the normal bullshit we've come to expect from this government of 'truth-twisters'.
They've had months to get this working. R is well above 1 in quite a few areas around me, there is no effective t&t in place. No mention of when shielders like myself are supposed to try to protect ourselves. Why? Because it will mean hoicking a load of kids out of school, and the schools have not been prepared to deliver online and in-person teaching alongside each other.
This is 'just let it wash over the population' mk2. Except the care home failures of the first wave will be repeated on elderly and vulnerable people in the community.
We have a friend who works for the NHS - her child has a temperature, but she can’t get a test, either at a testing station or at home, so they are isolating until they can (or 14 days if they can’t). We managed to get a home test, but only after checking the website every 30 min or so (they apparently release tests through the day).
they apparently release tests through the day).
This makes no sense. They must have an idea of how many tests they can produce per day, not just releasing them when they find some under the stairs!
Interesting article/opinion on testing here - USA, very clever guy
Makes sense to me. Mass surveillance using quick saliva tests, for example on all school kids (maybe 10% randomly per day) then PCR for positives & their bubble.
Managed to get a test yet kimbers? Not got much confidence in getting a result in any case based on the issues.
Nope, pretty much given up, bored of pressing refresh
Spoke to a Dr colleague from work & she says likely not covid, and he's much better today, tho still v snotty, but we're still in limbo
My brother tested last Monday still has no results
How are others getting on? Got our test results back and all negative so just a back to school bug that caused a temperature in him.
Realised around 6 o'clock on Saturday night that we needed to get tests booked (16month old had been coughing for a couple of days, then his temp rocketed). Had tests at Prestwick airport by half 7 the same evening.
First two results received at 6.15 this morning, still waiting on the one that looks most likely to be an issue (as always seems to happen).
OTOH we've got friends who got tested last week and the lab (or whoever) have lost one of the results - handy!
Our youngest starting coughing (also snotty nose) on Sunday. Initially no walk/drive in tests available but keeping trying meant we had were able to get a test done. Arrived at the site only to be told had no record of us. did still test the kids (well we rammed the swab into their tonsils and then up their nose).
Instructions from staff weren't great and contradicted the instructions when read about testing children.
Anyway, wait on the results of what looks to be a cold to me but given he is coughing lots can't really send him to school!
Managed to get a test for our daughter yesterday afternoon at a walk in centre in Oldham, after she was sent home from school with a cough on Friday
Took quite a long time on the website on Sat and Sun to get a test but Oldham only 40 mins away in the car
Was very quiet at the test centre - lady said results in 24 hours but no sign yet
Or 7 year old has sniffles and a temp. School operate a 'zero tolerance' policy so we had to get a test for him. Took 11 hours of trying yesterday to get one which ended up being an hour away from us in Leicester (!)
Doing that to my son and his reaction, and having to carry on, was utterly horrible, he wouldn't look me in the eye for hours. My biggest fear is not that it will come back positive, but that I haven't done it right and we'll have to do it again.
Just to add my little contribution...
Have been trying to book a drive through test for 4 days using online system; 'no test sites found'.
I've kept the web page open and refresh every 15 mins from waking up until midnight - absolutely nothing.
Called 119 but that was also a waste of time; their recorded message states they have no access to tests over and above those (not) available online.
Emailed surgery asking for any suggestions about how to get a test; call back from GP - short answer...no but highly critical of failing test system.
After an hour long coughing fit at 5am Monday I called 111 with concern about shortness of breath and wheezing; advised to go to A&E which I did - checked for respiratory function, blood tests, chest xray; all ok so sent home.
Tests are only done by hospital if you're in overnight so I was part hoping for that.
I will drive to local test centre and request a test in person.
What a shambles; if it wasn't so serious I would describe it as farcical.
System is a complete mis-nomer for this non-functioning process.
🙁 really sorry to hear that Frank, totally identify with some of that, but 4 days is utterly mad! Hope your little one is doing ok.
This whole thing is a farce. I mean, kids going back to school after h6 months apart, who could have possibly predicted that there would be a load of standard winter bugs appearing and causing symptoms? It's almost like if they'd have known, there'd have been time to prepare...
A colleague of mine who went through an identical thing made a very good point - why didn't they get a company like Ticketmaster to get going on the IT side of things?
I'm a software nerd, and if I released something like the gov site, I'd be lynched.
why didn’t they get a company like Ticketmaster to get going on the IT side of things?
What we need is a proper marketplace so you can set up a bot to book 5000 test slots then resell them to the highest bidder. We could call it Viralgogo.
We gave up , spoke to school, who said colds were ok & they knew testing was fuct
I believe the IT for testing was done by Delloite
Who also have the contract to run the testing centers themselves, which seems bonkers, surely life sciences or pharma would've been a better bet
We gave up , spoke to school, who said colds were ok
Obviously colds are ok, but this is the beginning of the end isnt it. Not your fault at all. Who is to judge whats a cold and whats covid. If testing fails now we are screwed. Its another .gov shambles. It will mean isolation for 2 weeks with no testing for any symptoms soon.
With cold symptoms why was he at school in the first place
Because having a cold isn't a reason for being off school. Also, a running nose isn't a COVID symptom. This would cause the lack of smell.
With no cough or fever then this shouldn't be a test. We wouldn't send a child home for this. I'm a teacher in a COVID sorted Primary School.
Also, a running nose isn’t a COVID symptom. This would cause the lack of smell.
Probably, but its any one symptom not all, maybe your school isnt that sorted.
Because having a cold isn’t a reason for being off school. Also, a running nose isn’t a COVID symptom. This would cause the lack of smell.
With no cough or fever then this shouldn’t be a test. We wouldn’t send a child home for this. I’m a teacher in a COVID sorted Primary School.
Any one out of the three symptoms - cough, fever or loss of smell/taste - should trigger a removal from school and testing. Schools are not equipped to make judgement on concurrent snot and smell loss, and need to follow the guidance.
If you could point me towards the country you think "has handled this pandemic well" id be very interred to hear about it.(and please don't say Sweden - lol what a cluster f@ck)
Also if can you can additionally point out what positive recommendations Stammer has made that are A) practical and not just populist and b) not going o mortgage the lives our all our grandchildren & great-grandchildren - I would genuinely love to hear them.
New Zealand.
Also if can you can additionally point out what positive recommendations Stammer has made...
No need. Government ministers have made positive recommendations... they just haven't followed through. They said what was required to prepare us for the full return to school and getting more people back to their workplaces... they just haven't delivered on any of it in time for the start of the term in England.
I think you'll find that's more to do with the proximity of the population than it is any unique policy.
Take the population of the Isle of White and spread it all across England - easy to distance.
They have urban areas in NZ (and South Korea)... this may come as a surprise to you.
Any one out of the three symptoms – cough, fever or loss of smell/taste – should trigger a removal from school and testing.
The problem as well seems to be that children present differently and these are the adult symptoms that are used as the threshold for getting a test
Germany have handled way better than most, started checking passengers on incoming flights in February, decentralised testing at regional lever headed up by RKI , locked down early, but kept essential services running well
They have a higher population than us, but dont have same natural border of being an island & much closer to outbreaks in Italy & Austria
RKI did a good job of releasing data quickly & spearheading pandemic response, in a way that PHE which is directly under control of Health Sec did not
Merkel was very good at explaining things honestly and in a grown up manner, in stark contrast to the confused obfuscation from Johnson & co- the continual lies about testing numbers & cummings farce eroded confidence
while their healthcare system is better funded with more capacity, our life science & pharma industries are similar & we arguably have better expertise in our universities
Unfortunately government wanted to centralise testing & removed all the PCR machines from our universities, taking them to lighthouse labs, here they sat unused for a month
Ultimately Merkel is competent & on top of detail in a way that 3 holidays Johnson is not, federal system allows for quick reaction at local lever- compared to control freak cummings who thinks his superbrain can & should run everything- excellent rlationship between universities, unions & llife sciences have helped too- ,meanwhile UK government has been at war with unions, schools, business & unis for the last 4 years- but with clear & consistent guidance from national science institute
The current testing collapse is partly because the response is being run by accountancy firm Delloite, almost all of our response, PPE procuremtnt etc has been contracted out to services firms with little or in experience in the sector. (something Star,mer has been requesting an inquiry into for a while)
As for Starmers response, Labour were pushing for exam algorithm to be released early so it could be scrutinised, the statement they put out with the NEU about getting schools back was exactly what the government said they would do (although as testing still a farce, they have failed on that one)
Theyve conisitently asked for improvements & honesty in testing
regards kids
guidance says persistent cough, is that coughing every few minutes, coughing once an hour?
ours had a cough because he was snotty, he gets tonsilitus every other year anyway, is that cause for a test?
childrens symptoms according to the governments own data are very different from adult:
Children display a different range of symptoms compared to the overall adult population. The top five symptoms in school aged children who test positive for COVID are;
fatigue (55%) headache (53%), fever (49%), sore throat (38%) and loss of appetite (35%).This was different compared to the App’s data on adults;
fatigue (87%), headache (72%), loss of smell (60%), persistent cough (54%) and sore throat (49%). In addition to this, research from the app has also found that one in six (15%) children who test positive for COVID also present with an unusual skin rash.
'Name one country that's handled it better'
*Country named*
'Not that one'
but if you want to pick a country that has handled it better
just throw a dart at a map of the world & as long as you dont hit Spain or maybe South America
youll have your answer
guidance says persistent cough, is that coughing every few minutes, coughing once an hour?
Its consistent cough or 3 episodes of coughing in 24hrs. Pretty much any new cough I'd say, but given .gov waffleshite its hard to say.
I will drive to local test centre and request a test in person.
They won't give you one , you need the qr code that the website sends you .
We booked an appointment but never received a QR, so we phoned and they couldn't find our appointment. Tried it again several times until I finally got an appointment and the QR code came through as soon as I pressed submit
Multiple people of LBC saying the way to get a test is put somewhere like Aberdeen in as where you need a test or accept whereever you are offered no matter how far it is, get sent issued a QR code and then go to your local test station and they will test you without question as long as you present a QR code they can scan