Unused lateral flow kits

[Ritasueandwhatshisfacetoo]

I have an abundance of unused LFT. I want to give them away. Either back to the NHS or to someone who will actually use them. AIBU? Is there any such place to dispose of them without waste? Bet lots of people are in a similar position. Thought I’d better stock up before having to pay and now not needing to use them. They expire in December.

Meh, if I'm honest, I stockpiled. I was in hospital with my daughter, who was seriously ill, we didn't know the long term outlook, possibly including a long course of chemotherapy, all very scary, and the government announce they'd be stopping the free kits.

I ordered as many as I could, ended up with maybe 15 boxes. Her immune system is shot, but not as bad as it could have been, so haven't needed them as much as we'd feared thankfully.

We've used a lot of them though, as she has a lot of bugs, and a lot of appointments. As it happens, Covid was one of the few bugs that hasn't put her in hospital 🤷‍♀️

Everyone has reasons for stockpiling. I don't know everyone's situation and I'm not going to judge.

I got boxes "shoved" at me in the highstreet too. Last January/February time maybe. I got give a box of 20 when DD when for her second vaccination.

stark contrast to the December before when I couldn't get a box anywhere when DS needed them to test for "early release" from isolation.

There are some ridiculous over reactions on this thread.

100% this.

You don't want waste? You shouldn't have stockpiled.

Agree to laying off the OP questioning why she has so many! I have loads too. Not 20 boxes, but in summer last year had at least a dozen. Because:

DH was being asked to test to go into work, he was given a full box each week even though he was only in 3 days.

3 children at secondary school who were each given a box each week, and who weren't keen on testing.

When I tested positive this time last year I was given 2 x boxes at the PCR testing place so I could test myself to see when I was negative and used about 2 of the tests.

DH also tested positive and was given loads of tests so he could see when he was negative too.

We are not routinely testing any more, colds and coughs are treated as we have always treated colds and coughs, I'm really not interested in whether it's Covid or anything else. Keeping a box for the historical value is a good idea!

We had 14 boxes at one point. Each DC was bringing them back from secondary school and I used to pick them up in town when the council gave them out.

I've got a load of boxes too. I work in a school and the school was sent loads for staff and students to test with. When it all stopped we were told to take them or they were going in the bin

Betating people for having a lot of tests is counter productive. Some have very genuine reasons, some have reasons that we’ll judge as less so but really no one knows what was going on in anyone’s particular circumstances at the time.

But it is a big waste if they don’t get used, and that’s the thing that we can change now.

OP I test regularly (CEV and in and out of hospital), I get free tests but if I was given a load of tests I could give them to anyone that I’m in contact with so they could test without paying for them. Or I’d alternate them with any tests I’m getting given now.

I realise that doesn’t say what to do. As others have said post on any Facebook or school WhatsApp groups as there are quite a few of us around still testing.

Wow, I understand why there was a shortage with people like you grabbing them all. People actually needed them at the time but greedy people grabbed them all.

A local organisation that supports vulnerable people where they still need to be cautious might want them. Ask around rather than dump them. Next time don't be so greedy and think of others.

"Not a troll and not "gammon" faced whatever that is?
They were shoved at you?
Everyone seems to treat you badly somehow?
Trolls
Gammon faced people
People shoving stuff at you
How odd!"

Is a gammon face something to do with Brexit? A white person who wanted to leave the EU? I think it's that. Strange line for the OP to go down to assume people who don't like greed are white people who wanted Brexit, assuming that's what is means of course.

People actually needed them at the time but greedy people grabbed them all.

No, "greedy" people were given them by their employer or handed them at school and then didn't use them. 🙄

It's like stepping back in time about 3 years. Have we had "selfish covidiot" yet?

🙄
It was easy to end up with too many, we were getting two or three boxes a week home from school at one point.
Least OP is trying to do the right thing and find them a home instead of just binning them all!

So many judgments on here!! Does no one remember the days EACH child would home home with a full pack once a week?

Honestly, take a look at yourselves calling the OP selfish when she has literally come on here wanting to give them away to those that could need most.

PFFFT what another mess of a thread.

The government Tory mates made a fucking fortune with these contracts and now the very tests we already paid for are now being resold to us at the pharmacy.

But yes, lets all scream at the woman now trying to give hers away to those who cant afford them.

Peak mumsnet strikes again...

Thanks to those who understand how we ended up stuck with them and who realise I came on to try to do something good with them rather than let them expire sat on my shelves at home. To the rest of you, it must be amazing to be so righteous and perfect 😇 - online anonymously of course.

Just ask around. We're very lucky in that our friends and family still test if they're likely to see others - so all of us would welcome them. Also, have to test for work if we have symptoms and they pay, but most of us don't feel it's fair to take into work in the first place.

Just chuck them. Testing has always been pointless and you wouldn’t be helping anyone by fuelling their covid anxiety

My friend would have loved them for when her mum was having chemo. Hope you find a good home for them, you're likely to make things a little better for someone who's having a very difficult time.

Ask on a local Facebook group if anyone wants them?

We had a load at one point - were required to test twice a week (plus extra for any appts) x 5 people in the house so we were going through them quickly. People forget what it was like. Or maybe some people weren’t testing as they should have been/weren’t required to test

Meh. Sod em. I have two boxes of 35 tests sat here and a couple of boxes my kids were sent home with. Reason I have them is that my work made us test before each shift so provided probably half a dozen boxes for each staff member. I was LFT testing each day and PCR twice a week just to keep working at our nursing home.

So I've loads of tests and people clapped me too. ::blows raspberry::

@ThisIsWednesday the blows raspberries but was probably the most childish thing I've ever read on MN! Yes I know you don't care, before you tell me.

Yes of course you needed lots of tests, to keep working. But as OP pointed out she doesn't work and therefore didn't need them, so others that did need them to continue work wouldn't have them available. Had you struggled like I did to get any tests and you then had to not work, you may not be quite so magnanimous.

@dogdaydown Mine were given to me way after there were any such shortages thank you very much but you keep telling yourself that’s actually why you’re on your high horse. Really you’re just a faceless keyboard warrior who wants to put other people down anonymously. As far as I’m concerned I’ve got your number and I feel sorry for you that you’re so bitter. Hope you have a lovely weekend 🙂