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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:
AvoidingRealHumans · 12/09/2020 09:54

I live near an airport test site and also haven't been able to get a test there this week. My friend showed up there and was turned away so that would be a waste of time.

Seeline · 12/09/2020 09:55

It's not the test centres that are the problem - it's the processing of them that's causing the issue, so just turning up won't work.

Also- the person showing symptoms has to isolate for 10 days, not 7. The rules on that changed some time ago!

Toomanyapplesinthefruitbowl · 12/09/2020 09:57

Defiant worth a try just turning up - I was sceptical but it worked for us this week

Toomanyapplesinthefruitbowl · 12/09/2020 09:58

Definitely*

Crazycatlady83 · 12/09/2020 09:59

Call 119 to book a test

Crazycatlady83 · 12/09/2020 10:00

Don’t just turn up, they give you a bar code which is then unique to your test and it’s how you get the results. No bar code, no test, no results!

Ontheroadtorecovery · 12/09/2020 10:02

I have been trying to get one sine yesterday too. Very frustrated particularly since he is now not coughing hardly at all today. For those who say it is possible perhaps this depends on area. I tried on and off yesterday then during the night a few times and this morning. Nothing is coming up. I don't want ds to miss even more school and I can't work with both children about and it's a lot of money to lose even if work accept this.

Batmanandbobbin · 12/09/2020 10:08

What teacup says! I work in a school and we were temperature checking but have been told we are not allowed to do so due to a temperature could be a sign of the common cold.

Thepilotlightsgoneout · 12/09/2020 10:08

She doesn’t need a test, she doesn’t have Covid symptoms.

The only vague one was a temperature, and that was for a few hours, combined with other symptoms - mucus and stuffy nose - which explain it. Kids get temperatures all the time.

MaintainTheMolehill · 12/09/2020 10:09

Why didn't you get her tested when she had the temperature?

I have had to console my 9 year old daughter twice when she has had to stay off school when she had symptoms and then when her brother had symptoms. It broke my heart but her being upset about missing school as opposed to her going to school and passing it onto someone vulnerable just doesn't compare.

I don't understand why some people think the rules don't reply.

Batmanandbobbin · 12/09/2020 10:09

Urgh excuse my terrible English I’m running on no sleep today!

GetUpAgain · 12/09/2020 10:11

I was in this situation, tried for endless hours on the stupid test website.

119 is pointless as they are just a call centre for people who don't have the Internet, they access the same info as the stupid test website does.

I had lots of tabs open to keep refreshing for different postcodes but it was the same all over England. Twice I got as far as being given a test site to select, then both times there weren't any time slots when you got to the next page.

I also kept checking for home tests, in the end I managed to order 2 kits at 12.50 yesterday.

My advice is to try every so often but don't sit there for hours like I did because it just makes you more pissed off.

I don't believe the problem is people requesting them irresponsibly, I think the system wasn't prepared for back to school bugs. Which is shit when you think every parent could have predicted this, what kind of dickheads have not thought about this!

Hope you get one soon.

Settleandcalm · 12/09/2020 10:13

I don’t know, my nephew has tested positive alongside BIL, SIL, MIL, other BIL (ex’s family). He had no symptoms other than one day of a temp. Only MIL and SIL has symptoms which they describe as feeling a bit run down, MIL has a slight cough.

Only got tested because BIL works in a field that they have to.

So it is possible and I would get tested. Though it is going to be a nightmare for every child with a tiny symptom!

wafflyversatile · 12/09/2020 10:13

Loads of drive in places have been quiet because the #worldbeating appointments system is failing. Turn up. If it's not ok they will turn you away.

Several people have reported just turning up and theres no one there after the online system claimed there was nothing closer than 100 miles away.

Original poster
Redcups64 · 12/09/2020 10:32

I got one!!! I honestly feel like I’ve won a prize or something, can’t believe I got one.

Called 119, guy said no stock at all for home kits, drive through or walk ins. A part of the country has gone into look down so the little stock that was left was sent to that area to try to stop the outbreak.

If you manage to get a test today it’s because they have stock still but it’s dwindling. More stock should be arriving through the night apparently.

Also thinks the website is not working properly and has reported it to his manger.

I was on hold for a hour and half before I got through to him but he got me one so every second was worth it!

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 12/09/2020 10:36

For anyone reading this thread in the same situation as the op...

You cannot just turn up at a test centre
They will turn you away

Glad you’ve got a test.

Sharpandshineyteeth · 12/09/2020 10:43

You need to have a QR code to get a test at the centre. I tried all night and finally got a slot after 10am. Best of luck

SaltyAndFresh · 12/09/2020 10:46

@PurpleDaisies

For anyone reading this thread in the same situation as the op...

You cannot just turn up at a test centre
They will turn you away

Glad you’ve got a test.

Not true.

I know of two sites that accept drive-ups - they pair the barcode and QR code later. I don't know if it's the same everywhere but certainly quieter sites do allow this.

wafflyversatile · 12/09/2020 10:53

"You cannot just turn up at a test centre
They will turn you away"

This might be true for you but people have turned up at centres on spec and been tested so you are not correct to make this blanket statement.

W3dontdoduvets · 12/09/2020 10:58

I just turned up earlier this week. I won’t do it now, they aren’t accepting anyone without an appointment now and will turn you away. My sister works at a testing site.

AldiAisleofCrap · 12/09/2020 10:59

She doesn’t need a test, she doesn’t have Covid symptoms.

The only vague one was a temperature, and that was for a few hours, combined with other symptoms - mucus and stuffy nose - which explain it. Kids get temperatures all the time.
@Thepilotlightsgoneout
please don’t also be a poster that complains about the rule of six when you are part of the problem. A temperature is a symptom it’s irrelevant if the temp has gone know. Even more so in a child who can often be completely asymptomatic.
Op if no tests keep trying, while household needs to isolate for 14 days regardless of test result, your daughter until a hopefully negative test.

AldiAisleofCrap · 12/09/2020 11:00

Glad you got a test op.

ErinBrockovich · 12/09/2020 11:34

@Thepilotlightsgoneout

She doesn’t need a test, she doesn’t have Covid symptoms.

The only vague one was a temperature, and that was for a few hours, combined with other symptoms - mucus and stuffy nose - which explain it. Kids get temperatures all the time.

And the award for stupid comment of the day goes to this post.

She had a temperature.
She needs a test.

The OP has done the right thing and ordered one.

GetUpAgain · 12/09/2020 12:22

@Crazycatlady83

Don’t just turn up, they give you a bar code which is then unique to your test and it’s how you get the results. No bar code, no test, no results!
Does the bar code arrive in an email? I've booked online and got a wierd screen after submitting, with a 16 digit invite code, which I took a photo of. No email has arrived yet. Do you know if the 16 digit code is the same as the bar code or qr code or whatever please?

I am planning on going to the centre at the time I asked for with the 16 digit code and hope that will be OK. It is going to be a 4 hour round trip so I really really hope this will be ok!!!!

TSSDNCOP · 12/09/2020 13:42

Well done OP. I'm in a similar boat and testing DC. It's the right thing too do, even though I'm 99.9999999% certain it's a return to school after 6 months in isolation thing.

Fingers crossed all round for negative results! First time I've ever wanted to not win in a test Grin