No tests available

[theskyispurple]

Sigh sigh sigh

Been invited via Zoe app to have a test as I reported a 'certain set of symptoms'... not the ones given that you need to isolate for.
Go online last night - no home test kits available. Nearest testing centre 140 miles away.
Try again this morning: no home tests kits available, nearest test centre 20 miles away.
Call them : advice to keep trying as they are really busy.

That's it.

What's going on? Are we short on supply? Short of staff? How can this shit show be happening?

Same OP, I reported some symptoms on the Zoe app, not serious enough to self isolate for but was asked to test. The nearest test centre that came up was 90miles away, a journey along a busy motorway...sod that when I'm working today and don't have the time to do a 189mile round trip!

The BBC was reporting some shortages this morning, but it sounded like it was a case of needing to keep up with demand in some particular areas.

It's concerning. They've been handed out like sweeties for a sniffle lately.
When I was ill in April the Zoe app wasn't offering tests, but Ive noticed over the following months that these were dished out liberally.

Great timing as per.

Might explain our low (ish) positive test numbers then.

@thecatsatonthewall

Might explain our low (ish) positive test numbers then.

I think that's true. Just had telephone consultation with my GP - I have sore throat, fatigue, raised temp but not high enough, headache, loss of appetite - so not classic symptoms and could be a million other things but equally it could be Covid.

GPs advice is to see how I go, phone back if it worsens (am immunosuppressed so threshold for concern is lower than normal anyway). I specifically asked if I should isolate anyway and was told no, not yet.

No tests available in my area today either, I've looked.

They won't find cases if they don't look will they? Reminiscent.of back in Feb/March where only patients in hospital were tested.

GP advised to see how you go and don’t isolate?

That’s good then.

This is going to be such fun for schools I don't drive so can't go over 100 miles to get a test for any of us and if there's no home tests available then we will have to isolate for the full time and wait for a test to become available if it does at all.
This is such a shitshow especially when schools have just gone back and demand will increase even more.

I have symptoms and was offered a drive thru test at a centre about two hours drive away which I am not well enough to consider.

I kept getting messages saying no tests available, try again later, Eventually got a home test and sent it back yesterday. I will be surprised if I get the results by Saturday given how busy they appear to be.

The results from my home test last week took 5.5 days to come back.

That's useful Gunpowder I may have to cancel my Click and Collect due Sat morning if I haven't got results by Friday night

Try again at 20.00, loads more get released. However, they were saying on the news just now that it's a computer glitch sending people to the wrong places and that there is plenty of availability.

We had a test on Monday. Me and DH got a negative result at 6 o'clock Tuesday Morning but we didn't get our daughters results. We have rang up and it was escalated but still havent got them. Me and DH ate having to stay in. So frustrating

@EDSGFC A lot of your symptoms are in one of the 6 clusters that have been identified by the Zoe symptom study,

covid.joinzoe.com/post/covid-clusters

Because colds and flu season is back so everyone getting tested over a sniffle.

@yarncakesrncakes

Thats because the schools won't accept children with a cough. Like you say most children just have a cold but what can you do?

[quote Kitcat47]@yarncakesrncakes

Thats because the schools won't accept children with a cough. Like you say most children just have a cold but what can you do?[/quote]
I know. It is going to be a nightmare and I will be off work more than I am in. I have already forewarned my manager in case she wants to hire someone else

Its because people who don't need testing no symptoms whatsoever keep getting tested. I know a fair few people who have been tested just because they can so annoying

@Sweettea1 I'm sure that is contributing but that isn't the reason. They blame capacity but there is plenty of capacity. They need to provide more tests. I got invited again today by Zoe. I would have had to drive 1-1.5 hours away despite having a centre in my city (which runs through the evening too!)

@yarncakes

Me DH DD had a test Monday as DD wasn't well had a sore throat cough. Me and DD got our results 6 oclock next morning.DD hasn't had hers. We have phoned 3 times only to be told they can't find it. Now she has to have another. Me and DH have had to be off work. Hers will properly be negative but as she was at drama boot camp last week I thought I better get her tested.

I thought the tracking and testing was world class? I suppose it's one way to keep the number of cases low, but so unfair on people with genuine concerns and those who need reassurance because they may have contact with vulnerable relatives.

FX your results come quickly Jagoda
@ world class

Because colds and flu season is back so everyone getting tested over a sniffle

Its not yet cold and flu season, October maybe.

Not enough test kits in the areas with outbreaks, so test capacity moved around, so much for all this testing capacity Johnson says we have.

I’m not sure there is as much capacity as it looks like on the graph. The grey line includes antibody tests, it’s the middle line that excludes those and the graphs show there aren’t that many antibody tests taking place. I only realised this earlier today when I was confused about capacity.

I felt like I had a viral infection starting (I have a very specific symptom at the start of all of them) so looked for a test for my DS and me. There were some available 3 miles away within 3 hours. I booked one at 4pm yesterday. Really well organised and easy to do. Results have literally come back by text and e-mail (negative for Covid-19) so it was 28 hours from the test to the results. I'd say that was pretty good.

Just checked where I am and there is 25 slots available over the next 5 days. There’s over 100,000 where I live plus the surrounding rural population

I’m in an area of the country where cases are low (but rising) so I’m guessing there is less testing slots here. When I took a test back in June there was 1000+ slots over the next 5 days.