Does anyone test for Covid anymore?

I stopped testing for covid when the free tests stopped. I can't afford to buy a test any time anyone in the family has cold symptoms.

Visgir1

No... Not worth it.

American Heart Association:
"Research shows COVID-19 infection can increase the risk for heart-related problems such as myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart, and an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation."16 Jan 2024

British Heart Foundation:
"Latest figures show that in 2022, over 39,000 people in England died prematurely of cardiovascular conditions including heart attacks, coronary heart disease and stroke – an average of 750 people each week. It is the highest annual total since 2008"
www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/news-archive/2024/january/early-heart-disease-deaths-rise-to-14-year-high#:~:text=Latest%20figures%20show%20that%20in,highest%20annual%20total%20since%202008.

grandtanteJE65

The problem with testing is that the only way I can do so, is by going to the chemist's and buying a test, as I live alone.

Frankly, with a bad cold, whether Covid or not, I don't go anywhere, so I cannot test - and those tests are not particularly reliable and quite dear.

So, I prefer just to stay at home, until my colds clear up.

Tests can be bought online and posted to you from chemists or Amazon. You don't have to go out to buy one.

Yes when I have any weird symptoms other than the things I have wrong with me . Not just for my peace of mind but because I mix with other disabled people plus many disabilities are hidden and I travel on the bus a lot . Would hate to infect a vulnerable person.

I’m vulnerable and so are the people we care for, so yes, we test. My brother and a sister both had Covid this year and were very ill with it. In fact my brother is currently living with us as he needs care after succumbing to Long Covid. 🥺

I don't test for covid anymore, my tests are out of date now. I had a cold a few weeks ago, lots of things planned which I cancelled. I stayed at home going nowhere for almost a fortnight. The one thing covid has taught me is how quickly colds/viruses spread. No way am I going to be responsible for spreading even the common cold. Call me a meanie but I definitely don't want to have to share my germs with anyone!

My husband is clinically vulnerable so we wear masks in crowded places, look for airy venues with increased ventilation and always test if we have symptoms. A single lateral flow test from Boots is about £2 and presently 5 FFP2 masks cost £2,99 from there i.e. half price.
UKHSA still produce data on a regular basis and COVID levels are stable at present but as high as they were in the summer. Christina Pagel, Sheenagh Cruickshank and Bob Hawkins, all respected scientists and statisticians tweet regularly with understandable information. Elderly people still are admitted disproportionately to hospital and in very young babies infection has never improved. Regional differences in cases exist, the NE and West Midlands are higher at the moment. There's lots of advice and good practice available. Serial COVID is not a joke.

I don’t test anymore but the bottom line is, if I have a ‘bad cold’ or any such thing I would stay out of the way of others. Covid is just a variation of the cold virus and I would always be mindful of others if I’m ill. It’s the polite thing to do. Wouldn’t visit an elderly or vulnerable person with any illness. Just common sense.

“just a variation of the cold virus”
If only!
Admittedly they are both viruses but the common cold is usually caused by the rhinovirus and Covid is caused by SARS-Covid-19 virus.
Admittedly symptoms may appear similar, but in some people covid will be much more serious.

It really isn’t like a cold virus. Long Covid can be life changing.

Iam64

It really isn’t like a cold virus. Long Covid can be life changing.

I had long covid for four months, and I was one of the lucky ones. I’ve never had a cold, or flu, for four months …

I developed recurring digestive / bowel problems as a result of covid 18 months ago, and lost a lot of weight through it over the following six months or more.
Before that, my bmi was perfect for my height. Although I have slowly regained some of that weight, I am still borderline underweight. This has never happened to me after a common cold!

While some of the symptoms of Covid overlap with those of a common cold, they really are two very different things.

“Just a variation of the cold virus” Hmm tell that to my daughters friend, a woman in her mid forties and formerly a GP. She caught covid in the early days pre vaccine and is now living with ongoing heart problems, akin to heart failure. She is very immune suppressed, no longer able to work and family life for her husband and 2 young sons has changed beyond measure.

Are Covid test packs easily available? Must be more than a year since I saw them on shelves in the chemists.I had to dispose of a pack as they were out of date. If I suspect Covid would a pharmacy deliver a test kit as I would not want to go out until I was sure I was clear.

You can just walk into a pharmacy and buy them. DH bought a pack when we had our winter jabs, just before we went on holiday a few weeks ago.

While on holiday he went down with a respiratory bug and was able to do a COVID test immediately, which confirmed that he did not have COVID.

The test kits are £9 in Boots

They are £2 for a single test in Savers.

We’ve bought the multi packs from Boots. I think it is useful to have some in, particularly during the winter when we will be mixing inside more.
Hospital appt reminders still ask you not to attend with any covid symptoms.

I think there are 10 in the Boots pack.

Touch wood I've not had Covid but I've had the jab - and any other jab that's available such as flu

Aveline

I think there are 10 in the Boots pack.

That's good value.

It's five in a pack

I think most supermarkets sell the tests too.

Still have some tests (out of date but showed up dads covid), I didn’t test positive but mums came up as positive a few days later.

I thought we were supposed to treat Covid like flu. It’s always going to be around and vaccination means it is rarely serious if we do catch it.