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AIBU?

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Original poster

Why isn't it headline news that no tests are available?

220 replies

Froginaboginasmock · 13/09/2020 16:08

Surely this is incredibly important - Govt said over and over we couldn't return to school/work without Test and Trace - and it's already broken down.

No tests whatsoever available now in my area, scores of others on MN reporting the same. Checked the Guardian live, BBC - nothing. Why isn't this being reported? It doesn't seem to be restricted tests, having no travel etc anymore: it's no tests.

OP posts:
HoldMyLobster · 13/09/2020 16:38

I’m more bothered that the stories are implying the problem is only in England - my family in Scotland have really struggled to get tests this week.

chomalungma · 13/09/2020 16:39

If you are interested:

There is a capacity of 243,000 tests to see if you have it.
But only 205,000 tests were carried out.

So something is going wrong because the capacity is not being used.

coronavirus.data.gov.uk/testing

Original poster
Froginaboginasmock · 13/09/2020 16:46

Well that Guardian story says 'Complaints only available tests are hundreds of miles away' - I haven't been offered anything, which I think is a different story!

@chomalungma - that is interesting. I have heard stories of empty test centres but nothing available online. Confused Angry

OP posts:
chomalungma · 13/09/2020 16:58

No doubt the Government will say 'the median distance people have to travel is 6.4 miles' - which doesn't say how far people have to go as many people have to go further than 6.4 miles - and nor does it say how many people didn't travel because they couldn't get a test.

IndecentFeminist · 13/09/2020 17:02

Yup, I live on an island and there are no tests bookable. And no postal tests.

Ineedadentist · 13/09/2020 17:10

I heard on the radio that no tests were available on the website, but if you phoned you got one very easily.

Baaaahhhhh · 13/09/2020 17:12

It's been all over the news for days OP. Govt has apologised. New lab opening in 2 weeks.

mummyofthreemunchkins · 13/09/2020 17:13

I've been trying to get a test for 5 of us since last Friday, there is absolutely nothing anywhere. My lot got taken out with colds within 2 days of being back at school and now have the cough from the cold so obviously can't go back until we have all been tested. I don't get paid if I'm not at work and I've got my son that's just gone into year 10 so starting to study for his exams, with a lot of time missed from school already, it's becoming a massively stressful situation! And just now I've read if you can't get a test in the first 5 days of symptoms it's too late so you need to self isolate for the 14 days, although don't know 100% about that, maybe someone can clarify that point?

Original poster
Froginaboginasmock · 13/09/2020 17:15

@Baaaahhhhh

It's been all over the news for days OP. Govt has apologised. New lab opening in 2 weeks.
Oh they've apologised. Well that's alright then.
OP posts:
GetUpAgain · 13/09/2020 17:16

@mummyofthreemunchkins

I've been trying to get a test for 5 of us since last Friday, there is absolutely nothing anywhere. My lot got taken out with colds within 2 days of being back at school and now have the cough from the cold so obviously can't go back until we have all been tested. I don't get paid if I'm not at work and I've got my son that's just gone into year 10 so starting to study for his exams, with a lot of time missed from school already, it's becoming a massively stressful situation! And just now I've read if you can't get a test in the first 5 days of symptoms it's too late so you need to self isolate for the 14 days, although don't know 100% about that, maybe someone can clarify that point?
Yes unfortunately after 5 days of symptoms it is too late to test so you and your household have to isolate for longer. The person with symptoms isolates for 10 days, everyone else isolates for 14 days.
JaniceBattersby · 13/09/2020 17:17

It’s been everywhere. I, personally, have written three stories on it and my colleagues in the newsroom have also written stories.

Not had a call from the government to tell us to stop yet. In fact, I’ve never had a single call from the government telling me what to publish. Not a single one in my whole 20-year career.

Tunnocks34 · 13/09/2020 17:17

I agree. My son has a cough, I’m almost certain it’s because he’s got a cold (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, no temp) can’t get him a test. I can’t go into work, and his school won’t let him, or his brother in until he has a negative test result. So stressful.

Tunnocks34 · 13/09/2020 17:18

And I live in a Manchester, I was given a slot in Oldham, drove up and they couldn’t do it. Back on line and I was offered a test in ducking Telford..

JaniceBattersby · 13/09/2020 17:18

Here are some further details if anyone is interested (looks like the government aren’t managing to control C4 either)..

www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-whats-going-on-with-covid-testing

yma123 · 13/09/2020 17:21

OP, I've was trying to book a test all day yesterday with no luck, I was advised to try at around 8pm as this was when new tests are apparently released, I kept trying at 8 and around 8:20pm multiple new test centres were showing up for me with a few hundred testing slots each so try around then!

1point21gigawatts · 13/09/2020 17:23

I'm a teacher. Colleague has come down with a cold and has a cough. We live on the south coast of England. She was offered a test in Belfast!! She will now have to stay away from school for longer than should be necessary.

I agree this should be being made far more of a big deal than it seems at the moment.

kimlo · 13/09/2020 17:23

@Froginaboginasmock

No, but I was half listening to something on radio 4 yesterday about it off the top of my head it was any answers. I've also seen a few articles, the most recent on my local paper.

MarshaBradyo · 13/09/2020 17:24

The whole 75 mile away thing was headline news though

kimlo · 13/09/2020 17:28

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000mhwx

ErinBrockovich · 13/09/2020 17:28

Tell me about it.
Tuesday I almost had a breakdown trying to get a test. Finally managed to order one to come through the post. It came the next day after the last post, so too late to test and return.
Did it the next day. It was delivered by Royal Mail within 24 hours. Great I think, we’ll get the results soon. Nope. 3 days later and still no result.
Can’t get through on 119 to a person.
We’ve missed school, nursery (£125 paid for), paid for swimming lessons, first day back at rainbows, paid for football. Entire week and weekend isolated.
And still no bloody result.
Not to mention the fact I can’t work whilst I have a houseful.

Let’s put it this way. The next time one of my DC feel unwell I won’t be reaching for the thermometer.

Illdealwithitinaminute · 13/09/2020 17:30

I've been speaking to a relative who went for testing today and she said the testing centre was chaos! People shouting, being arsey, apparently many didn't have the code that you need, they didn't- she said it wasn't at all clear from the online procedure that they needed it and the guy there told them to take a photo of it if they didn't have a printer, but they don't have a smart phone. The queues were out onto the main roads and clogging everything up and the police were called at least once.

They came home having had no test for the person affected, and there are no home tests, this person is over 80.

Totally ludicrous situation, and they aren't going to try for another test now as they were already on Day 3 having tried about 12 times on the site per day!

Baaaahhhhh · 13/09/2020 17:30

Let’s put it this way. The next time one of my DC feel unwell I won’t be reaching for the thermometer

There's another thread running where majority, including me, don't even own a thermometer.

wedidntstartthefires · 13/09/2020 17:32

@JaniceBattersby

It’s been everywhere. I, personally, have written three stories on it and my colleagues in the newsroom have also written stories.

Not had a call from the government to tell us to stop yet. In fact, I’ve never had a single call from the government telling me what to publish. Not a single one in my whole 20-year career.

Isn't the news agenda / political agenda decided a bit higher up?

Eg the person on the till at Sainsburys doesn't decide which brand of loo roll to stock?

Feminist10101 · 13/09/2020 17:32

You don’t need to. If they feel hot to the touch on the chest/back of neck they have a temp.

PigletJohn · 13/09/2020 17:32

"World-Leading"

Working would be a start.