Coronavirus tests.

[SirVixofVixHall]

Now that they seem to be scaling down testing, is it possible to get tested privately if you have not been ill enough to be hospitalised ? We have a relative in a care home, a friend has a very vulnerable Mum etc. If we were unwell and then recovered, surely it is hugely helpful to know if one has had the virus ? As then you could help others without worry, visit older relatives and take food etc. Whereas if you don’t know for sure what you have had, you have to keep assuming that you are at risk.

I don’t think the labs can process them quickly enough and for now, we need to ensure unwell people in the community with a high risk of having the virus actually get tested in a timely manner. Even privately, the problem is processing, so paying isn’t going to help. This may change, of course, but seems unfair on those who cannot pay and may be at high risk and left in limbo.

Ah ok, that makes sense. Thank you. I am worried over the lack of widespread testing and I can see the advantage as time goes on, in knowing if you have been exposed or not. For children too, as then I might not worry so much about them being in school, or visiting elderly relatives.

My Dh works in a voluntary emergency service, so I was thinking about that too.

I fully appreciate where you’re coming from. It is very worrying and I don’t feel the government’s response has been at all reassuring.

No, it hasn’t reassured me ! I don’t really buy the herd immunity thing, We need a workable vaccine to achieve that worldwide, as with smallpox. I would far rather that we were taking stricter distancing measures, and testing extensively.

I believe the current test isn't an antibody test - it tests for the live virus (or a bit of it). But I think they are working on an antibody test...so maybe at some point. Agree it would be very useful but also they are not certain you can't catch it twice yet.

I also have a very anxious 12 year old, who is getting into a complete panic about this, and now has bright red sandpaper hands from washing, plus another anxious child doing GCSEs.
Am trying to focus on how to help the many older people in my village who live alone, when this takes off - I live in a rural area with pitiful healthcare (Wales, hardly any beds, hospital an hour away), and lots of people over 70.
Street next to mine has no-one under 50, and only one resident under 70. Big worry .

Oh no antibody test yet ? I wonder how long you show live virus for ? Friend thinks they may have had CV three weeks ago.

Not sure how long you show virus for. Agree it's a real worry. Your poor children. Can you reassure them that children seem to be very much unaffected? Or are they worried about you or older relatives? (Chance would be a fine thing in this house!)

They are worried about me as I am in my fifties and have an auto immune condition. Am otherwise healthy though, and it is a very common condition. They are also worrying about their Grandmother —-she is their only remaining Grandparent-, and other family . Plus we have quite a few lovely friends who are in their seventies and eighties, as we live in an area with many older people.
My poor little daughter is very anxious indeed. Older one worried about her exams as well as the direct effects of the illness.
I think children will never forget the stress of this. I remember watching a documentary about Spanish flu, a very old man crying about his mother’s death when he was a little boy. He said “The light went out of my life” .
It feels as though the government are not doing enough to stop deaths now.

I think they are not sure if people do develop antibodies. The assumptions for some reason is it’s like HFM which you can get lots of time but I’m not well informed on this.