Corona virus testing

You can have as many drive in centres as you like but if they are not on a bus route I have absolutely no way of getting to one, can’t afford a taxi and am not really happy to get on a bus especially if I think I have this bug so, I guess, I will die at home, not feature in the official figures, because I will not have been able to test since the nearest test centre to me is far too far to cycle and can only be accessed off a motorway. Mind boggingly total lack of joined up thinking, absolutely typical of local government in England,

Grannybags, Newport ... that's stupid when there's a testing centre at the Victoria Rooms in Bristol. When I went it was almost empty (negative, went as part of Zoe research) and no queues or anything... seems the organizers need to get a frip.

My son lives in Birmingham and went down with flu like symptoms over the weekend. He tried to book a Covid test on line and initially the only tests available were in Cardiff and Chester. However he spent all day ‘refreshing’ the screen and eventually in the evening he managed to book a test 6 miles from his home for today. He’d heard new test dates are put on the system in the evening - so it seems it’s a bit like it was trying to get a supermarket delivery at the beginning of lockdown.

GD developed cough and fever day before school started. Lives in Surrey and test centre in Gatwick but told had to go to New Cross SE London. Drive there and back took nearly 4 hours. This was a week ago and still haven’t had result - possibly lost they say. Luckily cough and temp. Back to normal but who knows?

It all sounds like rather a shambles. No wonder HMG isn't keen to introduce testing at airports. Clearly, they simply don't have the capacity.

Great, isn't it?

Furret asked who is responsible for current testing arrangements and I've been trawling the Internet to find out. Its not easy but this is what I understand, though I'm very happy to be corrected if anyone can find other information.

Overall management of test and trace in terms of tracing contacts and directing people to test sites is managed centrally by an agency.

The setting up of test sites was managed centrally at first and then, on the request of Local Authorities who said they knew their local needs better, it was handed over to them. Funding comes from the Government but LAs decide how many and where. If they cannot meet requests then people will be diverted to the one that has capacity, even if its in another LA.

Where there is an outbreak there are two levels of extra support that are provided centrally from Government.

I'm not sure knowing this solves anything. Unless you're in an outbreak area you're pretty much dependent on the competence of your LA.

Would this be the world beating test, track and trace system that you are discussing?

Thanks for trawling the net for that information Iltte. I find it useful because as I said earlier a Covid testing centre suddenly sprang up a few hundred metres from my front door. We do have an excellent DC and CC so I think this is their doing and it gives me confidence.

Tests can be ordered on line and sent to your house.

My granddaughter and son in law were unwell last week. Phoned the required line booked tests drove 3 miles ,were tested and got the results the following day. Both neg. No problems on our area obviously.

I was talking to my local pharmacist last week who said it would have made more sense if the pharmacists had been asked to do the tests. Most of them have consulting rooms and are doing flu jabs.

The booking system was working fine a month ago. I wonder what’s changed?

Unless less tests = less positive cases = lower figures.

Jess20

Grannybags, Newport ... that's stupid when there's a testing centre at the Victoria Rooms in Bristol. When I went it was almost empty (negative, went as part of Zoe research) and no queues or anything... seems the organizers need to get a frip.

Thanks Jess I'll make a note ready for next time!

I was randomly selected for a covid-19 test . It was posted to me and pick up by courier and I had the results back in 3 days . It wasn't pleasant to do the test and it only proved I didn't have covid-19 on the day , I done the test .

My 3 year old granddaughter was taken to hospital by ambulance having had a temperature of nearly 40 followed by a febrile convulsion. They kept her in for observation and discharged her after 6 hours. Parents were told to arrange for her to have a Covid test when she went home. This was done two days later Eleven miles away when her condition improved as there was a 22 mile round trip!
The hospital refused to test her as they only test people they admit
Strange times!!

Test and trace does not seem to be working. Government ministers talk it up but the reality is not enough of us are being tested. For all I know, I could be one of those who are carrying the virus but do not have any symptoms. I sometimes wonder if the Tories don’t want to know exactly how many infected people there are as higher numbers would reflect badly on them.

Don't you think, Bossyrossy, that it's another badly organised , ill thought out scheme run by "friends " of those in charge, with contacts handed out without tenders.
Someone really should be called to account.
.

This just one more deprivation since I had to give up driving. At 83, I expectthat I would b6e last in the queue for a test. I have heard absolutely nothing about tests in my rural area in Suffolk. Also nothing about flu jabs. I have toringthelocal GP surgery every year.

We are a fair sized town of roughly 70,000 we did have a test centre in out local sports centre however that has now been removed and now have to drive goodness knows where The nearest is 30 miles away
I have friends who have tried and tried to get one through 101 and can never get any answer on the phone
alison you can get a flu jab in boots or Superdrug if you have them in your town it’s easier for me to do that when shopping as opposed to a bus trip to the doctors

I had a throat infection last week with a very high temperature, I had to drive a 50mile round trip for a test, not good when I felt really rotten. Test was negative as I expected.

GagaJo

The booking system was working fine a month ago. I wonder what’s changed?

Unless less tests = less positive cases = lower figures.

They're claiming the labs can't handle the tests, but I don't see how that affects where they're available.

I have to go into a hospital 7 miles from home for an operation but they have said I have to have a Covid check at another hospital 14 miles away before being admitted. Sounds like every hospital/doctors have their own way of going on, probably all making it up as they go along as there doesn’t appear to be a rule book. ?

A friend who is due to have surgery went to our local hospital
The other day for her covid test ( same hospital) long line of cars but she did get it done.
All areas will be different I suppose.

If you are in the North West then I imagine you have to travel further or wait longer due to the sheer amount of testing taking place there.

GagaJo schools are back, every sniffle, understandably, or not, people want tests, system overwhelmed.

A report in our local paper(east Essex) with someone here being told to go to Rochdale for a test! Just a mere 233 miles each way!