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Original poster

AIBU to think home testing for COVID-19 is crazy?

39 replies

PulcinoPio · 28/07/2020 19:37

I keep reading threads and news articles comparing covid stats for the UK with other countries (usually France and Spain at the moment). The UK case numbers look good compared to these countries, but do people realise that it's only in the UK that tests are sent out in the post for people to do at home?

France is only just now in the process of authorising professionals with training, such as pharmacists and paramedics to take covid samples.

Surely home testing massively increases the chances of a false negative? Perhaps this explains why, although UK case numbers are looking much better, the death rate is still stubbornly high.

OP posts:
Kelcat9494 · 28/07/2020 19:39

All you do is rub a swap at the back of your month and the same swap in your nose and put into a liquid container, I'm not sure how you can mess that up really

Kelcat9494 · 28/07/2020 19:39

@Kelcat9494

All you do is rub a swap at the back of your month and the same swap in your nose and put into a liquid container, I'm not sure how you can mess that up really
Swab**
mosscarpet · 28/07/2020 19:50

you do your own swabs at most drive through testing centres too.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 28/07/2020 19:52

@Kelcat9494

All you do is rub a swap at the back of your month and the same swap in your nose and put into a liquid container, I'm not sure how you can mess that up really
Because you have to swab right to the back of your nose. It's quite unpleasant and I doubt most people will inflict it on themselves, or their children
GoldenOmber · 28/07/2020 19:52

How does testing usually work in France? Do doctors do it?

FrustratedMess · 28/07/2020 19:52

I believe you have to stick the swap a long way up the nose.

That would hurt if a nurse did it.

Your not going to hurt yourself are you, So maybe that's why its a false negative

Iv just ordered a home kit.
Feverish and sore throat today :(

Kelcat9494 · 28/07/2020 19:54

On the instructions it says to put it into your nose until you feel pressure, it was uncomfortable when I did it myself but it was more uncomfortable when the nurse did it. I felt pressure both times and they both came back as negative so I don't know. I was just saying

Dontcarewhatmyusernameis · 28/07/2020 19:56

Yes I’ve heard it’s difficult to do it properly because you have to stick it in much further back than feels natural!
So id agree a false negative could happen as a result.

Spied · 28/07/2020 19:58

My 10yo DS became very uncooperative when I tried to carry out his test.
It was basically impossible.
We weren't suprised it came back negative.
I think there will be many families like ours.

Original poster
PulcinoPio · 28/07/2020 20:00

Doctors and nurses, I believe.

OP posts:
Parkandride · 28/07/2020 20:00

I've had 2 by nurses and they were horrid, eyes watering and gagging. If that's how they're meant to be done I doubt many people do that to themselves

Mangofandangoo · 28/07/2020 20:01

A friend of mine was tested yesterday, he drove up, the nurse posted the test through the crack in the window and he did it all himself

GoldenOmber · 28/07/2020 20:02

I suppose the advantage of home testing is that it’s easier to get more people tested. Harder to do that if you’re relying on people travelling to testing sites. But if there’s a high risk of false negatives then that wouldn’t be much use.

LemonTT · 28/07/2020 20:09

PHE ran controlled tests to establish if there was any loss of reliability in home testing. There wasn’t.

Pleasebuy · 28/07/2020 20:12

Funny you say this. We all got tested at a drive thru testing centre - the ones where you are given the swabs to do yourself in the car without supervision. 4 of us went and my son was being so stubborn at the time and wouldn’t do a swab at all, issue was we were so stressed by the situation as they were crying and we were in the car that we didn’t label it so couldn’t work out which one had no data so just put all 4 through. All 4 came back negative.

I was surprised that the one that hadn’t been swabbed didn’t come back as inconclusive or void.

princesshollysmagicalwand · 28/07/2020 20:12

We took DD to a testing site a couple of weeks back. She's 4, and was strapped in her car seat and DH had to do it. He did his best but he did say he wasn't sure he'd got it as far in as he was supposed to because she was going absolutely bananas (she has ASD and sensory issues so really not fun!).

Got a negative result. And to be fair we are all fine a few weeks on so suspect that it was negative.

I really hope they figure out a different way of testing for children because the current way just isn't going to work for lots of them.

GoldenOmber · 28/07/2020 20:13

@LemonTT

PHE ran controlled tests to establish if there was any loss of reliability in home testing. There wasn’t.
Ah ok, that’s reassuring.
Original poster
PulcinoPio · 28/07/2020 20:43

@LemonTT

PHE ran controlled tests to establish if there was any loss of reliability in home testing. There wasn’t.
That's interesting - presumably they got people to do a home test, then got a medical professional to take a second sample and compared the results?

Another thing I read about France is that they test all contacts of confirmed cases and not just if they develop symptoms. So is their testing better targeted?

@FrustratedMess, I hope you feel better soon!

OP posts:
Redolent · 28/07/2020 21:00

It’s not straightforward to do at all. Sticking it up to your nose until there’s pressure, twisting multiple times...I can’t see many people doing the minimum so as to not cause discomfort. Ive also wondered whether the UK’s emphasis on self-testing (through both drive in centres and home kits) is giving a false picture.

Redolent · 28/07/2020 21:00

CAN see**

Frozenfrogs86 · 28/07/2020 21:06

I’ve done one. It’s definitely unpleasant but with a mirror I think it’s easier to do to yourself than have someone do to you. I followed all the instructions. I did gag but it wasn’t scary as I could see what was going on. It’s a bit like putting contact lenses in. Have you ever had someone else brush your teeth? (I let my 6yr old sometimes as an incentive to brush his Grin ) It’s much worse than doing it yourself.

ChavvySexPond · 28/07/2020 21:09

And there's about a 30% rate of false negatives even before you get into the realm of user error in administering the test.

I mentally add 30% to any "positive test result" number they put out. I probably should add more.

Humphriescushion · 28/07/2020 21:11

Oh I thought they had scrapped this plan. Will have a google.

Snog · 28/07/2020 21:27

V hard to do properly on yourself due to gagging and pain.

Hippywannabe · 28/07/2020 22:17

We did it today. I gagged when I did my throat but am not convinced I got the nostril one right.
I think it is ridiculous that you have to do it yourself for such a serious illness. There were about 20 at least young people working at the centre today, just me and DH there during the 20 mins or so that it took but nobody available to do an assisted test.