To ask if you think there are people not bothering to get tested for covid

[Fedupofcovid78]

When they have symptoms and therefore not isolating.

@Mum21031608

Which is so ridiculously idiotic. People will go into hospital and people will die. Those are the numbers that have any real effect on wether or not we go into lockdown again. I don't know how people can be so stupid

Because they can’t see the bigger picture?

But as has been proven by this thread, there are many reasons why someone may not test based on their particular circumstances.

I’m not saying it’s right, but a lot of people are just fed up after 18 months of lockdowns and restrictions and they just want their life to get back to normal.

I’ve felt a bit rough the last few days, aching muscles, a bit of a headache, just generally feeling run down. I haven’t tested because I’m putting it down to just having a stressful time at the moment (work related) but I’m sure there are many people who would test with those symptoms, “just in case.”

I’m sure the case numbers are much higher than the ones we are given but as has been said, people have a variety of reasons for choosing not to get tested and I doubt much can change that.

I don't really think there are any excuses that cut it for not testing, whether it's money, , not wanting to miss out on their little trips or whatever other BS excuses people have given.

Unless you plan on sitting in your house for 10 days after symptoms start, of course. Couldn't give a shit if you won't be seeing a single soul.

Calm down jesus. Do you really expect everyone to rush out and get tested every time they experience the slightest symptom? Over the past few weeks I’ve woke up on different days with a headache, a sore throat, achy muscles. On each occasion the ailment sorted itself out either after a painkiller or, in the case of the headache, getting some fresh air in the local park. I’m not buying into this testing hysteria. It makes zero difference anyway. The government has told everyone to suck it up and deal with the consequences of Covid running riot.

Some people are simply losing all perspective. On my Reception aged child’s class chat, there are semi hysterical parents taking their children for a test because they have a fever or a runny nose. When my son was bitten by an insect at school he developed a couple of small spots on the back of his hand. A school run mum told me “rashes are a symptom of Covid” and I must take him out of school to be tested immediately

@Urbandweller

Calm down jesus. Do you really expect everyone to rush out and get tested every time they experience the slightest symptom? Over the past few weeks I’ve woke up on different days with a headache, a sore throat, achy muscles. On each occasion the ailment sorted itself out either after a painkiller or, in the case of the headache, getting some fresh air in the local park. I’m not buying into this testing hysteria. It makes zero difference anyway. The government has told everyone to suck it up and deal with the consequences of Covid running riot.

Some people are simply losing all perspective. On my Reception aged child’s class chat, there are semi hysterical parents taking their children for a test because they have a fever or a runny nose. When my son was bitten by an insect at school he developed a couple of small spots on the back of his hand. A school run mum told me “rashes are a symptom of Covid” and I must take him out of school to be tested immediately

Do I expect people to get tested if they show any of the symptoms of covid and won't be staying inside away from others? Uhh... yes?

At this point. Is there a symptom which isn't covid symptom?

I've got hay fever and I'm allergic to the new cat. Oh and I have chronic reflux so yes I cough, yes a sneeze, I've got red eyes too ... but no fever. I'm not testing daily to tell me it's the allergies have had all my life and the irritation caused by me failing to be responsible and avoiding the foods that give me reflux!

Yes because many people have sought symptoms and simply can not afford to have time off work

I don’t blame them

I’m sure many have been advised to self isolate and are not doing so some down to not being able to afford to

• slight symptoms

Personally, ive not gotten tested since this shitshow happened. Ido believe there is covid- however i also believe that the number of people who doe are statistically small, and while devastating to individual families, we cannot as a country hide away. People die from flu- we do not lock down the country then. Most have had vaccines. Some cant and are therefore vulnerable- there have always been immunosupressed individuals but the whole country has never upended their lives before.

Anyway, ive not had symptoms of covid. Have occasionally had a sore throat, headache etc, but i get those anyway as part of being a human. The vaccine knocked me out for longer than a slighy cold which is what my symptoms have been. Work have offered pcr testing if wed like to do it- i dont want to so have not put name forward. Currently not wearing a mask either.

I think that suddenly labelling normal behaviour and going about your daily lives as selfish for the first time in living memory might have something to do with it, especially a year and a half on.

My friend said she had a sore throat and felt ill yesterday. I asked her if she had done a Covid test and she said no because it is her child’s birthday party tomorrow and she would be so upset if it got cancelled. I do understand how she feels (burying her head in the sand) but pointed out how bad she would feel if she gave the entire party Covid. Hope I got through to her. She did say she would test after all. But in answer to your question, I do think this is the case yes as isolating can be such a massive inconvenience.

@HTH1

I think that suddenly labelling normal behaviour and going about your daily lives as selfish for the first time in living memory might have something to do with it, especially a year and a half on.

I do wonder how long the selfish thing sticks. 2024? "Omg stop being selfish and killing people." 2030? I think for some it will never go away tbh

It really bothers me that there is this idea that people who don't test and isolate are selfish.

DH and I have naice middle class jobs that are still 100% WFH. We have a detached house with a large garden where the kids can burn off steam. Isolating is easy for us and we've done it a few times.

But a single parent with a toddler in a one bedroom flat living hand to mouth on a zero hour contract? Why is it selfish for them to put themselves first over others?

Why is it not selfish for someone to expect that said single mother should put themselves into a risk of poverty to protect their health?

Loads of people. My school gave LF tests out to 1300 students. Every 5 weeks, boxes of 10, to each student for twice weekly testing.
Due to the delta variant, and the fact we have had so many kids test positive, then staff and students sent home, we started testing kids on site. In June, a good half or so did not know how to use the tests (so all those Lateral Flow tests sent home since Autumn must be in cupboards or bins). Kids were freaking out about sticking the wand up their noses, holding the wand by the brush end etc.
We have a situation where lots of people are disconnected from what others think of as the "news". Some families don't watch, read, or hear what us communicated by the mainstream media. Not because they're conspiracy theorists but because they have no interest.

Our students have told us they have gone to weddings, parties, etc throughout the pandemic. Every week, we remind them about the dangers and how to test, but we cannot undo home influence.

@Mummadeze

My friend said she had a sore throat and felt ill yesterday. I asked her if she had done a Covid test and she said no because it is her child’s birthday party tomorrow and she would be so upset if it got cancelled. I do understand how she feels (burying her head in the sand) but pointed out how bad she would feel if she gave the entire party Covid. Hope I got through to her. She did say she would test after all. But in answer to your question, I do think this is the case yes as isolating can be such a massive inconvenience.

Not just the party guests, it’s the people they come into contact with after in shops, medical settings, family etc after. This is part of the reason we aren’t attending large gatherings, not just for the usual risks of covid but many refusing to test so they don’t miss out and not thinking of others.

I do not mix with people per se because I am classed vulnerable - unless I have to. I live on my own
I have had both covid vaccinations.
I know when I am feeling ill - while being aware that I have many age-related stuff that sometimes makes my joints ache, upsets my stomach or gives me a headache.
I have not been ordered/asked to take a test, I have never taken a test
I do not believe the tests are that accurate - unless done by a medical person.
I do not have the app - no smartphone
I do not attend crowded functions - no wish to

I am probably an outlier in MN land - but I believe there is a huge cohort of people like me who are just getting on with our lives as best we can. We should not be judged for that

I think there are a number of issues here

The guidance isn’t clear the official symptoms list is high temp , cough and loss of taste
I recently had a heavy cold and wasn’t sure what to do for the best. Took an LFT which was negative but WFH as a precaution and not wanting to spread my germs
My cousin had same symptoms, a negative LFT but then had a positive PCR

I think people have had enough now especially as we are getting freedoms back. I would only get tested if I was ill and to be honest I wouldn’t give details of close contacts.
I’m currently doing ten days because of close contact with someone and it’s really frustrating ( double jabbed)

I would only get tested if I was ill and to be honest I wouldn’t give details of close contacts

I would be furious if a friend had covid and said nothing. If I found out, it would be the end of our friendship.

do wonder how long the selfish thing sticks. 2024? "Omg stop being selfish and killing people."
2030? I think for some it will never go away tbh

but this didn't appear with covid, did it?

We always had selfish people taking public transport and going to work when sick,

we had selfish parents sending kids to school when sick - and trying to HIDE the sickness
(resulting in some schools actually closing to deep clean following the worst D&V outbreaks, and everybody having to take 2 or 3 days off for emergency childcare)
people hiding sickness when travelling on holiday

People ARE selfish. That's why some places impose mandatory tests.

Plus knowing that you can have covid without symptoms at all, you can't take a test every-time you have the sniffles, every-time you have a bit of an upset stomach, and the list of symptoms is too wide to expect people to realistically take a test every couple of days.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

I would only get tested if I was ill and to be honest I wouldn’t give details of close contacts

I would be furious if a friend had covid and said nothing. If I found out, it would be the end of our friendship.

Is tell my friends but I’d leave it to them to decide what they wanted to do

Between lung scarring, asthma and hayfever I have a chronic cough that comes and goes all the time. In the last academic year I've had five PCR tests, all of which entailed isolating, time off work and in most cases a six mile round trip to a test centre on foot or bike, because I didn't want to take yet another day off waiting for the postal test to arrive. All negative. I only tested when my cough was significantly worse than usual or I felt otherwise ill. Had I tested every time I had a 'new' cough or the existing one got worse, it would have been more like 15-20 times in the last nine months.

I would have had absolutely no problem doing 15-20 PCR tests just to be on the safe side, were it not for the legal requirement to self-isolate until you get your results back. Or even if I could work from home and didn't have to take the days off, but I can't. I understand why the rule exists, of course you don't want people who are really ill going round spreading the virus before their positive result comes back. But I wonder how many people with minor symptoms have decided to ignore them because they don't want to call in sick or cancel plans for the sake of a slight cough, who would have been willing to get a test 'just in case' if it wasn't going to cause them any inconvenience.

@pleasedonttextmyman

do wonder how long the selfish thing sticks. 2024? "Omg stop being selfish and killing people." 2030? I think for some it will never go away tbh

but this didn't appear with covid, did it?

We always had selfish people taking public transport and going to work when sick,

we had selfish parents sending kids to school when sick - and trying to HIDE the sickness
(resulting in some schools actually closing to deep clean following the worst D&V outbreaks, and everybody having to take 2 or 3 days off for emergency childcare)
people hiding sickness when travelling on holiday

People ARE selfish. That's why some places impose mandatory tests.

Plus knowing that you can have covid without symptoms at all, you can't take a test every-time you have the sniffles, every-time you have a bit of an upset stomach, and the list of symptoms is too wide to expect people to realistically take a test every couple of days.

No, it didn't appear with covid, but the amount of "you are selfish, you murderer" is fucking ridiculous now. Especially because it's lately being aimed at people who weren't selfish for year and something but just gave up now because they can't do it all anymore.

YANBU, though as others said, so many more things are considered symptoms now.

My DS1 came home on Friday with what is believed to be heat exhaustion and dehydration -- he'd had all the precautions but hadn't drank as much as he should and the weather got way hotter than he's used to, lesson learned (a lesson I seem to need to every year when summer hits, but hopefully he has better than me).

Some of the issues he'd had during his recovering have also been listed as COVID symptoms (in fact, I found a few articles online about the overlap and keeping an eye out). He can test if he chooses to, but I can't make him and have no strong opinion on it (I've no idea if he's ordered one). He's planning to remain in for the next couple weeks anyway as he has some in-house projects he wants to do.

No, it didn't appear with covid, but the amount of "you are selfish, you murderer" is fucking ridiculous now. Especially because it's lately being aimed at people who weren't selfish for year and something but just gave up now because they can't do it all anymore.

at least owe it!
Of course they can. They just can't be arsed. Why would they care what other people think.

@HelenHywater

My dds both had raging headaches - no cough or loss of taste.

Not many people know this is a symptom. I'm sure there are plenty of people who just feel a bit rough and don't test. There are plenty of people who have no symptoms at all and who are still positive.

My DD's exact symptoms, 3 LFT proved it was CV but she never took a PCR, she did isolate for 10 days.

Had no transport, didn't want to risk public transport and the test centre was 90 mins away by bus.

Yep I know people not testing. I am also sick of EVERYTHING being down to covid. What happened to common colds, hayfever, hangover headaches?!
Yet vaccine side effects can be nasty and that's just "coincedence".