To think what on earth would possess someone to turn up to an A&E to ask for a COVID test?

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Bolton hospital have tweeted that over 100 people have attended A&E to request a COVID test in recent days.
They have politely asked that “people think of others” before making the decision to go to a very busy A&E to ask for a test.
To only attend if they have had an accident or have a life threatening injury or illness.
They also say where you can get advice re testing.
It beggars belief.
Having had first hand experiences of people demanding ambulances for the most outrageous things, I’m not surprised but for the love of all that is sensible, why do people do this?
This is just Bolton, are people turning up to A&E countrywide asking for tests?
The poor staff on triage will have their share of abusive patients AND relatives tripled because of this, telling people that they can’t have what they demand.
Jeez, the world has gone mad.
And I do not accept that it’s ok to tip up at an accident and emergency department because they can’t get testing anywhere else, this is blatantly not the right thing to do.

Well it's ridiculous but considering Bolton has the highest rates of infection in the UK and it's nigh on impossible to get a test I can see why people are panicking ,now I live in Bolton .

It's not so much just the entitlement and the pressure on staff the main issue is the risk of spread

-If you want a test that would be because you have symptoms

• In Bolton with the rates pretty high the symptoms have a fair chance of actually being Covid
• if you rock up to A&E infectious and start coughing over staff, patients and the environment then that is a great way to spread the infection, make people sick and get your hospital shut.

In New York their massive outbreak where many people died was sparked by someone rocking up to A&E in a taxi with Covid after a trip to China. Coughing over the poor taxi driver, staff and other patients before staff could realise they needed to be isolated. Similar happened in London.

Are people really so stupid and haven't got the message that you stay at home and don't infect others unless you actually need medical attention

The NHS is desperately trying to reopen other services and catch up some of the back log before the winter and the 2nd wave. This appears to be what everyone wants.
But if idiots rock up contaminating departments and infecting staff then it will all have to be shut down again.

My child is off nursery (that I’m still paying for) due to a temp most likely related to teething. I’m off work now.

Had trouble getting a test, and it was suggested that I go A&E by a friend as they will definitely test a minor.

I was surprised that she thought this was logical, she wouldn’t accept that A&E probably won’t test him and it’s the last place I want us to be anyway as people in A&E might be infectious with all sorts!

They certainly won’t test a minor, alder hey have made it very clear that they are not doing any testing except for those who are being admitted to the hospital.

However, good points here. Govt has not made enough provision so people are desperate - I won’t condemn them for making stupid choices.

This virus will spread further as people go about their business on paracetamol and calpol because they cannot get a test and cannot afford to isolate.

@Sirzy

They certainly won’t test a minor, alder hey have made it very clear that they are not doing any testing except for those who are being admitted to the hospital.

Even if they did, my child is fine (temp lasted 3 days). There’s no way I’d expose us to Covid or anything else by waiting how many hours in A&E.

It surprises me that people go on flimsy whims to be honest.

Obviously that was shambolic and disgraceful but having a test doesn't mean you will get treatment does it? It means you will be sent home to look after yourself as if you had flu (paracetamol, rest, fluids).

People aren't desperate for tests because they think they have covid. They're desperate because they're pretty sure that they don't, but they're doing the responsible thing and isolating nonetheless. They need a negative test to get back to work and school, before the next dose hits and they're doing it all over again.

in those circumstances it isn’t their fault "

I'd argue it is , no where has the government said just turn up at a and e and you will get a test. Its not the advice that is all over the news and internet. If some people can't think why turning up at A and E with covid like symptoms wanting a test , you might as well go to the dentist and demand one , is a bad idea then yes they are stupid . Its why a and e gets overwhelmed with stuff that could be dealt with at Boots.

Desperation and fear

I do agree that the Government has cocked up and if anyone in my family gets symptoms and needs a test I will be royally peed off too at having to isolate for days for probably no reason but no way would I go to A&E or the GP with symptoms.

Going to A&E is compounding the issue and making things worse
If any of those 100 people do test positive then they may cause the A&E staff to be off work as contacts even if they don't actually manage to give it to them. Then it's more people off work and trying to get a test and so it goes on.

It’s actually not that unreasonable when you take into account that the actual testing system has completely failed. Do people think A&E is the first port of call for these desperate people??

No, I’d bet pretty much all of them have been massively failed and messed around trying to get tests. You CAN NOT say to a country ‘if you have these (pretty damn common) symptoms then you have to isolate in your homes for 2 weeks (losing money, plans and education for kids) until you’re tested’ AND THEN NOT OFFER ADEQUATE TESTING!!!

The furlough system and lockdown in general has left many families either in, or very close to, poverty. Two weeks of lost wages could mean losing homes and not being able to feed kids.

People are being told to act ‘for the greater good’ at devastating personal expense and then being called names when they’re angry that the system put in place to deal with them...IS NOT WORKING

• I’ve not been personally effected by this but have watched multiple ‘key worker’ friends/family (teachers and Dr’s) be totally let down by the testing system over the last 2 weeks

At least 100 people turning up at a&e helps give lie to the assertions that we were getting only 24 hours ago that there was no problem with the testing system.

Because the useless government has whipped up astronomic levels of fear and then utterly failed to plan, so we have no accurate test and trace and a testing system which simply doesn’t work. Some people might be stupid but many will be scared and confused. Surely you can understand that?

@Phoenix21

My child is off nursery (that I’m still paying for) due to a temp most likely related to teething. I’m off work now.

Had trouble getting a test, and it was suggested that I go A&E by a friend as they will definitely test a minor.

I was surprised that she thought this was logical, she wouldn’t accept that A&E probably won’t test him and it’s the last place I want us to be anyway as people in A&E might be infectious with all sorts!

Schools aren’t helping with their requirement that people have clear tests before they can go back.

Children get temperatures, coughs, colds, hay fever.

Employers are demanding Covid tests results even if you're ill from work because of something stupid like feeling a bit odd because they've got air conditioning on in 31 deg climate.

What do you do? Can't afford 14 days with no pay. No local test centre, - having a test kit sent to you is unlikely, as is fast result.

So what are you supposed to do?

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Desperation. Fear. Confusion. And in some cases, entitlement.

This. No they shouldn’t be going A&E unless they are very unwell.

But if you can’t go back to work unless you’ve had a test and you have a very unsympathetic boss and you’ve already been off a lot because your children were sent home I can see why people are doing this.

(In fairness the people I know have been paid for their time off and luckily aren’t on the breadline...but my family growing up would have been in abject poverty due to covid! I’m furious on behalf of all those barely keeping their heads above water before this!)

I think people need to realise that even at its height the death rate amongst those with no underlying health conditions and under 60 wasn’t huge and the most heavily impacted by this (in terms of wages/job loss/poverty) is that same bracket.

So the lowest risk bracket have essentially been told they have to lose out/suffer significant loss to protect those who are not losing out to the same extent (retired/disabled)

Again it’s not impacted me personally but I can understand why, in light of the utterly crap job the gov have done, Molly and Kev (the fit and under 30) who don’t know where their next rent payment will come from or how they’ll be able to afford the Asda shop for the kids, might be reluctant to ‘self isolate’ for a cough to protect Maureen the 89 year old comfortably retired.

I have elderly and vulnerable loved ones. I see it from both sides, I’d be fuming if they infected one of my loved ones... but I can understand how a young families right to be housed and fed doesn’t trump an elderly persons right to nip out to Sainsburys

I agree @LittleBearPad. I actually think the govt insisting people can get a test, encouraging policies on that basis and not listening admitting that there is a problem is compounding the chaos.

I’m lucky with one child and DH and I both WFH, but I cannot help but feel huge sympathy for those in unstable work, already behind on bills, an unsympathetic (or stressed) boss and a child/ten with a snotty nose.

What happens if when my DC goes back they throw a temp again? The nursery needs to protect itself but the govt calls me selfish for getting a tests when there is no real need.

Absolute clusterfuck of epic proportions.

Do we know why GP/clinics etc couldn’t triage and administer testing? With adequate funding of course.

Desperation.

I think a lot of people are trying to get tested because they have been exposed. My sister is a teacher and had a case in her bubble earlier this week. She spent the entire next day trying to get a test. This left her very angry, upset and frustrated.

She actually shouldn't be seeking a test. Firstly, the potential exposure was only 24 hours before so even if she were infected, it wouldn't show up yet. Second, she has no symptoms. She should be waiting until she gets any symptoms before testing. The thing that worries people is this idea of asymptomatic spread. She is worried she will have it, not know, and spread to our aunt who she lives with who is in her 70s. I understand this, but she needs to wait at least 4 or 5 days to test for that.

The bit she is struggling with, and I understand the worry of having been potentially exposed and potentially exposing someone more at risk, is that testing can't prevent her from getting it if she has already been exposed - she needs to act as if she is infected and stay apart from our aunt as much as possible for the next 2 weeks and then the actual test doesn't matter so much.

@Porcupineinwaiting

At least 100 people turning up at a&e helps give lie to the assertions that we were getting only 24 hours ago that there was no problem with the testing system.

Doesn't it just! You fix testing and track and trace, you fix the vast bulk of this problem.

The govt are going to ration tests - they have to.

So do they say to schools, nurseries, workplaces to drop their requirements for tests before people can return. Children are at risk of missing weeks of school with nothing more than the common cold.

The government have got themselves in a total cul de sac of crap options and to then blame the public for doing as they are told is appalling.

They need to be more specific with temps ie over 39. Explain what they mean by a Covid cough better. Make it two symptoms out of three before you’re eligible etc.

If they make it two symptoms out of 3 for a test they may as well not bother. Masses of people dont get two symptoms and those that do tend to be sick at home and so not spreading it anyway. What we need the testing system to be is universally available to anyone with 1 symptom and to do extra tests to pick up asymptomatic people. Frankly if we've got money available to subsidise people to eat in restaurants, HS2 and to shoot badgers, we've got money for this.

I’d be ok with the govt saying ‘we have a problem with testing, we are doing x,y,z to remedy this. Or are looking for remedies’ anything, something.

Instead they are blaming the public, haven’t even nodded to Serco, haven’t adjusted to more reasonable guidance for education settings, nothing.

Just wittering about our world beating test and trace and ‘free’ testing putting pressure on the system.

They are not reassuring the public by acknowledging that there is a problem.

I’m so so angry about this. I’m scared that the infection rate will increase due to the choices people are being forced to make.

And no they dont need to ration testing to widen its scope either. There are some very clever ways of group testing that could be used in schools or workplaces to check large numbers of people.