To be annoyed there are no tests available?

[Froginaboginasmock]

Primary aged DC has a heavy cold including occasional coughing (no temp). Realise I need to get a test due to cough, go online (several times) and absolutely nothing available.

I know I have to keep DC off school until we can locate a test, have it and get the results back. They are going to miss a lot of school at this rate!

AIBU to think the government are incompetent for not making sure more tests were available when kids went back to school ?

Well you have to stay off and isolate for 10 days anyway (14 for rest of household) even with a negative result so school attendance won’t be affected by the ability to get a test or not.

@Froginaboginasmock no worries! I was tearing my hair out yesterday morning so I know the feeling! I managed to book at 10:10am for a test at 1pm yesterday so there is hope. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat that's not true I don't think? Goes against every other piece of official advice I've read? What's your source?

As far as I understand

Cough = no school
Cough (resolved) + negative test = school

no you don't if the test is negative on a person with symptoms

Also, other members of the household apparently don't have to isolate in suspected cases, only when Covid is confirmed. This from official government guidance.

you are correct op
If the person with symptoms gets a negative test then isolation ends

Other members of your household do need to isolate if the person with symptoms is in the household - only get to end isolation if the test is negative
If there is a case in School and your child is sent home as a contact then its only the child that isolates, not the whole family

This is what I read :

Lots of contradictory information here to the info I’ve been given (childminder)

Here’s the full link

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Surely if you don't have covid then you don't have to isolate anymore?

I have been trying to get a test for my children for 3 days and there is nothing on London. The site is not working at all now. What can I do??

Also from gov.uk

NHS website

Maybe that should have the word positive before the word test

Ds has a temp of 38.7C and a persistent cough - no tests available anywhere - so annoyed.

Suspected covid - start isolating for 10 days and get a test. If test is negative you don't have covid and isolation ends as long as you feel well enough. Rest of family isolates until test result is received

Positive test or unable to test within 5 days - person with covid isolates for 10 days and rest of household for 14 days

@yomommasmomma

I have been trying to get a test for my children for 3 days and there is nothing on London. The site is not working at all now. What can I do??

unfortunately all you can do is keep trying the website.... it is dreadful.

@dementedpixie

Maybe that should have the word positive before the word test

??? I'm not sure what your point is, it reads fine to me. There is also a section for positive results.

because you don't need to stay home for 10 days after a negative test if you were the person with symptoms

Sorry i was referring to this screenshot earlier

My son has the same problem. He has symptoms and 2 people in his bubble have tested positive. But he hasn't been able to get a test. Nearest test was 60 miles away. But although bit said there were tests available. It wouldn't let him book as days the slots were all gone. No postal tests available

That does make more sense doesn’t it? The whole thing is a mess and so confusing. One giant flowchart with every scenario would be amazing!

There's a lot of misinformation floating around. Whole households where one member has symptoms must isolate till the symptomatic member get a neg test. If you do get a neg test family can go back to normal.

System won’t even allow you to proceed through yo the end to search for a test. There has been a complete breakdown in testing - lab driven this time. Timing not great when they think the second wave is imminent.