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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Wibu to take a test

37 replies

Northernsoulgirl45 · 09/08/2020 08:15

So I had a sore throat which developed into a blocked up nose. A very slight cough but not persistent or outside of normal. So imo a common cold.
I did not have the red flag symptoms for Covid but given I had recently had a hospital appointment and I live with an extremely clinically vulnerable person I took the test. A sore throat is apparently a reason for testing in other countries too. It was negative.
Was it prudent to take the test or did I waste NHS resources?

OP posts:

blacktop · 09/08/2020 13:31

You do not need any of the official symptoms to get a test. I was told to get a test when I had tonsillitis, as was a work mates relative.

Who told you to get a test?

*My relative, who had a positive test, did not have any of the official symptoms. He works for the NHS and was instructed to by his boss.
*
And that's fine. I have no problem with that. But that's not the kind of thing I was talking about anyway.

Anything else you’d like to know ?

Why do you think an NHS boss telling a staff member to get tested overrides the official advice for the rest of the U.K.? Obviously there are circumstances where people will get tested without one of the 3, but the 3 symptoms to decide whether to test or not is general advice to everyone else who does not get tested for another reason as per your example. So if you have a runny nose then you don't go for a test. That was the example I was taking about when I posted about people taking tests needlessly. I'm not saying that only people who have 1 of the 3 can get tested, I'm saying when you are at home making the most basic decision then you should follow those guidelines. I was annoyed about people lying to get tested, not people getting tested because their boss in the NHS told them to.

SteelyPanther · 09/08/2020 14:17

I was told by my GP to get a test. I had NO Covid symptoms, just tonsillitis.
And while I was at the testing station my hubby was told to take a test by the workers, he had NO symptoms and had only driven me there as I was ill.

Getting a test isn’t a waste , Track and Trace staff are being sent door to door to test people. And I’ll save you asking how I know and doubting my story, it’s because a friend works for them and has been asked to do it.
It is your opinion that they are taking tests needlessly, there have been many posts about people having no symptoms and getting a positive test. How about you search for them.

blacktop · 09/08/2020 14:23

It is your opinion that they are taking tests needlessly, there have been many posts about people having no symptoms and getting a positive test.

Indeed. However I was specifically referring to getting whole families tested when a kid had a runny nose, I'm sure I wrote that. That kind of testing is needless. Not so much my opinion here as I am going by the official guidelines. The guidelines don't say let's all get tested because you can have covid and no symptoms, the guidelines don't say let's test every kid with a big standard cold which does not include any of the 3; the guidelines say if you have 1/2/3 get a test. Anything else is opinion, what I am saying is the actual fact.

How about you search for them.

Bit nippy?

You are assuming I have no knowledge here, I don't need to search for these threads, I know this information. What I am saying is this information is not a reason to get tested. Guidelines state 1/2/3.

blacktop · 09/08/2020 14:26

And I’ll save you asking how I know and doubting my story,

Erm?

I think you may be misunderstanding me. I'm not here to doubt what anyone is saying. I fully understand how testing and track and trace is operating. That's not what I was discussing though. It was kids with a cold. Specially kids with a cold that do not have 1/2/3 symptoms.

SteelyPanther · 09/08/2020 14:30

But health professionals are not saying 1/2/3, so who are you to say any different ?
I’ll give you another example, a relative of mine had to go for a test last week due to a friend having a positive test. He was told by Track and Trace to have his whole household of 7 tested. Now according to you that’s a waste, but that is what he was told by officials.
No test is a waste, it’s getting a more accurate percentage of the amount of infection in the community.
And you are assuming I have no knowledge here.

blacktop · 09/08/2020 14:33

But health professionals are not saying 1/2/3, so who are you to say any different ?

I'm not anyone. It's literally the NHS advice.

I’ll give you another example, a relative of mine had to go for a test last week due to a friend having a positive test. He was told by Track and Trace to have his whole household of 7 tested. Now according to you that’s a waste, but that is what he was told by officials.

No, according to me that is not a waste. I don't know why you have decided what I think?

And you are assuming I have no knowledge here.

Not at all, you seem to have trouble grasping the specific situation(s) I was discussing though.

bruffin · 09/08/2020 14:36

DH had swollen glands this week, no other symptoms . Ap told him he didnt need a test but he applied for one as work said he needed one and he is an essential worker.
Got a test within 20 minutes and a negative result 6am the next morning

DobbyTheHouseElk · 09/08/2020 14:40

Join Zoe covid app.

That will ask you to test for any symptoms. I had a headache (gin related) and I was asked to present at the local testing centre.

TheDogsMother · 09/08/2020 14:45

I'm on the Zoe COVID app. I had mild upset stomach for one day and mild sore throat in the morning for two days. The app then alerted me to get a test so I applied for a home kit as testing centres are miles away. I don't think govt would see it as a waste of resources.

PoodleMoth · 09/08/2020 15:28

I think you were sensible!

CardsforKittens · 09/08/2020 15:58

I’m just not convinced that testing kids with colds is needless when we still don’t fully understand how the virus spreads, what the symptoms are in all cases, or why some people seem to be asymptomatic - especially when the disease can be deadly or have serious long term effects, sometimes even in otherwise healthy people.

Better to risk a few additional negatives than miss a positive, given the importance of reducing the spread.

Lucked · 09/08/2020 16:07

I have read a few American threads on Reddit and many on them have minor symptoms not dissimilar to a cold and have tested positive. Limiting testing to cases who might need medical treatment when there was rampant community spread but now that we are trying to test and trace it makes sense to try and widen it out especially if over 40% can be asymptomatic and many have only mild symptoms.

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