Corona virus testing

I can see why people wouldn't bother. A friend had a bad cough, so got a test.

It came back negative - but, - as tests only identify 70% of cases, she still has to isolate for two weeks!

It must be a nightmare for those who need to be tested for Covid, who wants to travel miles whilst feeling ill. ,

Hancock being mocked in the HoC

www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2020/sep/10/matt-hancock-presents-operation-moonshot-to-open-laughter-in-commons-video

The government have had the whole of the summer to get organised for what is happening now. It isn’t as if it wasn’t expected. But they were too busy making sure the work was given to their mates.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2 I would be extremely surprised if GPs wanted to carry out Covid testing, most surgeries have a ring of steel round them at the moment and many receptionists have turned into rabid gatekeepers .

Becore you get to speak to a human we have to listen to a long spiel which basically says that if you have even one of the many symptoms of Covid go straight to 111 or the NHS website.

Not testing but screening.

PamelaJ1

I think that the problem is not lack of testing facilities on the ground but lack of facilities to test the tests in the labs.

Labs facility were closed by the Tories.

I would just like to say that I posted this just before the man on the news said exactly the same??

I think that the problem is not lack of testing facilities on the ground but lack of facilities to test the tests in the labs.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2 I would be extremely surprised if GPs wanted to carry out Covid testing, most surgeries have a ring of steel round them at the moment and many receptionists have turned into rabid gatekeepers .

Becore you get to speak to a human we have to listen to a long spiel which basically says that if you have even one of the many symptoms of Covid go straight to 111 or the NHS website.

We get it all in Welsh as well.

Whitewavemark2 I would be extremely surprised if GPs wanted to carry out Covid testing, most surgeries have a ring of steel round them at the moment and many receptionists have turned into rabid gatekeepers .

Becore you get to speak to a human we have to listen to a long spiel which basically says that if you have even one of the many symptoms of Covid go straight to 111 or the NHS website.

JenniferEccles

I think the problem lies with the ‘worried well’.

Some areas have been completely overwhelmed by people just popping in for a test even though they have no symptoms and feel perfectly fine.

My understanding is that the testing centres are for those with symptoms not for those who just fancy having a test.

Then of course there is the question of the lab. capacity for analysing the samples.

I think that you are believing the government line.

If they had funded the NHS to carry out these tests as they should have done, then the GPs would have been the first port of call and she would have have been able to filter out the worried well and others.

But instead this corrupt government prefers to channel our taxes into their friends‘ pockets, who have no experience or knowledge of the issue.

As the R rate goes up to between 1 and 1.2 , the appointment of Dido Harding as head of track and trace is looking more and more inspired

Crace

My four year old grandson has been sent home from reception class at school because hes started with a cough...and he,his mum,dad and brother have to go and get tested...we are in Bolton with the highest covid numbers in the UK but have now got no test centre...they have to go to Blackburn....I think that's diabolical!!

Where's the proof people are just popping in for a test? Schools have been told to send anyone with any symptoms home and to get a test. Most of them probably are just colds, although it's worrying that they should catch any infection if schools are "Covid secure". What are other family members supposed to do until a negative test result is received?

I've just been reading a local Facebook site and dozens of parents are saying the same as above. There are loads of children off school with various symptoms, but they can't get tests. Even ringing 119 apparently hasn't had any appointments. The added stress isn't what you need when somebody is ill. Meanwhile, parents are in a quandary about other members of the family and they're not sure whether to stay away from school or work. Most of them probably aren't infected - and I expect these are the ones Hancock is criticising - but a couple of them might be and could seed new outbreaks.

I think the problem lies with the ‘worried well’.

Some areas have been completely overwhelmed by people just popping in for a test even though they have no symptoms and feel perfectly fine.

My understanding is that the testing centres are for those with symptoms not for those who just fancy having a test.

Then of course there is the question of the lab. capacity for analysing the samples.

Ringing 119 and speaking in person is the best way to get a test local to you.

A dd had to get the family tested the other day since Gds had been unwell for a couple of days, with listlessness and tummy upset symptoms said to be a sign in children.

There is a large test centre in a car park a 5 minute drive from their house, but for about 2 hours the website was trying to send her miles away.
Eventually she did get a local test though - results came back in 48 hours, all negative, phew.

My grandson is off school with what is probably a cold but DD couldn’t get a test in the post (they’d ran out of them) and the only available drive through was 50 miles away and that wasn’t available for several days. I dread to think how many children will lose school time this winter with minor infections. The main Covid symptom in children appears to be extreme tiredness; something that parents need to watch out for. Still, when we have instant testing there won’t be a problem. Can someone remind me when that will be available?

There is no COVID testing in west London at all today - neither walk in nor drive thru.

Which means two NHS doctors cannot go to work - at a time when COVID cases are surging.

They checked all through the night.. 2am.. 5am.. Still nothing.

Dr. Rachel Clarke.

Growstuff ???

According to Matt Hancock, the shortage of tests is caused by people who don't need them.

www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/sep/09/uk-coronavirus-live-matt-hancock-covid-testing-shortage-boris-johnson?page=with:block-5f5884878f08c38f728cf12c#block-5f5884878f08c38f728cf12c

Well, who would have thought that it would be somebody else's fault?

No wonder HMG isn't keen to introduce testing at airports. Clearly, they simply don't have the capacity.

There is capacity at the airports - so why isn't everyone sent through for a test on arrival?

As for the phone advisers, perhaps they need a map as soe seem to have failed 'O' level geography.

DGS2 had test (neg) 2 weeks ago last Sunday. He is 2. Whatever virus he has is horrible and he is still unwell. He had tonsillitis (no antibiotics) chesty cough, runny nose, off food and is generally choked up and miserable. He was originally seen in AE where they diagnosed tonsillitis and told DD he needed a test. Now his tonsils are still swollen, congested, chesty cough and miserable when calpol wears off. He has been well all of lockdown and caught this a week after being back at childminder. I wonder if a) these bugs are stronger having been suppressed for 6 months or b) our immune systems are not as strong having been lulled into a false sense of security. Never had a temp.

GS aged 3 had to be tested yesterday, so that he can return to pre school. Test was done at 15.30 yesterday and a negative result was received by 16.00 today.