Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Lostinagoodbook · 12/09/2020 09:30

Wow coughing non stop for 20 mins??? Most adults I know with positive tests didn't cough THAT continuously :-0 hope this isn't a way to let infections in the young to slip through.......

Although, I do doubt how accurate the tests are on young children anyway.

So PHE has given that advice @ceeveebee??

wafflyversatile · 12/09/2020 09:33

It's worth checking for local sites on local networks fb groups etc as some drive in ot walk in centres are quiet despite not coming up as available.

#worldbeating

SaltyAndFresh · 12/09/2020 09:35

@PortlyPotato

I'm really concerned that people will just give up if they can't get a test and come out of isolation. I already know of one family doing this.

We had to isolate for 3 days this week as one of the DC had a high temperature. But fortunately we managed to get a test and a negative result back.

If tests can't be come by the whole system falls apart!

This would be understandable. I'm a teacher so I don't have to worry so much (as far as I'm aware) but we've just lost three days' pay for DH. I can absolutely understand why a family unable to get a test would give up if it meant the loss of up to two weeks' pay. Lack of tests with schools fully open is hugely dangerous.
ceeveebee · 12/09/2020 09:36

Our headteacher sent it and she said it was following a “recent virtual head teachers meeting with Public Health”. Doesn’t say PHE so could be local public health (we are in England though).

middleager · 12/09/2020 09:38

I can work from home but tmmy DCs in year 10 have had enough time out of school.

With GCSEs less than 2 years away I don't want them to have to be off school for 14 days because they have a standard bug and can't get tested. Home learning is adequate, but school is better.

So yes, I'm angry that teachers and parents were told there would be testing, along with "world class" track and trace. I don't know what world this Government lives in.

Mrsfrumble · 12/09/2020 11:17

DD has cough variant asthma and coughs all the way from October through to spring. I wonder how frequently she’ll need to be tested. What period will a negative result cover? Also wondering how easy it is for the 46% of households in London who don’t have a car (us included) to access tests, given all the horror stories about people having to drive 50 miles to the nearest centre.

BuggerBognor · 12/09/2020 11:45

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Nikori · 12/09/2020 11:55

@Florencex

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.
People have been complaining about the lack of tests since April. It's a shit situation and it's not fair to blame the people getting tested. The government still has its priorities all wrong.
iolaus · 12/09/2020 12:11

@Lostinagoodbook

Wow coughing non stop for 20 mins??? Most adults I know with positive tests didn't cough THAT continuously :-0 hope this isn't a way to let infections in the young to slip through.......

Although, I do doubt how accurate the tests are on young children anyway.

So PHE has given that advice @ceeveebee??

I thought it was 3 episodes of coughing within 20 minutes

However this is part of the problem - noone knows what counts or doesn't

bluebeck · 12/09/2020 12:13

Well it's a very effective way of keeping the number of positive cases down.

Feminist10101 · 12/09/2020 12:56

I thought it was 3 episodes of coughing within 20 minutes

However this is part of the problem - noone knows what counts or doesn't

It’s in lots of official published guidance.

Lostinagoodbook · 12/09/2020 13:08

@Feminist10101 3 in 20 minutes is in guidance or for 20 mins non stop? The test site and NHS info said 3 episodes in a day or for an hour last time I looked? Now I'm confused!!!

My youngest spiked temp of 39-40 overnight then over the next day was up and down to 38 or so which would meet criteria but now wondering if I shouldn't have tested the other coughing child too? Was 1 or twice an hour but sometimes lots more sometimes less. No cold symptoms with it though- just glands up.

Idroppedthescrewinthetuna · 12/09/2020 13:20

I was livid when I tried booking. I am living with partner who is extremely vulnerable. I could not book a test at all and couldn't get home test. My nephew who works at test centre told me that the walk in one, if you go without booking they test you. We did this this morning. We got there an hour after they opened. We were the only ones there! How were there no bookings available?

Kljnmw3459 · 12/09/2020 13:28

We're in this situation atm. Older kid has a new cough. Not sure if it is continuous, coughing maybe a few times every 10 minutes. No temperature, but has a sore throat. Might be common cold.Runny nose and red eyes. So might be allergy. It's so hard to tell what it is. If she's not better by Monday and we try to send her to school they'll probably send her straight back. A test would be so helpful. Where can we get it done privately?

Feminist10101 · 12/09/2020 13:30

[quote Lostinagoodbook]@Feminist10101 3 in 20 minutes is in guidance or for 20 mins non stop? The test site and NHS info said 3 episodes in a day or for an hour last time I looked? Now I'm confused!!!

My youngest spiked temp of 39-40 overnight then over the next day was up and down to 38 or so which would meet criteria but now wondering if I shouldn't have tested the other coughing child too? Was 1 or twice an hour but sometimes lots more sometimes less. No cold symptoms with it though- just glands up.[/quote]
Sorry. I meant the definition is in lots of easily accessible guidance.

A coughing episode lasts longer than a single cough but not as much as 20 mins. 20 mins not mentioned anywhere.

To be angry that there are no tests
Floralbean · 12/09/2020 13:37

How were there no bookings available?

It's the lab capabilities that are the issue, not a lack of availability at testing sites. But what's the point of opening up all of the appointments if they can only process half?

millymollymoomoo · 12/09/2020 13:41

Part of the reason is parents testing kids for no reason- eg sore throat, sickness and vomiting- ie no Covid symptoms !

luckylavender · 12/09/2020 13:44

@GoldfishParade - in the bigger picture of the fight against the virus they help understand and track it

Cam2020 · 12/09/2020 14:09

Not everyone can afford to “choose to self isolate” particularly as it’s the whole household for 14 days - fine if you can wfh but not everyone can. What about teachers, nhs workers, retail workers?

It's not even fine if you work from home and have children - it's impossible. And Children need school and activities. I'm dreading what's to come this autumn and winter if they don't get this testing thing sorted.

Cam2020 · 12/09/2020 14:15

@Bercows that is an interesting read but also depressing as it would mean I'm probably going to spend most of the autumn and winter isolating becasue my daughter is really susceptible to coughs and tests are short.

EmmetEmma · 12/09/2020 14:36

I thought runny nose, sore throat, headache, vomiting are all
Covid symptoms @millymollymoomoo? I know they aren’t the official ones on the NHS
website but lots of other places suggest they are often seen in Covid patients.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

Dee1975 · 12/09/2020 14:45

‘’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’’

Don’t understand this? Are you saying you are testing your child to see if they have covid before returning to school or because they are showing symptoms?
If symptoms, then that’s rubbish you can’t get a test. But there is no point in testing just because they are going back to school? And why is that the ‘right thing to do’. A negative test today doesn’t mean your negative tomorrow! And one of the reasons why we have a test shortage is because of people taking tests when they don’t need to!

DaisyDreaming · 12/09/2020 14:48

I can’t believe the amount of people who want a test so they can still go on their precious holiday or so they don’t have to do 2 weeks quarantine when back!

JustMeUnderATree · 12/09/2020 15:00

There has also been a mass mailing of a randomly selected paticipant research study between DHSC and ICL for participants to send out Covid tests the last few days - just posted on another thread as DD1 received a letter yesterday asking her to take part.