To think that coronavirus self tests are a complete waste of time

[blackwych]

I've just been to a test centre - I chose that option rather than a home kit because I was sure I wouldn't be able to swab the back of my own throat. When I got to the test centre I found it was one where you have to swab yourself anyway. There was no way I could wipe a cotton bud on my tonsils for 10 seconds. I could barely touch them without gagging. It's so against human nature that I wouldn't be surprised if it is leading to thousands of false negatives. Has anyone else managed to actually do it? If a nurse was doing it for me I think I would have been OK, but now I just don't think a negative test result will be reliable.

[Lancrelady80]

We found that too. Unsurprisingly the tests ca.e back negative but think that was due to our incompetence rather than actually not having it.

[SnackSizeRaisin]

Completely agree. There's no point doing these tests - they need to be carried out by someone with training. It's just to get the numbers up.

[Thighmageddon]

It's just a gimmick so the government can say "look at us, we delivered on the tests".

No one can do it on themselves I shouldn't think.

[tiredanddangerous]

Yup. There will have been a vast number of false negatives, which is no doubt exactly what the government intends.

[Singlebutmarried]

The centre I went to you could diy or see a person. I opted to see a person.

There no way could have done it to myself.

[blackwych]

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. Apparently doing nasal and throat swabs is or was being counted as two tests as well.

[AlwaysInMay]

I went to a test centre, option of self-test or someone to do it for you. My partner and I both did it ourselves, it wasn't pleasant but it wasn't as awful as expected. We both got negative tests and I'm confident we did them properly.

[Angelnix]

We were having a similar discussion at work yesterday. Utterly pointless to self test, you have to put the swab so far back in the throat for at least five seconds and then right in the back of the nose for another five seconds, it's not something that I could do to myself, but is something that I do frequently in practice.