No PCR tests available

I’ve reported a negative test today without any problem. To be honest I wouldn’t bother with a PCR test anymore, we didn’t do one when we had Covid, just reported our LFTs. My granddaughter had a PCR on Monday and still hasn’t got the result. She’s had negative LFTs all week but the school won’t let her back without a PCR result because she is coughing. This is despite her having been to hospital and been treated for croup. The schools are really worried because there is so much covid around, despite what the majority of people seem to believe. I expect that that’s the reason why a 90 year old relative had to wait on the floor with a broken hip for 4 hours before an ambulance arrived and why my daughter was told that my granddaughter, who was having breathing problems, needed an ambulance but they couldn’t send one as there were none available. It’s very worrying!

Oopsadaisy1

Baggs see my post above, people are amongst us who have tested positive, if you are working next to someone how can you judge if you are safe or not? Maybe everyone in the office should wear a mask except the one who is carrying the infection?

Maybe those who are vulnerable should lock themselves away?

No one seems to care about them as it’s assumed that they are elderly and don’t work, there are plenty of vulnerable adults who aren’t retired and go to work, they are virtually being told to suck it up and take their chances.

A friend of my daughters has long Covid and can only work part time, caught Covid from someone who was positive but worked anyway, now her teeth are falling out, all due to Covid.

This is what ‘living with it ‘ means , right?

how can you judge if you are safe or not? – you can't.

Maybe those who are vulnerable should lock themselves away? – Lockdowns were to protect vulnerable people but have caused a great deal of damage to the rest of society. We've got to the point now where we have to reboost the economy even if only to help deal with the backup of health issues that haven't been dealt with while we obsessed about covid. (I'm not saying we shouldn't have obsessed, especially at the beginning, but now we need to stop).

there are plenty of vulnerable adults who aren’t retired and go to work, they are virtually being told to suck it up and take their chances. – this group inlcudes me. I'm fine with it.

now her teeth are falling out, all due to Covid. – this is unfortunate, but so is the fact that many, many people have not been able to get dental treatment for two years. So much for having six-monthly check ups to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Other viruses and health conditions cause long-term symptoms too. We also have to live with that. For the record, I do.

songstress60

I hardly ever test. Had triple vaccine so I've done my bit for society. People can't keep testing. Lets just treat it like the flu or a cold. For God's sake we need to get back to normal. I am damned if I am going to pay for the LFT

And it's ignorant, ill-informed and selfish attitudes like this that are the main reason why we're currently at more than 3.8 million cases in the UK.

Oopsadaisy1

As Mr Trump once said

If you don’t test, the numbers go down

Or something like that.

The only data we will have is hospital admissions and Deaths

At last, someone with common sense, couldn’t agree more Oopsadaisy1.

If people stop testing for something like the common cold, then maybe the numbers will go down

Did we all test before covid when we had the sniffles!!!!!

Personally, I agree with the PP who said the hospitalizations and deaths are the important figures.
I'm clinically vulnerable and have not changed a single thing in my lifestyle at all over the whole pandemic and won't be doing so now either.
If I get it, I get it, if I don't, I don't, but so far, in 2 whole years I've not and I've done nothing different. I've said all along we need to learn to live with it like we have the flu, so can we please get on with our lives and stop worrying about how many people have had a sniffle?

Well you’re damn lucky deejay
I have cancer and am having chemotherapy so I am very very vulnerable.
You probably think I should lock myself away for my remaining time ?
If people were just a bit more willing to think of others and wear masks on transport etc maybe I would not have to.

How on earth are people working in healthcare going to be able to afford to pay for regular tests which were free? Crazy. I think the Government would just like to draw a line under the whole Covid thing - it’s too expensive to the economy.

I would be interested to know of all hospital deaths how many (currently) are solely due to Covid, and how many just happen to have tested positive with few or no symptoms.

You can still go online and pick them up from a designated chemist in your postcode. I did, got a QR code, went into the designated pharmacy today, quoted my code and was given two kits. This is in Kent.

It is very easy to report LFT tests online. Just Google report LFT test and it directs you to the appropriate page on Gov.uk

I had Covid a couple of weeks ago. Simply reported the LFT test via the website and that was that. Don't think many people get a PCR test these days.

I have just uploaded my positive lateral flow test online and sent for a PCR. It is coming tomorrow!

Lucca

Well you’re damn lucky deejay
I have cancer and am having chemotherapy so I am very very vulnerable.
You probably think I should lock myself away for my remaining time ?
If people were just a bit more willing to think of others and wear masks on transport etc maybe I would not have to.

I don't usually comment, but my goodness there are some unbelievably selfish people in this world, you certainly should not have to 'lock yourself away' and nor should my DH who is CEV
I wish you all the best for your treatment Lucca

Madashell

How on earth are people working in healthcare going to be able to afford to pay for regular tests which were free? Crazy. I think the Government would just like to draw a line under the whole Covid thing - it’s too expensive to the economy.

I would be interested to know of all hospital deaths how many (currently) are solely due to Covid, and how many just happen to have tested positive with few or no symptoms.

FYI The vast majority of deaths with Covid on the certificate are a direct result of Covid. There have been some with underlying health conditions, but they would have lived for much longer if they hadn't been infected with Covid.

If a person is ill enough to be admitted to hospital with a non-Covid condition and tests positive for asymptomatic Covid, he/she will be treated for the non-Covid condition. If he/she dies as a result of the condition, that's what will appear as the main cause of death on the certificate.

DeeJaysMum

Personally, I agree with the PP who said the hospitalizations and deaths are the important figures.
I'm clinically vulnerable and have not changed a single thing in my lifestyle at all over the whole pandemic and won't be doing so now either.
If I get it, I get it, if I don't, I don't, but so far, in 2 whole years I've not and I've done nothing different. I've said all along we need to learn to live with it like we have the flu, so can we please get on with our lives and stop worrying about how many people have had a sniffle?

Covid causes many people more than a sniffle.

songstress60

I hardly ever test. Had triple vaccine so I've done my bit for society. People can't keep testing. Lets just treat it like the flu or a cold. For God's sake we need to get back to normal. I am damned if I am going to pay for the LFT

No, let's treat it like Covid, which for many people is more serious than flu or a cold.

I had it 3 weeks ago. Reported the LFT online - then got a text and e mail telling me I'd had a positive test - well I know that as I told them in the first place. Hae I missed the point somewhere?!!! I could see no point trying to get a PCR test as I reckoned I shouldn't be leaving the house when I was ill and was not well enough to drive anyway, and didn't want to pass it on to anyone else, so just self isolated till I felt better (which took about 10 days btw!).

usernametaken well you got that wrong!

I was using that as an ironic message, not as a go to thing to do!

We need testing and we need to isolate if we are Positive for Covid. Covid is NOT the Flu.

Trump was an idiot

It is rampant in our area. All the family ( 5) have had it, not pleasant, like flu but okay. However, two others in our small village have been hospitalised, one 75, the other in their 40s.

Is it me??

The friends teeth were perfectly healthy prior to Covid, they became loose and fell out Due To Covid, not because she couldn’t get to a Dentist…….

I tested positive 11 days ago and am still testing positive today. I’ve been in isolation up until today as apparently on the 11th day it’s ok and I’m not infectious. I was poorly the first 4 days with a high temp and dreadful headache, now I have cold symptoms. Same for me, it was DH’s fault!

Baggs

*The evidence from Gransnet alone*, MaddyOne, will not be robust. You can't use it as proper data.

I know that Baggs, but nonetheless the sheer number of Gransnetters who have said they’ve had Covid, or their families have had Covid, has been amazing to me. It’s anecdotal evidence, but nonetheless it’s clear, and of course it’s backed up by the fact that approximately 90,000 to 100,000 people are testing positive every single day at the moment. Those are of course, only the ones who bothered to report the tests, or had a positive PCR, which of course won’t be available very soon.

Lucca

Well you’re damn lucky deejay
I have cancer and am having chemotherapy so I am very very vulnerable.
You probably think I should lock myself away for my remaining time ?
If people were just a bit more willing to think of others and wear masks on transport etc maybe I would not have to.

You probably think I should lock myself away for my remaining time ?

I'm afraid there are those who, not to pull any punches, think that's exactly what you should do. They say things like, "if you're scared, stay at home and let the rest of us get on with our lives".

We're now a very individualistic society. Showing care, empathy and compassion for others is outdated and I think in some people's minds it's equated a bit with the 'loony Left bleeding-heart brigade'.

They feel the immune-compromised, CEV, and others for whom the virus could be quite serious have been accommodated a tad too far. Hence all the comments, 'we have to live with it'.

Yes, we do have to live with it and we should try to get life back to normal and the economy does need to function. But there are ways of doing all these things inclusively... instead of making the vulnerable into a pariah group. But it requires people to think of others, not just themselves and what they want. Unfortunately, our PM pandered to their baser instincts in order to retain his popularity and, effectively, got Covid 'done'. I'm pretty sure as far as he's concerned, the matter is over - he has more important things to focus on.

I've had both cancer and chemotherapy. It's draining and debilitating, and quite depressing to realise that a heck of a lot of people don't give a damn. Until it happens to them, of course.

I wish you a good outcome from the arduous chemo. Keep your spirits up. There are still a lot of kind and considerate people around.

Personally, I absolutely hate wearing masks - for all the reasons most people do. But I do it where necessary just the same. There are worse things happening to people than steamed-up glasses and the irritation of a warm mask covering your face for 10-30 minutes or so...

I believe the reason Scotland has such a high reported rate (one in eleven have covid currently) is because we are still testing and recording.
Believe it or not by law we are still wearing masks in confined spaces with very high compliance as far as I have observed.
In England you aren’t reporting or having PCR tests so it looks as if your rates are lower.
Boris wants you to think it’s all over.

We are going to have to live with Covid and treat the risks as we do the flu. A booster vaccine will be available soon for the most vulnerable, we are told. Hopefully in the future a vaccine will be developed which will be longer lasting and which could be administered yearly like the flu jab. It is unrealistic to expect everyone to self isolate which in very many cases would mean absence from work. Not everyone gets decent sick pay from their employer, many are self employed and state sickness benefits are a poor joke. With the cost of living spiralling ever upwards, people simply cannot afford to stay at home.

I reported a negative LFT today via the reporting website- (required for work) without problems at 7am.