Working in a COVID testing centre

[Chewsdhey]

My DS home from Uni has just got a summer job working at a COVID testing centre. I am not sure how I feel about this! He has had one vaccine so far, but won't get the other one till August.

Does anyone work in one of these places, or know someone who does? How 'at risk' are the workers there? What PPE is provided? Do they need to change/shower before they come home?

Any words of encouragement or advice?

I am really pleased that DS has been able to get a job, but would much rather it was at a vaccination centre than a test one! Argh!

Have you not been to a testing centre? They're very regimented places, and staff wear PPE. At the drive-through ones I've been to, the only time you have any contact with staff is winding your window down an inch or two so they can post the kit through for you to use, and they take it when you're done with the aid of a litter picking grabber stick! Plus everyone had masks and gloves. At the walk-through one, staff were two metres away or behind perspex. Again they just hand you the kit and you do it yourself, and you put it in a box at the end.

Very unlikely he would bring anything back from work - more likely to pick something up in the pub on a Friday evening!

Have you had both vaccinations yourself?

At our local testing centre we self test and don't come into contact with anyone. There is a section if you need assistance but those are in full PPE I'm sure. I'd say the vast majority of the workers at my centre are just directing traffic or speaking to you through closed car windows

I work as a mobile tester. As stated above, we are very strict about distancing, PPE, etc.
With regards to his second jab, he might be able to get one sooner if it is the ambulance service he’s working for. Our test sites are often vaccination centres too. I just popped in at the end of the day and I was given one as there were spares.

Might depend on the centre, I'd ask around locally. The walk-through I went to last summer the staff helped you, in a portacabin with no open windows, wearing very flimsy PPE. I remember feeling bad for them and thinking I would not like to work there! But maybe things are better now?

It's a lot less risky than a summer job in a bar or supermarket! They'll have PPE and Covid secure practices to follow.

My local testing site is self test and drive through. It's all very well organised and safe imo. Handing over of tests are contact free.

Personally I would feel working in a test site is safer than working in hospitality right now. Many young people are catching the virus working in pubs and restaurants because they are so busy and people travelling around to different areas.

I'm sure it'll be fine op. They are very well run!

Thank you!

The centre is a walk in one, with portakabins. I don't think DS will be carrying out tests, but will be supervising people doing it themselves, which suggests to me he will be quite close to them?

I've not had to do a PCR test so far, so not really sure what it is all like.

Both DP and I have another couple of weeks to wait for our second jabs, and I don't think the ambulance service is involved in the set up, so I assume DS will just need to wait for his second jab in August.

I suppose I am worried that because it is PCR testing, people coming will have symptoms, so be coughing/sneezing etc, which means if any of them do have COVID, his risk of catching it is higher than in other places.

DS however is not bothered. The confidence of youth I suppose!

Is there a uniform do you know? DS is waiting for access to the website with all the info. If there is uniform, does he wash it after each shift or does the centre deal with it? The shifts are long - so in one way I hope he is busy or he'll be bored. But busy = more potential cases!

We have uniform provided but I wasn’t issued too much of so some of it gets worn more than once as I’m not putting the washing machine and tumble on every evening.

My son works in a mobile testing centre. It's his gap year before starting Uni and his travel plans and gap year plans have been none existent.

He works 4 on 4 off and the money is £10 per hour. Pay is far more than he'd get working in a bar/restaurant/shop, it's much safer and the hours are far more sociable.

Due to the job he was able to get his first vaccine a few weeks ago but I wasn't concerned about him as I know they are very strict. He's not even allowed to car share to work and back with colleagues.

And yes, all uniform provided. Branded polo shirts, jackets, hi-vis. He wears his own jeans/trackies and trainers.

Thanks @Finfintytint You seem very relaxed about it all. I think I am just worried - fear of the unknown and all that! I have this idea that DS is going to walk in the door every evening with COVID oozing from his pores!

I had assumed he would just go and work in Tesco

Thanks @Secretsout That is reassuring. As you say, the pay for the average 19 year old is not bad

He’ll be fine. I came out of retirement to do this and it’s a great little job with some fantastic colleagues. If it’s anything like my team, he’ll have a ball.

If you're waiting for second jabs if they're scheduled for more than 8 weeks past your first ones, you can rebook them earlier - the manage your vaccination appointment site now shows you availability for earlier appointments. Or if you have walk-in clinics, like here we've just had some offering Pfizer to 30+ year old people who had their first jab more than eight weeks ago, turn up no appointment needed.

I took my daughter to be tested yesterday and then chap who supervised it was watching from 2m+ and I don’t think they had a uniform as such, I think some had NHS fleeces but that was it. On a side note, the staff there were brilliant with my 2 year old and did their best to distract her while I shoved a giant cotton bud up her nose!

We've been to four walk in centres. They have all been very careful with safety. They never get close to the people. The ones handing out the tests and taking them back in are behind screens.

The ones I've seen are all very military looking. I can understand your concern but ironically he's probably safer at work there than he would be in a bar for example (I'm in a delta variant hot-spot)