Are you going to get tested?

[mineofuselessinformation]

Personally, I see little point at the moment. I've been at home due to having vulnerable family members, have been very careful and feel quite well.
I'm more concerned about what safety measures will be in place when we return, but I digress.....
If I can choose when I get tested, I would rather leave it until I feel unwell (hopefully that won't happen).
How about you?

[mineofuselessinformation]

I forgot to say - also, I feel it would be a waste of NHS resources too.

[Helspopje]

Testing only works in the first days of infection

Doing an NP swab when not unwell is a total waste of a test

[eisbslej]

Fairly sure we had it as a family just before lockdown. Doesn't seem much point being tested now as we have all recovered and have no symptoms so I assume it wouldn't show anything at the moment.

[CaryStoppins]

Surely you'll only get a test if you have symptoms - or your family member will get a test because they have symptoms.

[mineofuselessinformation]

I was just asking as it in the news that key workers are to be tested, but as per all of your replies, I don't see the point.
This came up as a point of discussion with dc1 today (they are in their mid-twenties), and they couldn't really see why I was underwhelmed by it.

[welshweasel]

They are only going to be tested if they have symptoms. Same as they’ve been doing for the NHS. It’s helpful in so much as it gets people back to work if they/their family member doesn’t have it.

[TiddleTaddleTat]

I've heard from medical friends that it's only 65% accurate?

[whatsleep]

I’m symptomatic at the minute so hoping I can get tested to clarify if I have it or not?

[drspouse]

Not a teacher but DH is a KW. You are eligible for testing to see if your symptoms are CV and if not you can still go to work. Otherwise not (i.e. not to see if you have asymptomatic CV and it's not an antibody test so can't tell you if you got over it).
For us, DH is currently WFH but DS has an EHCP and is accessing school so we'd probably go for one to reassure his teachers (or, you know, not). DH works on computer systems so may be called in at some point but hopefully this test means his younger and healthier colleagues can test and go in instead!

[drspouse]

@whatsleep you can - just register online.

[CarrieBlue]

@drspouse - you seem to spend a lot of time in The Staffroom if you aren’t a teacher - why?

[drspouse]

I am nosy, it is true, but I saw this thread in Active Threads and had been discussing with KW DH so popped on before realising where it was.

[CarrieBlue]

@drspouse - thanks for your reply, it just seemed odd to start a reply with ‘not a teacher’ on a thread that is in an area for teachers.

[CarrieBlue]

And other education staff - sorry

[moggiemonster]

A little late for me, unless I get something similar. I went down, two weeks before, official lockdown with a virus which had all the hallmarks of Covid 19. I was really very ill, not ill enough to need to go to hospital. It has takes me until the last 2 weeks to be back to normal.

I have just found out, a couple of days ago, that a child who I work closely with, was hosptialised with the virus. Nobody was informed at school. Quite a few staff off after me with similar symptoms.

The point of my rant is, it seems there was pressure for the family to inform the school. So if key workers are tested and are positive are they obliged to inform employers? Are their family members, if positive, obliged to tell their employers or schools, if they are currently going in?

On the positive side, I guess I know what symptoms to look out for during the next wave.

[MyHipsDontLieUnfortunately]

I live in Wales but work in England so I don't currently qualify. Don't know where that will leave me if my school reopens but Wales doesn't.

[Redlocks30]

If I can choose when I get tested, I would rather leave it until I feel unwell

Why else would you be tested?

The NHS aren’t just routinely testing every key worker whether they have symptoms or not. I think a lot of people have misunderstood the news that KW can be tested.