Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Original poster

AIBU to tell you how shambolic my experience has been trying to get a covid test...

200 replies

Shiningstar84 · 13/09/2020 21:43

I'm a teacher and have been back in work around 3 weeks. I've come down with a heavy cold and a cough. Been off since Wednesday
Timeline is as follows:
Tuesday night- Tried to get a test- none available
Wednesday - Got a test local to me- just 6 miles according to the booking. Went to the test site, the main and only road to it completely closed off with signs and cones not letting me past. Tried calling the 'help'line- hour on the phone and missed my appointment.
Thursday- Nearest test site 100 miles away but miraculously got a home test kit booked at 8am- horray
Friday- Home test kit showed at 5pm- after the last post of the day near me
Saturday- Got up early to register the test, take the test and get it to the post office. Registration kept coming up as an error online- lots of people reporting the same, the site is completely down and not working. I missed the last post of the day
Sunday- can't do home test as no post, and it would be null and void as over 4 days since symptoms started. Managed to get a test 40 miles away at 7.30pm

Now I wait for results which could be 48hours. I've already lost precious teaching time with my a-level students and although I've been teaching remotely it just isn't the same. I also have my toddler son at home with me as I obviously can't send him back to nursery- making teaching very difficult.
It's September FFS and these are the issues I and many others are having.

OP posts:

Original poster

Shiningstar84 · 15/09/2020 07:21

Ah @Walkden you've made me laugh this morning, thank you 😂

OP posts:

Lougle · 15/09/2020 07:54

@Kinny14 I know that my daughter has a cold. But she also has a cough and I am following the rules. She needs a test, and we're self-isolating. But I can't get a test for her.

CountessFrog · 15/09/2020 07:58

I think Kinny might still be Coming round from that coma, she’s rambling. Has somebody pressed the nurse call button?

Original poster

Shiningstar84 · 15/09/2020 08:12

@CountessFrog I'll do it now.
Anyway, I've just been texted my negative result-horray!! 1 week later...:)

OP posts:

Lougle · 15/09/2020 08:20

[quote Shiningstar84]@CountessFrog I'll do it now.
Anyway, I've just been texted my negative result-horray!! 1 week later...:)[/quote]
Congratulations!

DD2's school say they have no tests available to hand out. I suspect that means that they've decided the tests should be reserved for staff, which I understand, given that they have 1300 pupils and 10 tests.

Original poster

Shiningstar84 · 15/09/2020 08:38

@Lougle Thank you! My place has 10 tests too- but I think they're for extreme cases. I've noticed the testing fiasco is on the bbc homepage today- hopefully it'll get more and more attention. We need plenty of tests for situations like I've found myself in!

OP posts:

Dominicgoings · 15/09/2020 08:43

If people without symptoms stopped booking tests there would be less of an issue.

wafflyversatile · 15/09/2020 08:43

"the meantime, NHS Test and Trace "

I think this lie from johnson is the worst of all. How much of it is actually NHS?

walksen · 15/09/2020 08:46

"If people without symptoms stopped booking tests there would be less of an issue."

How do they know this is the main cause I wonder? Do they record whether you have symptoms when you go for a test?
I'm assuming that if you don't have symptoms you can't book a test online unless you have another valid reason from the booking site?

Dominicgoings · 15/09/2020 09:04

@walksen

"If people without symptoms stopped booking tests there would be less of an issue."

People lie on the online application. We’ve had a few positives in school. Class Whattsapp group full of parents booking tests ‘just in case’. And quite happy to lie about it. Generally the same ones who refuse to let their kids wear masks and who’ve consistently flouted social distancing guidance. The ‘me me me’ generation.

walksen · 15/09/2020 09:19

I'm sure people lie about it, but the question is how has the government verified this, how have they determined the scale of or quantified the problem?

Isn't it convenient that they can blame other people being selfish instead of the jump in demand being due to the usual illnesses spreading around schools?

Has the number of proportion of people lying about symptoms increased since schools went back? I just find it convenient for them to say there would be enough tests to go around if the worried well stopped going for tests. I just can't see how they can possibly know this.

thatsforsure · 15/09/2020 09:19

I am so angry about this
I have three children and I manage a small charity
As far as i can see if this Govt doesnt manage to sort out this shit show then I am going to be off work or have staff off work constantly.

The first time people get a cough they will do the right thing but after 2 or 3 periods of 14 day isolation they will stop bothering

If you go a cough today had a test tomorrow and knew the outcome the next day as it should be then people would comply but the economy will suffer even more than it has done by people having two weeks off everytime someone in their family has a cough

I cannot understand why people still think this Govt is doing OK. They have handed every contract going to their unqualified and incapable mates and have presided over a fucking shit show and they still keep doing it

What a surprise that there would be more people coming forward for tests when schools go back and whole bubbles are sent home. Why didnt they foresee this and gear up for it

Boris Johnson is a twat so is the rest of his Govt and if you cant see them for what they are (rich and privileged self serving incompetants) then i despair for the future of this country I really do

longwayoff · 15/09/2020 09:25

People without symptoms using up all the tests. Propaganda. There is not sufficient testing facility. How will symptomless carriers be identified if not by testing? These people spread infection rapidly and widely as they're unaware of it. Just more excuses from government in the face of the failure of its world beating system. BS.

PunishmentSnart · 15/09/2020 09:36

@NurseButtercup where is testing readily available because I am willing to drive to get one?

PunishmentSnart · 15/09/2020 09:44

Also @Kinny14 don’t be an arsehole - most people know it’s probably a cold but are being told we can’t put kids in school/nursery for 14 days or til we have a negative result- people need to work hence the need to test knowing they will most likely be negative.

Dominicgoings · 15/09/2020 09:44

There are countless issues with the testing system.
Fuck up after fuck up.
But it’s ridiculous to dismiss the fact that there are large numbers of people who are testing ‘just in case. And that IS having an impact on access to testing for essential workers. If you want the schools to stay open, teachers need to be a priority.

justfinefornow · 15/09/2020 09:52

[quote PunishmentSnart]@NurseButtercup where is testing readily available because I am willing to drive to get one?[/quote]
When I checked the whole of the UK yesterday looking for one, none in England but there seemed to be plenty in Glasgow. Unfortunately too far for a day trip for me.

justfinefornow · 15/09/2020 09:55

@Dominicgoings

There are countless issues with the testing system. Fuck up after fuck up. But it’s ridiculous to dismiss the fact that there are large numbers of people who are testing ‘just in case. And that IS having an impact on access to testing for essential workers. If you want the schools to stay open, teachers need to be a priority.

And if key workers aren't a priority isn't that a fuck up in itself! To blame people worried and scared for their health is stupid and very convenient for the people who are supposed to be organising the testing! Surely the access to testing needs to to triaged. The Government don't seem to be very good at thinking things through.

Dominicgoings · 15/09/2020 10:13

There sre indeed people scared and worried for their health.
There are plenty of others who are selfish, incapable of rational thought and who don’t believe that their individual actions have a bearing on the bigger picture. People abuse healthcare resources all the time. This is no different.

PunishmentSnart · 15/09/2020 10:15

Also people who fancied a holiday during all of this had tests. I do feel slight resentment towards them but it’s the governments fault overall

PunishmentSnart · 15/09/2020 10:16

I just got a slot but it just took me back to the start with no confirmation- this is a joke!

Original poster

Shiningstar84 · 15/09/2020 10:29

I think there are plenty (majority) of people like me with a heavy cold but with a cough. Unfortunately due to overlap of symptoms between this and covid we have to be careful, get a test and then hopefully go back to work. The shambolic nature of the companies running this has meant it's taken me a week to do this. I am however fortunate I've been able to run all of my lessons from home.
I think there are others having tests 'just in case' but this is definitely the minority and not nearly enough to make the system fall to its needs.

Anyone with half of a brain cell could have predicted that kids going back to nursery/school/college would have spread normal cold germs and meant people needed to get tested. Unfortunately, the government were too busy lying to the public about how 'children don't spread covid' etc. to focus on the need for more tests.

I'm glad the mainstream media have now picked up on it all. The economy is going to fall to its knees yet again unless there is adequate testing.
Also- the tracing system sees as if it's failing miserably too.
I've been feeling as optimistic as I can throughout the entire pandemic but this week I've started feeling pretty depressed- everything feels so uncertain and made 10times worse by the shitty government.
I am really really sorry for those of you who are self-employed etc. - I really hope that there will be support in place for you.

OP posts:

justfinefornow · 15/09/2020 10:33

@Dominicgoings

There sre indeed people scared and worried for their health. There are plenty of others who are selfish, incapable of rational thought and who don’t believe that their individual actions have a bearing on the bigger picture. People abuse healthcare resources all the time. This is no different.

According to you people abuse the healthcare resources all the time - let's assume you're correct, I'm assuming you have numbers to back up your claim, are these numbers your secret - you know something the Gov don't know? When you plan testing requirements - you take everything into account, including the demand caused by people who abuse healthcare - unless you are stupid and and crap at planning....like the Gov.

Dominicgoings · 15/09/2020 10:53

Strategic planning in healthcare generally happens over the course of months and years, COVID has created an unprecedented demand on the delivery of healthcare.

And rather than being so dismissive of the notion that healthcare services are routinely over ( and under) used, perhaps you could familiarise yourself with the fairly hefty body of worldwide research which looks at the issues in depth.

justfinefornow · 15/09/2020 10:57

@Dominicgoings

Strategic planning in healthcare generally happens over the course of months and years, COVID has created an unprecedented demand on the delivery of healthcare.

But if it is a known that people abuse healthcare - move on, old news - not something you have the time to fix now. Problems with getting adequate testing seems to be quite a struggle for the UK Gov why is this? - How come they are so uniquely shit at planning for this! World beating my arse!

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Swipe left for the next trending thread