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Original poster

Are you stocking up on lateral flow tests?

232 replies

alltheapples · 23/02/2022 10:17

I wondered now that the government are ending free tests if anyone else is stocking up on free tests?

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 23/02/2022 13:01

What good will having hundreds of tests stockpiled in your home do you when people will be out everywhere now with covid? They don't stop you getting it.

burnthur5t · 23/02/2022 13:02

Great idea OP, make sure there's not enough for others by hoarding them yourself

I bet you were one of the idiots bulk buying loo roll and filling your fuel tank when it's already 98% full

Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:02

Tests will lessen the chance of giving covid to my vulnerable parents and my friend with cancer. Like lots of people, I test before visiting.

OP posts:
Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:04

And I suspect those criticising me either do not use tests anyway, or are well off so see the cost as nothing.

OP posts:
halcyondays · 23/02/2022 13:04

No, they don't stop you it but testing before you meet someone vulnerable makes it less likely that you will unknowingly infect them.

Svara · 23/02/2022 13:04

In NSW Australia they were free to people with a low income healthcare card at one point, maybe we could do similar here for those who are not vulnerable?

Butteryflakycrust83 · 23/02/2022 13:05

@arethereanyleftatall

What good will having hundreds of tests stockpiled in your home do you when people will be out everywhere now with covid? They don't stop you getting it.
...who said they did?

What a weird take.

Amnotamug · 23/02/2022 13:06

Nope…if we have to be tested for work I shall be expecting the company to provide the LFTs

Svara · 23/02/2022 13:06

@alltheapples

And I suspect those criticising me either do not use tests anyway, or are well off so see the cost as nothing.
We are on half your household income
Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:07

And lots of countries offered free tests to certain groups of people or a certain amount of free tests. This idea that we were the only ones to give free tests is false. Even the US gave out some free tests.

Oh and you can get a free HIV test as well. This is currently being promoted in Britain. So we do get free tests for other things too.

OP posts:
YukoandHiro · 23/02/2022 13:07

A bit. I'm not an "idiot", I have a vulnerable parent who does childcare every other week and who i don't want to expose to the virus if my children unknowingly bring it home. Just because the policy of testing is over doesn't mean I don't worry about her, and I can't afford to just ditch her childcare and pay for more nursery time

Hm2020 · 23/02/2022 13:08

Yes

DefaultParent · 23/02/2022 13:08

@xxxsuper

If you need is so great why not take responsibility and pay?
Alot of vulnerable people have reduced earning potential due to their disabilities. I am not one of those people. But surely that's not difficult to understand?
Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:09

And Svara we do not even provide free tests to the vulnerable from the 1st of April.

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 23/02/2022 13:09

@alltheapples

And lots of countries offered free tests to certain groups of people or a certain amount of free tests. This idea that we were the only ones to give free tests is false. Even the US gave out some free tests.

Oh and you can get a free HIV test as well. This is currently being promoted in Britain. So we do get free tests for other things too.

Which ones supplied free tests for asymptomatic people, equivalent to LFT?

It seems a bun fight I don’t need them but I feel for those who don’t stock pile as like anything else that this has happened with it takes from others who need the item.

reluctantbrit · 23/02/2022 13:11

i just ordered a pack after getting one at the weekend from the pharmacy. We still had 2 boxes at home.

But, DD's school is not handing them out anymore, DH is just positive and so DD and I need to test daily, that's two packs for a week.

DD also has three activities in March where she has to supply two negative tests, 72 and 24 hours prior to attending each activity, so another box gone.

Not sure if the testing requirement for her activty will change, at the moment the rules are stricter as the government says due to some people involved being clinical vunerable.

Bunnyfuller · 23/02/2022 13:11

No. When we run out we just won’t do them. I work full time and do not have the opportunity to race around trying to stockpile, and will not have the funds to buy them.

The Govt clearly aren’t bothered about keeping tabs on it anymore, and I’m struggling enough with gas/electric bills.

I’m past caring about any of it. Too many humans have shown their true selves in the last 2 years, from the top down.

If people can’t be forced to have a vaccination then I cannot be forced to pay for tests, or masks, or hand gel, or any of the other stuff to try to curb it.

Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:11

How does it take from those who can afford to pay Marsha? And that is different from those who need them. The companies will just make more if they can make money.

OP posts:
amusedbush · 23/02/2022 13:11

@badkitty

No - very happy not to have to take them again. Some people are obsessed with them, it's utterly ridiculous. If you're ill and want to confirm it's covid then fine, otherwise the constant testing is nuts.
You're not supposed to take an LFT if you're ill, they are for routine asymptomatic testing. If someone is ill and wants to know if it's covid, they need a PCR.
arethereanyleftatall · 23/02/2022 13:12

@alltheapples

Tests will lessen the chance of giving covid to my vulnerable parents and my friend with cancer. Like lots of people, I test before visiting.
Sure, but we're talking about stock piling. By hoarding them, you're reducing other peoples chances of getting the free tests because gov will have a finite stock of free stock left, presumably? So, there will be more people out and about with covid if they couldn't test because they can't afford to buy and all the free tests are in your garage. I wonder if it wouldn't just be better for the government to say - we've got 600 million free tests left, that's ten each, we'll send them out.
Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:12

No you just take a pcr now if you have symptoms. This change was all over the news.

OP posts:
Original poster
alltheapples · 23/02/2022 13:13

I meant you just take a lateral flow now if you have symptoms.

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 23/02/2022 13:14

No.

I don't think I'd use them much tbh and I don't want to simply waste them.

I'm not going to use them regularly for asymptomatic testing. Im probably not going to know if people around me have it and im a close contact.

I might test before seeing vulnerable family members but we don't see them often anyway and we are trying to keep it outdoors still anyway.

The only real reason to test is because one of us in the house has symptoms. That's likely to only happen a couple of times going into winter.

So I don't need 28 boxes.

I have two in the house, which is reasonable given current guidance given theres three of us.

I figure, thats enough for this winter coming and after that they go out of date. If I need a couple more I'll buy and going later into 2023 I'll have to buy if I want any.

Im conscious of the fact they aren't 'free' even now. The taxpayer is paying for them. People having hundreds they will never use is an appalling waste. We are still paying for the ones we get sent (and the delivery costs).

They are free at point of use like the NHS but they still come at a cost to us.

MarshaBradyo · 23/02/2022 13:14

@alltheapples

How does it take from those who can afford to pay Marsha? And that is different from those who need them. The companies will just make more if they can make money.
Like any item that is scarce there will be other people in your position who can’t afford them who will miss out due to stockpiling.

It’s happened a few times during pandemic, it creates a spike in demand and people miss out who otherwise would have got them. Including those in need too

YukoandHiro · 23/02/2022 13:15

No OP, that wasn't the change but you weren't the only one to misunderstand. Anyone who is asymptomatic doesn't have to follow up a positive LFT with a PCR to confirm the result. If you're having symptoms, right now you're still supposed to get a PCR.
But given that from tomorrow you don't need to isolate even if you have it, I imagine nobody is going to get a PCR anymore unless instructed by an employer or school.

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