Any form of test available??

[Jumpqueen]

My little girl was very much poorly last week with every sign of the virus. We called 111 who then put us through to a 111 doctor who ‘diagnosed’ over the phone the CV and we have completed isolated since.

The 111 doctor said there is no available testing only for patients in hospital in a critical situation.
However I keep seeing all over social media can the news people being tested as positive - does anyone know how they are getting tested and if there is anywhere I could get my little one tested??
Obv I hope she really hasn’t had it but would like to know for certain??

Makes me fear these ‘confirmed’ case numbers are absolute rubbish and we are sadly much closer to Italy then the government are letting in :(

Tests are limited by lab capacity, and are strictly rationed (essentially hospital based suspected cases)

Yes, it makes a difference to the headline figures, but the epidemiologists allow for that. The number of known cases is going to be way lower than it actually is. The number of deaths will be right.

It's why we really shouldn't, as lay people, attempt to draw conclusions from the figures or make international comparisons. The testing regimes differ and are a major confounder.

The test is available privately, which is how footballers and the like ascertain if they are infected.

The current test only reveals if you have the virus present at the time of the test.

As the scientist have said several times in press conferences, we have a test which shows if you have had the virus because you are showing immunity, that will,be a real game changer in terms of understanding the extent of spread.