Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

To be angry that there are no tests

109 replies

whyohwhydidieatthatpie · 12/09/2020 06:39

I can't fathom it. Schools have just gone back. Something we've known will happen for months. Predictably kids catch colds, symptoms overlap with Covid-19. Parents are trying to do the right thing and get their kids tested before sending them into school. I have tried many, many times now. I cannot get a test, no home test kits available, no drive through appointments or walk through appointments. Am I the only one this is happening to?!

I just can't understand how, when testing was identified as a key failing the first time round, we seem to be so ill prepared for inevitable increased demand as schools start back. Sorry, I'm just venting.

OP posts:

Stinkyguineapig · 12/09/2020 08:15

Incubation period is anywhere between 2 a 14 days (but most cases show at around 5-7 days). But people are not infectious until just before they show symptoms - around 2 days, and then remain infectious for days

What about asymptomatic cases? (I know you cant really test for them.....but at what point would they become infectious?)

I’m a teacher- I can’t take 2 weeks off work just because my toddler has a cold. I need a test quickly to determine whether it’s Covid or not so that I can get back to work.

There are lots of people who would be unable to take 2 weeks off work (potentially multiple times) for kids getting colds it's just that MN seems to have a high proportion of people who can and do WFH.

Letseatgrandma · 12/09/2020 08:15

Child has cough, nhs said he didn’t need a test

I don’t get that. A cough is one of the main symptoms; why would you NOT need a test?

user1471530109 · 12/09/2020 08:20

I managed to get a test on Thursday and still waiting for the result! I've now had 3 days off work (I'm a teacher) for what is very likely a cold (including cough). I'm so pissed off with the whole thing. You should be able to input the code from the test into some kind of tracking system so you can at least check it's being processed.

Lostinagoodbook · 12/09/2020 08:21

Teacher here- off work since beginning of the week when my son woke with a cough out of the blue. Youngest also spiked a temp of 39-40 over night(WITH nurofen which I'd given as thought he was teething). Managed to get 2 tests eventually through my work from their in school stash as none available elsewhere and they need me back in. They are home tests and I'm really hoping we get results soon- anyone know how long home tests are to come back atm????

Also- agree people will just stop isolating or keep their kids at home so symptoms don't get picked up at school.

The government doesn't have a leg to stand on- can't have people waiting for days to get tested. All so predictable as well. 25% of tests not actually needed(according to Hancock) but that shouldn't be enough to topple the system imo.

user1471530109 · 12/09/2020 08:21

And from the BBC article, it makes no difference if you say you are an essential worker

Dinocan · 12/09/2020 08:22

@Letseatgrandma I think because it’s wasn’t a continuous cough, and it’s wasn’t dry, they dismissed it as A toddler cold and said there was no need to isolate! Which totally contradicts the advice the cm had been given, by the government. I also know a family whose toddler had a massive temp (needing hospitalisation) and they didn’t test because they said he didn’t have any Covid symptoms. When discharged none of them isolated for 14 days, as they thought if they needed too the hospital would have mentioned it. This is our local hospital, Baffling.

Mistigri · 12/09/2020 08:25

Are the home tests reliable and have any studies been done?

My teenage DS was tested on Thursday (at a walk in centre -we are not in the UK.) and it didn't sound like something the average person would find easy to do to themselves.

A lot of countries are now running into bottlenecks in testing - the UK isn't alone in this. UK testing has been badly managed IMO because it's over centralised and too reliant on self-administered tests (which are likely less reliable) but the number of tests is objectively quite high, although not high enough. The question is whether the tests are getting to the people who need them most.

readingreadingreading · 12/09/2020 08:33

I'm angry, DD had a cold last week. But there was a high temperature and cough so we got her tested. Had to take one day off work before the negative result came though. Now DH has the same cold but with a very high temperature and body aches. No tests available at all in our area. Keep refreshing but no joy. So now I'll have to take 14 more days off work. Casual contact so no work= no pay. And if this carries on they'll probably decide I'm too flaky to keep on. Or do we give up and decide for ourselves that it's just a cold.

Washimal · 12/09/2020 08:34

Lostinagoodbook when we rang 119 to get our testing kits they said you should get results back after 72 hours. We didn't, so rang them back and they said they couldn't tell us anything as they only deal with testing not results. The lady spoke to her supervisor who told me they would "raise an investigation". About 12 hours later DH's results came back (negative) but nothing for the rest of us. Apparently this isn't unusual. We were told he could go back to work but the rest of us had to continue to isolate. Mine and the kids results then came through in dribs and drabs the following day. So it was probably 5 days between us sending the testing kits off and all of us getting our results back.

cologne4711 · 12/09/2020 08:34

On another thread right now someone is suggesting that the parents of a teething baby with a temperature should get a test. People are getting tested who don't need to

Precisely. You know if your baby is teething! Just as you know if you have hay fever.

You can't test for every symptom - you have to test for the key symptoms. Yes there is a slight risk that your sore throat is covid. But it probably isn't and you need to strike a balance between testing everyone for everything and testing those who may well have covid.

Schools and nurseries bear a responsibility here too. No they don't want an outbreak but they have to stick to the key symptoms and not say you have to test for every little thing.

TooStressyTooMessy · 12/09/2020 08:37

YANBU. I wrote to my MP, BBC breakfast and Kier Starmer yesterday about it. The situation is dire.

TooStressyTooMessy · 12/09/2020 08:38

BBC news not BBC breakfast. Am watching BBC breakfast now so had that in my head!

Freddiefox · 12/09/2020 08:42

[quote Bluewavescrashing]@Snailsetssail as a key worker you should get a priority test.[/quote]
It’s been removed for nursery staff.

Feminist10101 · 12/09/2020 08:45

@FreshfieldsGal

Our DS was sent home sick from school yesterday, he had a sore throat, vomiting, and headache. Booked him in for a test, we just kept trying on the website as it kept saying no test sites available but we eventually got a fairly local one about 20 miles away.

Hopefully he gets negative results today!

I've read people are being offered test centres hundreds of miles away though. I really struggle to believe the govt can successfully implement its moonshot plan.

None of those are relevant Covid symptoms for testing.

And this is partly why there aren’t any tests!

Feminist10101 · 12/09/2020 08:47

@Letseatgrandma

Child has cough, nhs said he didn’t need a test

I don’t get that. A cough is one of the main symptoms; why would you NOT need a test?

Because not all coughs arepersistant/continuous which is the definition of a Covid cough.

Peasbewithyou · 12/09/2020 08:49

Totally agree! It’s madness! So many children in DDs school have a cold it’s going around like wildfire. As it ALWAYS does this term! Some of those kids and their families will no doubt develop a temperature and therefore need to be tested! This should have definitely been predicted!

My 2 yr old DS had a slight fever just above 38 for about 5 hours last weekend so we had to test. We were lucky to get a test locally but next time sounds like we may not be so lucky! All the children at his nursery have their temperature taking on arrival and if they are feverish they have to have a test before being allowed back.

@Dinocan I also know of someone who had similar with the hospital. Their 3 year old was taken in for a spiking fever and difficulty breathing (no history of asthma). They didn’t test him and did not suggest that he needed a test. So he was sent home and when he felt better a couple of days later they went back to normal. No test. No isolation. I just don’t understand it!

Wannabegreenfingers · 12/09/2020 08:50

Its idiots like my stbexh who are to blame. He's got two for each of our non symptomatic children. Eldest is a bit snotty - but NO covid symptoms.

He knows someone who got them for him. I'm furious, it's a complete and utter waste of time and money. I'm so angry.

Stinkyguineapig · 12/09/2020 08:52

I heard somewhere that something like 17000 test apts per day were unused....which makes it even more frustrating that people cant access tests. I got a test in august following an invitation from the Zoe app because I had had a sore throat for about 5 days. At that point I had the test at lunchtime one day and got the results at 5am the next morning
Although people are getting annoyed at others for testing without one of the 3 key symptoms, there are other symptoms - I have seen vomiting, stomach cramps and diahorea on symptoms lists....just not the 3 you get tested for.

Butteredtoast55 · 12/09/2020 08:55

To people saying that sore throat, vomiting/digestive disorders and headache are not C-19 symptoms, please be aware that there is considerable evidence that shows they are very much part of how children present.
The ZOE research (which first identified the frequent loss of smell and taste through its considerable database) is showing this and informing guidance.
The trouble is, these are really common symptoms of everyday childhood illnesses, especially for primary-aged children who have all just got back together after months apart.
Please don't blame schools for being cautious or parents for needing to know if their child can go back to school and they can get on with their lives. Neither of these is the problem: government planning is.

Morninglatte · 12/09/2020 08:58

Testing has became a bit of a joke. DC has a cough and a temperature, sounds like croup but now he has to be tested before he can return to nursery. As a precaution we kept the other children off school until he has his results, only one day so far.
I have informed work, I am a carer, and I can't return until I have a test, despite having no symptoms myself.
It's all a bit mad.
DS has asthma, throughout winter he has a permanent cough, have been told he will have to be tested before he can return to school and his sister, in a different year, will not be able to attend school either if he has 'symptoms'.
I can't afford to keep taking time off work waiting on test results, and my children can't afford to miss more education. I think it will get to a point where people will decide for themselves whether they think it's Covid or not because people can not afford to be off work or have children out of school.

Familyiseverything10 · 12/09/2020 09:00

Just this past week alone I've seen parents at school who are ill and their children are ill but they are still going in and haven't had a test. (they told me). Our school seems pretty lax as I know kids have been coughing in my daughters class but not sent home.
I had to have a test myself recently, took 5 days for results to come back negative.
We cannot keep isolating long term over winter. It's rediculous & employers will not tolerate it. There has to be a quicker turnaround on results otherwise people will take dangerous risks to avoid losing pay

Butteredtoast55 · 12/09/2020 09:01

Ooh -thanks PP as that's reminded me that my Paediatric A and E friend said there is a big outbreak of croup locally (Midlands) which presents with many symptoms you'd associate with Coronavirus.

Lostinagoodbook · 12/09/2020 09:06

@Washimal ok thanks I'll chase it up soon then. They got posted Wednesday so hopefully won't be long.

Yes people are testing unnecessarily but if nursery won't let you back then you have to. I had to for minor high temp(teething) for youngest. But the nurseries and schools are following GOVERNMENT guidelines which are vague as anything so..........

Florencex · 12/09/2020 09:07

There is a shortage of tests because people are requesting them because they sneezed once, had diarrhoea or somebody in the same school or workplace had a cough.

ceeveebee · 12/09/2020 09:07

Our school has now issued guidance to say that there is a cold going around which starts with one day of a raised temperature which quickly goes away leaving just normal cold symptoms - in this situation they are telling us to wait a day before deciding on whether ton book a test - if the temperature goes away then no test needed and can return to school when well.

Also gave some useful info on definition of symptoms - this is apparently from a public health meeting for headteachers:

What are the symptoms that everyone should look out for?
Primary symptoms

A high temperature (fever) or 37.8 or above
A new continuous cough - defined as coughing unusually for an hour within a 24 hour period or 3 episodes of coughing for 20 minutes
A change in how things smell or taste or a complete loss of the sense of taste and

smell

Secondary symptoms common in children:

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache
A rash, particularly on the hands (if your child has a rash on their body and a high

temperature, it is best to ring your GP as there are other illnesses that need checking by a doctor.) Secondary symptoms are only a concern when combined with one of the primary symptoms”

Flip

1 2 3 4 5