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AIBU?

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Original poster

Should I just turn up- coronavirus

66 replies

Redcups64 · 12/09/2020 09:01

My youngster was fine yesterday but come evening time started to feel ill. She had a High temperature, was sick due to extra mucas, slight cough due to the mucus and trying to clear it from her throat. She is young so doesn’t spit it out or has quite mastered how to draw it up to her mouth and into a tissue so just keeps swallowing. Hence the buildup in her tummy and her being sick.

She has been back to school this week and just has a cold.

This morning she is perfectly fine and slept through the night last night after she was sick around 8pm yesterday.

Here’s the problem: I stupidly may have accidentally notified a friend of mine for advice, who also happens to work at my daughters school 🤦🏻‍♀️

So because she now knows I need to get my daughter a test....been trying since 8pm last night, all through the night and this morning with absolutely no luck at all....tests are gold dust at the moment!!

I’m close to a airport that has a drive through test centre....should I just try turning up as my daughter is fine but can’t go to school for 2 weeks without a test and also affecting my eldest now not being able to go to school!!

Yanbu- try turning up
Yabu- just keep trying on a website that is not working

OP posts:
Hahaha88 · 12/09/2020 09:03

They won't let you take a test if you just turn up.
And you should get her tested, even without telling your friend you should know this

wherestheotherone · 12/09/2020 09:07

All tests now need appointments. You know she needs testing.

Original poster
Redcups64 · 12/09/2020 09:10

But I can’t get a test!!!!!

OP posts:
SweepTheHalls · 12/09/2020 09:11

You have to try repeatedly, it took 4 hours of putting our information in last night for appointments to come up. Test done this morning.

Doingitaloneandproud · 12/09/2020 09:17

Yeah as a pp said you need to be booked it for a test, you just have to keep trying. Everyone's in the same boat when it comes to getting a test

Original poster
Redcups64 · 12/09/2020 09:17

Sweep, what area of the country are you in?

I’ve been trying since 8pm last night, a few times through the night and bang on 8am this morning and I’m not even getting up test sites...just constantly says ‘no test sites located’

OP posts:
SaltyAndFresh · 12/09/2020 09:19

What do you mean you stupidly notified a friend? You need to notify the school anyway. It's not up to you to decide whether you're willing to take the risk. And yes in some places you can just turn up - I checked at our local test centre because DS was tested but DD has no cough at the moment. It's not just a pop-up one either.

SaltyAndFresh · 12/09/2020 09:19

Try after 10.

CountessFrog · 12/09/2020 09:20

Ok let’s be logical about this. What symptoms of Covid does she have?

She had a temperature. Has that cleared now?

She had a cough because of mucus, which she was unable to clear. Did she have a continuous cough? There’s a definition of this on the NHS website.

Has she been anywhere she may have contracted Covid? What contact with people have you all had?

We all need to keep a calm head. Not every slight Illness is Covid, and if we act as though it is, there will be utter chaos.

My daughter for example. She has a bit of a dry cough today. It’s secondary to a dry throat, which she’s got because she’s been singing and shouting online with friends.

The cough is not continuous according to the NHS definition. She has no other symptoms. She’s been at home without seeing anyone else until Tuesday, when she went back to school. There are no known cases in her school, and even if they were asymptomatic, she’s unlikely to be showing symptoms within a couple of days of meeting that person. I have been working from home. Her father is tested for Covid weekly, so she hasn’t caught it from us.

Logically, my daughter does not have Covid. She just has a sporadic cough. I’m not keeping us all in quarantine for that.

Can you work back and apply that sort of logic? If you still think it could be Covid, you absolutely need to stay home until she’s tested.

ittakes2 · 12/09/2020 09:21

Get a home test delivered

Original poster
Redcups64 · 12/09/2020 09:24

We are strict followers of the rules. Husband on furlough, I work from home, been nowhere, mixed with no one, I have a condition so we are being extra careful and have done the entire time.

Children returned to school this week.

No longer has a temperature, does not have a continuous cough.

I know it isn’t Covid unless the school has Covid in it, which it doesn’t as far as I know. She has a cold but had a high temperature so that’s why I need a test.

Yes it was stupid to mention the high temperature because she has a cold but now has to have two weeks out of education at her new school that she started this year as reception. Now her older sibling in year 6 also has to have two weeks off because we can’t get a test!

OP posts:
Mindymomo · 12/09/2020 09:25

I would wait and see how she is today, if no temperature or being sick I wouldn’t think she would need a test, sounds more sinus blocked up making her sick and giving slight temperature. My son used to get this and as soon as he was actually sick, temperature went down.

Tinkywinkydinkydoo · 12/09/2020 09:25

There’s no point just turning up, they will turn you away. They’re not allowed to see anyone without an appointment. I know it’s frustrating but you have to just keep trying.

Todaythiscouldbe · 12/09/2020 09:29

We have walk in test centres locally so it's not true you will be turned away, but you'd need to check which ones don't require an appointment. There are 3 within 20 minutes of me today.

Original poster
Redcups64 · 12/09/2020 09:31

Do you think they would? I’ve seen on some people’s messages that the test centres are not busy at all and mostly empty as the website seems to be unable to cope with the onslaught it’s getting from kids being back at school.

I just don’t know what to do and I’m loosing hope, I feel so sorry for my kids, we have stuck to the rules like glue. You would have though it was Christmas morning when they was going to school, they were so happy and now at the moment they can’t go for 2 weeks due to a cold...it’s just a cold. I’m so upset for them.

OP posts:
fourplusfour · 12/09/2020 09:31

I don't know about 4hrs trying to get a test as a pp said, I've been trying for two days. No home tests available either.

CountessFrog · 12/09/2020 09:32

Also, there’s an ongoing issue with people who haven’t got symptoms taking tests. Matt Hancock referred to this in the last couple of days - he says you shouldn’t turn up and take a test if you don’t have symptoms.

I’m not honestly sure that she has symptoms, OP. However, you’re in a tricky position now with school. In your position, I would ask your GP for advice. If they say she doesn’t need a test, the school should accept that.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 12/09/2020 09:33

Could you call 111 for advice?

BillysMyBunny · 12/09/2020 09:39

If she’s has symptoms even if you can’t get a test wouldn’t she only need a week off? That was my understanding - it’s 7 days off for the person with symptoms, the 14 days isolation is for any members of the household without symptoms. Or have the rules changed again?

CountessFrog · 12/09/2020 09:40

You might be right there, actually.

DivaRainbow · 12/09/2020 09:46

I tried all Thursday to get an app for a test after trying for over 8hours I got one a 2.5 hour drive away yesterday. Had to be done as kids cant go back to school until they get a neg result and I cant work either. I found more app appear late at night. Just keep trying.

TeacupDrama · 12/09/2020 09:46

The school can demand a test for her to go back, if she doesn't have covid symptoms she shouldn't have a test and should return to school on Monday

A continuous cough is not the same as an odd cough or a coughing fit because her throat was sore neither is a slightly raised temperature which disappeared in a couple of hours,

It is vaguely possible she has covid but even testing with symptoms 97-99% of all tests are negative depending where you live, so approximately 97% of those with symptoms have a common Cold and 1-3% max have covid

Quartz2208 · 12/09/2020 09:49

Why dont you do both - keep trying then try turning up and if turning up doesnt work keep trying

You just need to get a test - have been there they do appear eventually

TeacupDrama · 12/09/2020 09:49

It was made clear by our council and school that runny noses sore throat and sniffles are not covid symptoms and only need to be at home if not we'll enough to be in school they don't need tested and can return as soon as better, however we doffer live in a very low incidence of covid area

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 12/09/2020 09:51

Surely it's that you have or have had a temperature, not that you have a continuous temperature? I'm assuming people who have had confirmed Covid haven't had a temperature for the duration, just at some point during the infection.

There's a lot of threads on people struggling to get tests on this board, OP, and a lot of people have had success just turning up as many test centres outside high priority areas are very quiet, so if it's not too much of a detour, I think I'd go in hopes of getting it sorted today (and getting a result soon!).

BTW, I think the original person with symptoms isolates for 10 days, household for 14 unless someone else develops symptoms, then their 10 day period starts.

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