Just back to school. Now home. Not tests available

[Whatdowehaveherethen]

My boys went back to school last week. DS1 developed a persistent cough Friday evening. DS2 picked it up on Saturday.

There are no home tests available. I've looked every hour from 7am through to 2am since.

They can't go to school unless a negative result is given. I very much doubt I can get tests through the post. Many people on my area have the same issue.

I know I'm being unreasonable. I know!

Are people ordering tests 'just in case'?

I'm working from home and it's been horrendous. My boys were so happy to be back at school. Now I have to keep them off for a week. I'm pretty sure last Autumn term they developed the same cold/cough symptoms once they were back with their viral loaded friends. It was normal then.

I know keeping them off school is for the greater good but I have no idea how this is going to work in the long term. They constantly pick up viral infections. That's their job!

Actually, I'm not sorry, I'm just completely fucked off. Why haven't the gov made more tests available knowing our kids would be going back to school? What about the teachers?

The school have told me to 'continue to use' the online learning. This involves going out and finding leaves of difference colours etc. Fuck that.

I know the school are using a generalised online learning system but it's not practical at all.

I'm not going to complain by the way. I couldn't respect my boys teachers anymore. They're wonderful.

I'm just ranting.

I'm in central Scotland, the nearest test is 78 miles away, there are no home tests or walk in tests available according to the NHS site.

Superb service!

No, they have designated priority post boxes. There's a link on the Royal Mail site identifying which post boxes are priority and they've also got a sign on them

What happens if you are too ill to walk to one/don't have a priority box within easy distance?

I had similar problems this morning but just went to the walk in centre near us and got a test.

If the labs can't keep up within the timeframes needed, won't an instruction go out to the test centres not to accept walk-ins, or it that too much to hope for?

I just tried booking test for my daughter who has a new cough. I live in central ldn without a car. No walk tests or home test kits available. I got a home test for myself last week when i had symptoms - day late to arrive, and took 4 days (longer than I expected) to get the (negative) result

Yes its so hard.

And then if he does get a negative test - he is going to have a cough if he goes true to form for awhile. So I wont notice a new cough (if that makes sense). How long does his negative test last

@JollyGiraffe12

Have you tried ringing the testing helpline and explaining the situation?

Yes you get cut off as they are so busy... You never actually get to speak to a person, just an automated system so its pointless calling.

@LolaSmiles - I agree and thank you for reposting the 3 criteria.
I think the confusion re. schools has come from the mask issue - the government advice states masks should be used in local lockdown areas in communal areas of school, but also says it's at HT's discretion, so many schools not in local lockdown area have mandatory mask wearing in communal areas and/or classrooms at their HT's discretion while another in same town has no masks. That is where confusion may stem from, although it does sound from this thread that pupils are being sent home with symptoms not in the 3 criteria listed.

@Mcmole

No, they have designated priority post boxes. There's a link on the Royal Mail site identifying which post boxes are priority and they've also got a sign on them

What happens if you are too ill to walk to one/don't have a priority box within easy distance?

Then there's a number to call for a courier to collect it. Although seeing how the entire system seems to have fallen over I don't know how reliable or easy that is

Haven't read the whole thread but my main concern (as a non driving household) is that postal tests are only viable up until day 5 could be less so not being able to get one immediately means a 15 day quarantine for us all, including self employed DP who would lose a few grand in earnings.

We have 3 children (2 primary and one just about to begin nursery) if we aren't able to access tests we'll be at serious risk of losing our livelihood. No-one will hire a tradesman who has to isolate for 2 weeks at the drop of a hat..... Not to mention disruption to kids education and my work as I'll be caring for anyone who has to isolate.

@Mcmole

No, they have designated priority post boxes. There's a link on the Royal Mail site identifying which post boxes are priority and they've also got a sign on them

What happens if you are too ill to walk to one/don't have a priority box within easy distance?

You get it picked up by a courier.

Boris: Did school return cause cases to rise?

Gav: of course not, we managed to prevent anyone from actually getting a test so the plebs wouldn't realise how dangerous school is.

Boris: Brilliant.

@Morfin

Boris: Did school return cause cases to rise?

Gav: of course not, we managed to prevent anyone from actually getting a test so the plebs wouldn't realise how dangerous school is.

Boris: Brilliant.

Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Of course, a lack of testing is likely to push schools right back to the week before lockdown with so many staff and students off sick with viral symptoms of unknown origin that they can't function anyway

Just out of curiosity I went through the walk in option only to be told there are no walk in sites near me.

I think the problem is school going back has caused a whole lot of coughs and colds. As I said I am fairly certain DS has a normal cold that he has had many times before and would be at school with. Which means a whole lot of testing.

its that I dont think they thought through - the testing side of school being back

@RB68
RTFT dickhead.

@Mcmole a courrier. Or the kindness of friends, family or neighbours.

Do a drive through test. Results can come back the next day. So much quicker!!

@Quartz2208 well who'd have thought it? Clearly not our dear leaders.

Do a drive through test. Results can come back the next day. So much quicker!!

OMG some people need a reading test not a bloody covid test!

They release new appt times at 8pm. You’ve got to keep checking

It took days to get a postal test just over a week ago as they were none available. My nearest drive in was 80 miles away so we didn’t bother. We managed to order a home test on about the third day of trying, I can see it is not possible to get one today. There must have been a massive peak in demand since schools went back.

@HasaDigaEebowai

What do you mean?

If I was a school I’d be holding those ten tests for teachers not pupils.

It’s utterly bollocks isn’t it. I have quite a few test centres near me, none had space when we needed one. I’m fairly livid now having spent the best of a day driving and over half a tank of fuel to read I could have just turned up at the local one and tried.

Although good to know for future

This government is an utterly incompetent piece of shite in the midst of all of this. BoJo is getting his health sorted, saving his incompetent, stuck-up-their-arses ministers right left and centre. That is all that matters cos they don’t need to worry about childcare, do they?

@MrsMontgomerySmythe

Wow!!! We are aboard and here every child received an invite for a free drive through test before school starts and everyone returning from holiday can test too for free. Same day testing available for anyone with symptoms.

You can also get tested and pay if you don’t fit into those 2 categories. Walk in and results same day.

Am shocked tests are not readily available in the UK to all.

This just shows up how poor our government are and what a mess they have made of things.