Anyone thinking of going for a test? You should.

[CatherineCawood]

I have the Zoe app and have been faithfully logging any symptoms for weeks and weeks. This week I've had a stuffy nose and a feeling of lots of snot at the back of my throat and a blocked ear on and off.

I told the Zoe app this on Wednesday and they emailed me and said I should get a test. I didn't think that the symptoms were considered covid symptoms, I think its more of a summer cold/hayfever type thing.

I thought as they had told me to go get a test I should, as they are doing research and they need to know if my symptoms were significant or not.

Had my test yesterday at a testing centre (self test done in your car), bloody gob smacked to get a text and email today telling me I am positive for COVID-19 😱

So if you think you might have it go get a test, don't think you are taking one that someone else could have or wasting anyones time. If I hadn't had it I would now be carrying on like normal. When I booked my test there were over 1000 tests avalible at my local centre that day. When I went it was empty in and out in 10 mins.

Where I got it from I have no idea. I've seen 2 people for distanced walks this week, That's it. I dropped into ASDA last Friday but was in there for all of 10 mins, served myself sanitised my hands before and after. I also visited the pharmacy but again was careful with hand washing.

Sent my DH for a test today as he is rather more social than me. He booked a test and had it within an hour.

[Myfriendanxiety]

@lostinagoodbook no I only testing DC. Although maybe I should have done me too, I don’t have any symptoms but guess I could be carrying. If she is positive then we will do the rest of us.

[CatherineCawood]

@Branster

OP IF you actually had it in March and IF the test is a true positive then what you have here are remnants of the virus from March. It is some sort of long shedding process, and you are not infectious anymore and you are not actually infected or ill as such anymore either.
I follow the podcasts from CIDRAP and the chap there explained this very clearly in this week (or last week’s??) episode.
Although this does not apply to you in this case, some people test positive, then negative then positive again which means the negative reading was only negative because the test only detects x number of virus units so the virus is still there but in too low a number for the test to pick it up then it goes up a bit more for some reason.
I wish that a) we had a fast, easy to use at home reliable test and b) we’d know more about how this virus behaves.
There seem to be a lot more information available from other countries. Here I the UK we don’t know anything and nobody is explaining much.

The more I ponder it the more I think this is what has happened. We will see when the rest of my families results come back. If they are neg then I reckon I am still showing from March. I would put money in having had it in March. Should find out between 2pm today and 2pm tomorrow.

[CatherineCawood]

The results are in. I am the only positive person in the house.

[SockYarn]

Very impressed by speed of my result. Tested at 8.45 this morning. Text received at 5.55pm - negative.

Thought it would be, very grateful that they turned it around so quickly.

[Aginplease]

I've just booked a test on the back of this thread, felt freezing cold Wed/Thur, now headache/sore throat/aching/tiredness. Dismissed as hayfever, but DH has convinced me to have a test.

[CatherineCawood]

@SockYarn

Very impressed by speed of my result. Tested at 8.45 this morning. Text received at 5.55pm - negative.

Thought it would be, very grateful that they turned it around so quickly.

Wow that was super Quick I thought 25 hours was good! Glad you are negative.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

That's interesting. I was exactly the same in March. Really ill, horrendous cough, temperature, headache, sore throat, achy, couldn't get up stairs with struggling to breathe. Dr sil was convinced I had it after I coughed repeatedly at her over the phone.

Now have a sore throat, headache, stuffy nose and intermittent ear ache (no sign of infection).

[Techway]

I had the test via reporting on the app. Choice of 3 test centres near me and all very efficient. Result was negative and back in just over 24 hours.

It is difficult to take throat swab due to gagging reflex but nose one is fine. You insert the long cotton bud quite far in until. There are instructions which are clear although it looks a faff as you have to double bag the sample.

I could fault the process and was reassured they have something right finally.

[Myfriendanxiety]

Had DC results through within 36 hours, negative!

Cotton bud in both nostrils, not that far for only a second or more was enough for a sample.

[kimlo]

I've just recived a test after the app ask me to take one, it's being picked up tomorrow so I have to do it at 9.

I was also ill at the begining of march and I have been having these symptoms on and off since then, but it's more likely to be hayfever.

[Elizabeth110100]

For those who are worried about getting an inconclusive result for their young children.... I did my 5 year old's test the other day. I touched her tongue with the swab as I pulled it out and didn't get the full 10 seconds up her nose but managed to get a negative result so you may be surprised.

[TheDrsDocMartens]

Negative doesn’t mean it’s worked though does it. If 30% are false negative and people aren’t doing them properly (I’m pretty sure I didn’t do mine properly) then they’ll show as negative rather than inconclusive.
Is that right?

[Lostinagoodbook]

@TheDrsDocMartens that's an interesting point..... Doesn't bother me this time as I know it's not coronavirus. If my ds was seriously ill I'd be getting medical attention anyway and they could do their own test, (also told it's not by gp and nurse before anyone asks how I know for sure).

Would be interesting to know how many parents are only testing children so they can return to school or nursery rather than because they are actually ill.

I did it on my 11 month old last night and it wasn't too bad if that reassures anyone else(I was worried). Managed 7-8 seconds in each nostril by starting when he was in a deep sleep. Fed him back to sleep afterwards.

[Wunderweb]

I’ve had another test prompt from the Zoe App from a day when I had awful hay fever symptoms. I felt fine next day and today. I’m not seeing point of another test though as previous one was negative and I’m suspicious it’s just about getting test numbers up.

[Aginplease]

Had my results back from Sunday, they are negative. I'm glad I don't have it, but there's definitely something else doing it's rounds, as I feel awful 😭

[yearinyearout]

I had that a few weeks ago, felt like I needed to keep clearing my throat. I wasn't asked to get tested (I'm also using Zoe) is that a new symptom that's been added recently?

[CrowdedHouseinQuarantine]

also have plucked up the courage to have a test, have seen the video