Are they not testing anymore?

[BigGillsBigMac]

I have a cough and the NHS thingy says to just stay home.

Thing is DP had to a funeral in Spain so he is self isolating at a b&b

But now I'm coughing so if I've already got it there no point in him being away?

If I could get tested I'd know whether he could come home?

No they only really test if hospitalised

Nope. My friend is a respiratory nurse, they are only testing if you are in respiratory distress, in hospital.
It's not a great plan.

Only if admitted to hospital or if in a care home or residential home.

We are coming to the end of family self isolation and we don’t know if we’ve had it or not and DH is in the group of people who needs to isolate for months.

Oh man :(

So where are these numbers coming from?

They seem low 1500 infected. If no one is getting tested???

That’s why they’re low, because they’re not testing, seen figures of 70,000 infected mentioned, & 100,000 on tv

I think it right that testing isnteserved for those with respiratory challenges. That includes active 'in treatment' lung cancer patients who are at high risk of difficulties with the virus.

I'd much rather those people were tested and bed spaces were available than people who have a cough/temp and aren't immunocompromised.

Sorry 70,000 & 100,000 infected

1500 are confirmed as having it. Many 1000s are not tested but have it

WHO says more testing should be done to get a better idea of numbers infected

The government said last Thursday night that they would estimated 10,000 people in the U.K. had been infected. They don’t have the capacity to test everyone.

Scientists are working on an instant finger pick test which the government are hoping to give to clinical NHS staff.

I think the issue is that they can't test as many people as they would like to- so they have to prioritise.

Does make the figures a bit misleading possibly though!

At the moment the positive test rate is under 5% As they are testing those most likely to have it the actual rate is going to be lower than that. I don't think there are large numbers of severely affected people not being counted because they aren't being tested, under counting is going to be of those who get off lightly imo.

The vast majority of the tests they've done have been negative

More tearing should be done I agree. However, while UK doesn't have the capacity for testing more people with symptoms, I'd rather those who required hospitalization had access to testing that is available. This is a virus that is so dangerous for people with existing respiratory challenges. It is those people/children that should be tested to action swift treatment.

Were it one of my children or grandchildren (and none have existing respiratory problems) that had a cough against my neughbour who had Lupus and would be quite poorly were she to contract CV, I'd rather her be tested than my lot who can be treated at home as per the guidance.