To think I shouldn't have to pay to see my mum

[MrsBertBibby]

Just that. "Freedom" is no such thing for care home residents. Imprisoned and deprived of family and now, if we want to visit, we must shell out £20 for a test.

Is it unreasonable to call this government absolute sick psychopaths?

@michaellocust except half the things on that list are due to Covid prevention measures not actual Covid.
And yes Covid is a killer but we’re all 3 jabbed or had it. Or both.
As for “the last thing their body could handle” that applies to everything people die off. Flu and Pneumonia were the previous diseases that finished people and no one regulated them to this extent.

When my mum was end of life, i'd see her twice a day, DD same, that would have cost us around £80 per week and my Mum lived on for 3 months.
Now i could afford it but many cannot, thats why they get an exception for prescriptions.

This should be the same for LFT for those that have a genuine need for them.

Its in humane to do otherwise.

I have 10 boxes, the most recent arrived today. I only use one if meeting friends or less often, family, as they live at a distance. The cost will probably come down for those who have to pay.
Tesco and Superdrug pharmacies will, no doubt, undercut Boots.

Families with members in care have been fucked over by this government and by the care homes themselves. I’ve had to see (well on the few occasions I’ve actually been able to see him) disappear into dementia from a distance, unable to touch him, can’t communicate by phone or video message.

If asked I reckon most care home residents would have happily taken the risk, quite frankly I know my Dad would rather have died than spend the last few months of some kind of memory in his life wondering where his family were. Quite frankly it’s sick and everyone complicit in this dehumanising abuse of a right to family life should hang their head in shame. In years to come historians will look back at this in horror as they will also be able to see the fall out of this policy in the mental health of the families.

Saving pennies but costing pounds

Tests will be free until April 1st. This isn't something that ends on Thursday.

Everyone who visits someone in a care home knows that a negative test is required. You do one before you leave home.

I've absolutely no problem with paying for tests in future to visit someone, the same that I don't mind paying for petrol to get there.

@LoisLane66

I have 10 boxes, the most recent arrived today. I only use one if meeting friends or less often, family, as they live at a distance. The cost will probably come down for those who have to pay. Tesco and Superdrug pharmacies will, no doubt, undercut Boots.

And this is causing the problem! Why do you need 70 tests if you only use them now and then?? Can you not see that this is what is wrong with free tests?

This is just like UC cut when they cut £1,000 per year from claimants and instead are paying £3,000 per year per clamant to Restart Providers lk Serco

[quote lightisnotwhite]**@michaellocust except half the things on that list are due to Covid prevention measures not actual Covid.
And yes Covid is a killer but we’re all 3 jabbed or had it. Or both.
As for “the last thing their body could handle” that applies to everything people die off. Flu and Pneumonia were the previous diseases that finished people and no one regulated them to this extent.[/quote]
Like talking to a brick wall......

@HereIfYouNeedMe

I have maybe 4 boxes I can post to you if it helps

This is part of the problem! Why do people have multiple boxes if they don’t want or need them? Too many packs of LFTs have been got or used unnecessarily!

There have been threads on here about people doing LFTs daily (plus I know of quite a few acquaintances who did things like this), when they have already been diagnosed with Covid, just to see if the LFTs are showing positive or not. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Nobody needs to do this, it is a waste of resources and money. People wouldn’t be doing this if they had to pay for the tests themselves!

I really do feel sorry for those (like the OP) who will struggle, if they have to buy tests, but it is the only thing the Government can do to stop unnecessary wastage (as if there isn’t already far to much of this)!

I don’t know what the answer is, but maybe for those in the OP’s situation, Care Homes could get free tests, to use for relatives visiting?

From seeing people with dozens of boxes in their cupboards ‘just in case’, I can see why they can’t be free forever. Typically, us British love a bit of ‘stock piling’,

[quote lightisnotwhite]**@michaellocust except half the things on that list are due to Covid prevention measures not actual Covid.
And yes Covid is a killer but we’re all 3 jabbed or had it. Or both.
As for “the last thing their body could handle” that applies to everything people die off. Flu and Pneumonia were the previous diseases that finished people and no one regulated them to this extent.[/quote]
Scrap that - an ignorant brick wall.

I dont know why people think theyre owed so much from the goverment. As if they havnt just spent trillions on handouts over pandemic. YABU. Buy yourself or dont visit. Why should we pay.

Nobody needs to do this, it is a waste of resources and money. angry People wouldn’t be doing this if they had to pay for the tests themselves!

Not even if they work in a school, or have a child who's had a mild version and got to the end of the 5 day isolation and needs 2 negative results before they can go back?

Given the amount of money this government has wasted elsewhere I do not see why it would be such a stretch to have them procured centrally - no doubt more cheaply than individuals can mange - and distributed to care homes and other rare holdouts, who could then do the quick tests in antechambers of those locations for visitors. But it is something that shows up the inconsistencies of declaring that we have to live with Covid, but we can't.

@Binglebong, have the hospital workers been offered free tests in your LHA? My DDs work in two different hospitals and the staff have refused to do the weekly tests because they have to pay for them. The staff have suggested monthly tests instead.

What I don’t understand is why Boots are charging for them from tomorrow?

Who gave them the stock they’ve got was it the government/tax payer or have they paid for the stock they’ve got?

@LoisLane66

I have 10 boxes, the most recent arrived today. I only use one if meeting friends or less often, family, as they live at a distance. The cost will probably come down for those who have to pay. Tesco and Superdrug pharmacies will, no doubt, undercut Boots.

Why? Why would you order the tenth box when you have 9 boxes already sitting there?

@CrocodilesCry

Tests will be free until April 1st. This isn't something that ends on Thursday.

Everyone who visits someone in a care home knows that a negative test is required. You do one before you leave home.

I've absolutely no problem with paying for tests in future to visit someone, the same that I don't mind paying for petrol to get there.

You live in another world don't you? one devoid of empathy and compassion. Some can't afford a car, doubtful they can drive, the bus fare is a struggle but you want to deny them the chance to visit an elderly relative. Recalibrate your moral compass.

OP is not asking for a test!! They don’t ask OP to test for a flu or any other possible infection. I hear your plain OP. It is deeply unfair

@OnTheBoardwalk

What I don’t understand is why Boots are charging for them from tomorrow?

Who gave them the stock they’ve got was it the government/tax payer or have they paid for the stock they’ve got?

Surely they’ve paid for them. They won’t be selling ones the pharmacies were given for free for the purpose of giving to the public for free.

Yeah but the announcement came today and they are charging for them tomorrow? Did they place a paid order today?

I don’t know how you’d police or implement it but I would definitely be happy for my taxes to fund care home / hospital visitors having free tests. The thought of someone in a home having fewer visits than they should because their family can’t afford to test feels pretty awful to me.

@HermioneWeasley

It’s £20 for a box of 7.

The government can’t provide free everything for everyone forever.

Well said 👏

It's time to just let people freely in and out of care homes. The residents are all vaccinated. Testing is ridiculous at this stage.

@MrsBertBibby Op I have loads of tests all unopened & have never been used I’m more than happy to meet with you if you would like to inbox me your area & we’re in the same area or I can post them to you if you would like to inbox me your address/an address where you’ll be able to pick them up x