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Original poster

Can't Get a Test

30 replies

Meckity1 · 23/09/2020 15:06

Just venting

Son probably has tonsilitis. Did a telephone consult with GP, sent a picture of his stonkingly huge tonsils. Dr confirms tonsilitis is going around and prescribes antibiotics. GP advises us to isolate and get a covid test.

School won't let him back in without a negative test. Apparently not even after isolation.

Nearest chance of a test so far is two hours driving each way. I'm a nervous driver. Son has chronic pain syndrome and will be in agony after four hours in the car. The only thing that touches it is codeine, which he can't have as he has a cough associated with the sore throat and codeine is a cough suppressant. I didn't take that. I'm now wishing that I had, though son wouldn't be fit for days, at least he could go to school afterwards.

And it's probably not covid. It could be, but is unlikely, which makes me feel guilty for taking up a test when there's a shortage but unprepared to not take the test in case it is covid and he could spread it to someone vulnerable.

Bugger.

OP posts:
DianaT1969 · 23/09/2020 15:55

Yes, it's a known problem at the moment. Sounds as if there are shortages for keyworkers too.
We can expect it to take a few weeks at least to have sufficient capacity.

BuggeredItUpAgain · 23/09/2020 15:57

How can the school not let him back even after isolation? I thought they’ve been told that they’re not allowed to do that as it’s putting unnecessary pressure on the amount of people testing.

AltheaThoon · 23/09/2020 16:14

We've just received NHS guidance from school today with explicit advice to only test if one or more recognised symptom is present (temperature, cough, loss of taste and smell). I presume it was sent to stop people seeking tests unnecessarily. Does your ds have any of the symptoms?

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Crystal87 · 23/09/2020 17:45

This was me last week, I tried for 3 days and got one in the end. Keep refreshing the page and try different postcodes near to you because they offer up difference results. We drove 2 hours to one site where the queue was so long, by the time we got there it had closed and sent us away.
The next day, got another 30 mins away, we were the only people there, though saw a few people who had presumably been unable to book online be turned away. It's the booking system st fault.

emptyshelvesagain · 23/09/2020 17:47

Take it higher than the school. It's not up to them to decide your child can't go in

Crunchymum · 23/09/2020 17:51

We did manage to get a test, it arrived on Saturday and no post until the Monday (took me 2 days to get the test and another day for it to arrive so we had to sample and send it on the Sunday)

119 arranged a courier, the test was never collected. Null and void and we are all at fucking home until 30th September!!

The system is a failure on every level.

Crunchymum · 23/09/2020 17:54

@Meckity1 are you saying the school are insisting you provide a negative result (as in you don't have the option to isolate and return after 14 days?)

Roowig2020 · 23/09/2020 18:29

When you're requesting a test through the website tic that you don't have a car. Our nearest drive through was 100 miles away which I can't do. I kept refreshing and got a home test after 2 hours.

Original poster
Meckity1 · 23/09/2020 19:41

@AltheaThoon he has a cough (getting less) and had a sore throat, not much of a temperature and was a complete snot monster. I would have just gone with bad cold/mild flu-type bug/tonsilitis but the GP told me to isolate and get a test. I wonder if I was right to ask, but his throat was so swollen I didn't dare not check with the GP.

@Crunchymum yes, the school said that even after isolation he couldn't come in without a negative test.

@Roowig2020 I might try that.

I feel for the school, and it sounds like loads of kids are getting sent home. They're being extra cautious but there is a very high proportion of BAME pupils which may underly their concern.

To be fair, he's been grotty so far this week so I would have been considering thinking about possibly keeping him at home in a normal year (or not). He's been coughing and sneezing and generally being miserable.

However he isn't getting much work, and that worries me. I think that the teachers will be struggling to get stuff sorted between kids at home and kids at school and that will leave so much more pressure on the kids in six months time as they try and catch up all the stuff they should have learned.

Today we had his prescription of Melatonin (different issues) delivered. I should have been able to pick it up. But because of this testing farce, some poor bloke had to take time out of their day to get it to us. The ripples from the lack of tests are hitting all sorts, and not just those who are not getting tests.

OP posts:
Crunchymum · 23/09/2020 19:45

What if he misses the testing period (5 days) or has an inconclusive test?

Shock
Original poster
Meckity1 · 23/09/2020 19:51

@Crunchymum - there is a five day period? It ends tomorrow for him! And the teachers seem clueless. I got told that there were a load of local centres, then the (actually really nice) woman went through trying to book one with me and found out exactly what was out there - nothing!

And I could lie and give a different start date for symptoms, but that would be taking a test that is in short supply and could be better used for someone else, like a key worker!

Bugger.

OP posts:
Crunchymum · 23/09/2020 19:55

Yep if you can't get a test within 5 days you have to self isolate for the full 14 days.

Can't Get a Test
Original poster
Meckity1 · 23/09/2020 20:03

@Crunchymum - I'm going to be stuffed!

OP posts:
SharesinClarks · 23/09/2020 20:05

Can your son's school not refer him for a test? My son got a test yesterday because school referred. I tried to get one but it was trying to send us to locked down counties (Wales) or saying none left.

doctorhamster · 23/09/2020 20:10

School aren't allowed to ask for proof of a negative test. If you really can't get one I would isolate for the 14 days and then just send him back.

Original poster
Meckity1 · 23/09/2020 20:13

@SharesinClarks - school can't do that. It doesn't help that we live in a separate local authority to the school - and both local authorities are hotspots.

@doctorhamster - I may have to do that. The poor woman at the end of the phone sounded at the end of her tether.

OP posts:
Cookerhood · 23/09/2020 20:14

The school have 10 tests. If they are insisting on him having one I suggest you ask for one of theirs.

Serena1977 · 23/09/2020 20:16

If a test cant be obtained within 5 days of onset of symptoms, household must isolate for 14 days. Send him back to school then and schools cant ask for proof of negative result.

hamstersarse · 23/09/2020 20:17

You really shouldn’t be getting a test if the symptoms aren’t there

Not only is it a waste of money, you could be contributing to the false positive problem

GetRid · 23/09/2020 20:20

Hi op - we were in similar position. On day 5 of symptoms I got on the booking page early and kept refreshing it every 5 mins all morning. Eventually got an appointment that was 50mins drive away and took that.

My advice is to keep refreshing (appointments suddenly appeared at around 10am) and don't just accept first one you're offered if it's 100 miles away. Also the system will take you through to the very last step, and just as you think you've clinched it, it'll boot you back to the start. This happened to me but if you keep on entering details it will eventually go through. Good luck

GetRid · 23/09/2020 20:22

@hamstersarse op says her DC had a cough and a temperature! Even if mild, they're definitely symptoms!

Original poster
Meckity1 · 23/09/2020 21:11

Thanks for all the help. I'll update as I find out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Meckity1 · 24/09/2020 10:17

Kept refreshing as @GetRid suggested and managed to get a test only five minutes away.

Fortunately they send the site pass in an email and I have a smart phone as I don't have access to a printer.

Unfortunately he needs photo ID. He doesn't have any. I'm going to start ringing around to find out what I can do and I'll share if/when I find out in case anyone else has the same issue.

Thank you to everyone.

OP posts:
emptyshelvesagain · 24/09/2020 10:21

@hamstersarse

You really shouldn’t be getting a test if the symptoms aren’t there

You really shouldn't be commenting if the comprehension isn't there.

GetRid · 24/09/2020 10:41

@Meckity1 we were not asked for any photo ID, they just scanned the site pass on my phone. Wonder if the ID thing is just for adults?

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