Testing for essential workers from tomorrow

[gingajewel]

I missed the press conference just but have just read that an essential worker can get a test for Covid from tomorrow.
I’m not a essential worker but theoretically does this mean that if it came back that I had already had it could I go back to work as normal or is this not how it works? Just curious!

Isn't it the do you have it test not the you have had it test

Sorry another question, does this mean that work from home if you can still stands or if you test you have had it would this mean that you should go to your place of work? Like I said I’m not an essential worker just wondering how this changes things?

It's not antibody testing (to look for if you've had it) it's testing for if symptoms are covid as they are doing with nhs workers. If you are negative and feel up to work (as an essential worker) you can return. It's not for general public otherwise yet.

It's just getting essential workers' back to work - that's all.

As time goes on, it will be expanded post lockdown to ensure sick people are not in work I would assume.

It’s just a test to see if you have it now, not if you have already had it.

Did they say you could take it from home? Sorry I missed this bit.

Ah ok thankyou! I thought it was to check if you had already had it not if you had it now! So you should only have the test if your an essential worker and think you may have it now/are socially isolated! I literally just caught the headline in sky news!

Yes essential workers and their households can now get tested if they show symptoms.

I've had an email from the supermarket I work at, saying if we have symptoms we can get a home test sent to us. We have to inform our manager and head office etc sorts it out.

I do worry every day I go to work about catching this but I'm also the kind of person that would be asymptomatic too

But what is the point if immunity isn’t assured ? It’s like testing for a cold surely you may have had one but doesn’t mean you won’t have another

And aren't the tests only 70% accurate anyway?

So the government guidance still stands at stay at home to work if you can? For instance my cousin is key worker but is wfh at the moment, she wouldn’t be expected to go in and then if she felt she had symptoms go home and test? For the next two weeks until the next government guidance is re assessed she should stay at home?
I also have read that the tests are only 70% accuarate!

We've been testing health and care workers since mid March. Good to see others catching up.

@gingajewel yes, nothing has changed about the advice. WFH where ever you can, key worker or not. Stay at home wherever possible.

This is to ensure people who are out in circulation as key workers are quickly identified as covid so they can self isolate and also to ensure those key workers who could come out of self isolation if test negative and return to key worker roles if can't wfh.

Its just a test that says that today you do not have symptoms.
Bit like an sti testing kit; if you come in to contact with the infection after you've been tested, you can scrap the results of the test.

@sickofPPEtalk thanks very much, I am trying to stay away from media about all of this but normally watch the press conference for the facts and missed today’s! Things move so fast I just wanted to make sure I understood correctly as part of my job role people come to me for advice about all things employment and Covid! Thanks again