Self-testing

Yes - I hear what you are saying. Tests only have a point if they are actually accurate.

However, being able to definitely identify some of the people who have the virus and isolating them is a contribution to reducing spread.

The whole student thing is ridiculous. The idea of having a lockdown and then suddenly flooding the nation with young adults going up and down the country from one end to the other at the end of September is just crazy - and there was no hope that it might not cause trouble.

When I did my test I know that the swab was nowhere near the back of my throat. I can gag taking a tablet ?

I have tested myself carefully twice and it's really unpleasant. I am certain I did it right. BUT... it was not at all easy.

The tests that are in question are mostly the "quick" tests. Not the ones that are processed in a lab. The lab sort are pretty accurate if taken correctly.

I was properly tested by medical staff and realised that if I’d done it myself, I could have easily got a false negative. They made me gag before they were satisfied with the sample!

I couldn’t do my own, my DH did it for me, eventually, it was really difficult to do for the allotted time on each tonsil without gagging and very unpleasant. The test was negative as it was part of a random trial and I didn’t have symptoms but whether we did it thoroughly in the end I’m not sure.

We have had to do DGS2 twice and 2nd time was horrendous as he knew what was coming. DD2 had to do it - parents have to do children under 12. You aren't allowed out the car so she clambered in back and I had to hold him down. Have you ever tried to pin 2 legs and 2 arms of a 2yo down from the front of the car while his mummy had to pin his head down and aim for 2 nostrils. After had to sit and watch trains and trams for 10 minutes till he stopped sobbing. Both times he had a cold but childminder would not have him back unless he tested negative. Both tests were negative. It was horrible! And this from a nurse who has had to hold children when they are having a lumbar puncture before I retired!

What happened to the saliva test I read about?

I think the "quick" test is saliva ladyleftfieldlover

Feeling for you Elaine DD3 had to do her little boy ( 20 months) but he did not know it was coming.

I had a Covid test this morning. I haven't got symptoms but you can be tested here without. I booked . It was all well organised . The tester talked me through everything. Doing it wasn't pleasant but got right back by both my tonsils and then up my nose. Over and done with in few minutes.

Not sure why anyone would want a test if not having symptoms. Does seem a rather pointless use of facilities. Unless is being carried out as you know that you have been in close contact to someone who had tested positive

Franbern lots of people have symptom-less Covid-19.

Our son had a test a few months ago, because we were worried we shouldn’t have seen him. Someone at work had tested positive. An assessment was carried out, and 12 of the 15 people in the office, were told they didn’t need to isolate. Our son was one of them. The other three did. They closed the office for four days. We saw him and then panicked. So he had a test, which was negative, two days after we saw him. So we felt safe, as he’d been negative when he saw us, and for the next few days. He could still have gone on to be positive, over the next week or so ( he didn’t), but we knew when he saw us, he definitely had no active virus.

I answered Franbern via a PM as know her from another thread. Then got a PM accusing me of wasting resources and tests should be only for people with symptoms. Liverpool has had a mass screening of people with and without symptoms. This has been extended to the rest of the boroughs in Merseyside. There has been a dramatic drop in cases every week across Merseyside since testing began. To my mind that shows mass testing is working. I will not be accused of wasting resources when we have been actively encouraged to use them. I have health problems and young children in my family.

I don't go out unless I have to. When I go out I always go out masked and have hand sanitizer in my coat pocket. If more people followed the rules we wouldn't to have keep having lockdowns.

As I have said on other threads we are at war . It's just an enemy we can't see. If we could see it then people would follow the rules. How many people have caught Covid and how many have died through other people's devil may care attitude. It's not hard to wear a mask , kept your distance and wash your hands. I know if one lady with breathing problems so she doesn't need to wear a mask. But she has a specially adapted one that doesn't cover her whole nose but just nostrils and mouth. She does it to protect herself . I admire her . I know some can't wear masks but it's up to us who can to wear them to protect them as well as ourselves.
That's my rant over.

Whiff. The thing that annoys me the most is people not social distancing. And when you move to one side they either ignore you totally or look at you as if you’re weird. It only happens when I’m walking the dog because that’s literally the only time I go out! On the rare occasion that someone does move away for me I want to hug them. Which, obviously, I can’t do !

Just had updated statistics in my area new cases in the last 7 days 207 - 37.3% from previous week. A few weeks ago it was over 500 cases. Testing works.

Just had text my test was negative. Still glad I had it done.

MayBee70 that really annoys me to. I always move right over. Even walked in the road if someone won't move.

I read today that the test is sensitive and can pick up the common cold (also a Corona virus) so how do we know that everyone actually has CV plus how long does the vaccine last for ? Do these first injected need another one in three months , six months, or what ?

According to dr Hilary on the tv this morning he doesn’t think the vaccine stops vaccinated people from catching CV or passing it on just stops them getting so poorly

A lot of questions before we get too excited in my opinion

Yes. Sometimes get people chatting on the pavement so you have to walk in the road to avoid them. Happened to DD yesterday. On top of that the people chatting had a large dog which lunged at her little dog which then ran further into the road but was thankfully on a tight lead and there was no traffic. Grrrr....

When people say the quick test is like a pregnancy test, I thought that meant you had to pee on it. Common sense tells me it can't be that, of course.

BlueBell I have a cold at the moment and had test done yesterday . Came back negative. So it didn't show my cold up.

Just to set the record straight I did NOT accuse Whiff of wasting resources. I did say that I cannot understand the need for someone who has not been in contact with anyone with the virus to go along to have this test. Yes, I know that many people who have it have few, if any, symptoms, but if you are not going out anywhere or mixing with people who could be catching this virus, then not sure why youbwould wish to have this test. And, not even just for peace of mind. By the time the result comes back, anything could have occured. My opinion.

I was talking to a wonderful lady from my flats today. She is 96 years of age, lives a totally independent life. I was trying to persuade her that there is nothing wrong at her age to ask for some help sometimes. She is likely to be called quite soon ( I assume) for the vaccine, and she was not sure whether or not to have it. Think I have persuaded her to do so.

I note that North Somerset, which is still in Tier 3, is now well down on the number of postive results each day - well below the national average. Assume we will go into tier 2 on 16th December.