Too many people getting tested who aren't eligible

[JorisBonson]

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-health-secretary-blames-people-with-no-symptoms-getting-tests-on-system-strain-12067065

There's a lot of theads on here where people are getting tested with just cold symptoms. Wonder if this is a trend nationally?

What a shambles. There is nothing to stop anyone booking a test because they've removed it from the NHS. You should have to see a doctor before getting a test surely? I know a few thickos who are booking tests "to see if they're had it" because they don't understand the difference between the covid test and an antibody test.

It's hard though, isn't it? I have what I know is a cold and at the moment no cough or temperature, so I haven't had a test - but it'll probably turn into a cough in a day or two (because that's what happens with colds) so I think I should get one then, wasteful as it seems. And then DH (teacher) will have to be off work until we get the results. If DS catches it he'll have to have a test as nursery won't have him until he's had one. I suspect we'll end up with three unnecessary tests for my cold, but I also know that there will be people on MN furious and incredulous that I didn't already have a test at the first sniffle.

Weve had a test this week for a none symptomatic person. Because, for the life of us, we couldn't figure out how to get a test for a child without the adult entering the details also being put into the system. Sort it out so the person ordering the test can opt out, and a drop would be seen in tests requested.

You should have to see a doctor before getting a test surely?

Good luck with that idea !

My son has a snotty nose and a cough, school are insisting on a negative test before he can return to school. So of course I’ve booked one for what probably is a just a cold - but might not be....

Since a portion of cases as asymptotic surely you want to test as many people as possible with it without symptoms.

I’m in NSW, AUS and were advised by our GP to go get our DD tested who just had symptoms of conjunctivitis. (Phone appointment with GP)

We are also advised to get tested for any if the below symptoms as well as oncemore list:
fatigue
runny nose
muscle pain
joint pain
headache
diarrhoea
nausea/vomiting
loss of appetite

Yeah, I don’t think making Doctors the gate keepers of tests is a workable idea tbh.

I’m with PP, this was an inevitable outcome of kids going back to school and the requirements that go with that. They should have planned for the numbers (which should have been fairly easy to predict).

More testing is always a good thing and it’s better for people to test than not even if they’re not really eligible and it will always result it weeding out a few new positive cases and being able to isolate them breaking another chain.

The country should be able to cope with this.

@Nestme

What a shambles. There is nothing to stop anyone booking a test because they've removed it from the NHS. You should have to see a doctor before getting a test surely? I know a few thickos who are booking tests "to see if they're had it" because they don't understand the difference between the covid test and an antibody test.

Can you not see any obvious problems with this idea?

Like.

Capacity and ability to get appointments with doctors.
More doctors getting ill.
More patients with covid, in enclosed waiting rooms with patients who don't have covid / or might have particular health vulnerabilities.
Increased risk of cross infection and containment.
Taking doctors away from other duties needlessly.
Sheer expense.

I suppose you put these doctors in centralised points in a different area from the GP to protect other vulnerable patients... you could even have a drive in clinics and an online booking system to book an appointment to book a test... But I'm kind of failing to see the point in doing this and how it helps when you need the speediest diagnosis possible to best limit infection... I mean you COULD have a pointless extra level of beaucracy or you could just have a competence government which was capable of y'know 'thinking' or 'doing its job properly'.

Planning for increased capacity and having enough slack in the system to accomodate the predictable and obvious rise in demand for tests in September is much more cost effective, safe to run and potentially reveals a truer extent of infection rates anyway.

It also isn't particularly difficult. Well, if you are competent.

@JorisBonson

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-health-secretary-blames-people-with-no-symptoms-getting-tests-on-system-strain-12067065

There's a lot of theads on here where people are getting tested with just cold symptoms. Wonder if this is a trend nationally?

I was tested with cold symptoms cos the Zoe app asked me too.

@Whydididothatfuckingthing

My son has a snotty nose and a cough, school are insisting on a negative test before he can return to school. So of course I’ve booked one for what probably is a just a cold - but might not be....

And this is it. Parents are caught between a rock and a hard place, especially when those parents need to go to work.

What are we expected to do?

If they don't want asymptomatic people to access tests, then they can solve thus ny removing the 'other' option from the menu of reasons to order a test.

They could add instead 'requested by Zoe' if there is capacity to support the surveillance from that app. But exclude travellers (who could turn to suppliers of private tests)

I cannot book a test anywhere in the uk for a drive through test online or via the phone system, it's saying that there are no tests available and there are no tests available for home testing. My DC has 2 of the 3 symptoms, so we are all stuck self isolating. I'm really cross that the government gives out rules and then doesn't actually give people a way to follow the rules 😠

What are the schools supposed to do either?

They have a duty of care to other children and their parents.

My sons school are being pretty relaxed about colds, and are taking the attitude that they have to get through a couple of weeks of it as its normal for September and if they dont then the problem isnt going to go away and the kids will just miss weeks of school.

Other nearby schools are taking a much more zero tolerance line.

Its a complete mess. It just is cresting even more inequality.

Redtooth

I can see lots of problems with it, obviously, but it can't be worse than the current shambles of a system.

My son, who has a cold,, also needs a negative test to go back to school. I have been trying to book one for almost 48 hours now, including waking up at 4am to try then. been trying hourly for 24 hours. There are no tests currently available, according to the GOV website. Our GP is doing telephone consultation only and won't see anyone with CV symptoms. Yet when I went there to pick up a prescription it was full of older people coughing and spluttering, most without masks. There should be PPE access to trained medical professionals, somewhere, maybe at a drive through centre where you can just queue up, to say whether we need to persist in getting a test. He is virtually better already, yet we still need to get a non existent test. Its the arrogance and ego that I find disgusting, a functional testing and tracing system was all that was needed, but out government had to go for "world beating" - and now it's an international embarassment.

@SexTrainGlue

If they don't want asymptomatic people to access tests, then they can solve thus ny removing the 'other' option from the menu of reasons to order a test.

They could add instead 'requested by Zoe' if there is capacity to support the surveillance from that app. But exclude travellers (who could turn to suppliers of private tests)

You should give free, equal and easy access to tests all people with symptoms.

Travellers who cant do this for whatever reason are more likely to pass on to non-travellers if they dont know they dont have covid. You want to identify ALL cases in Britain and NI, not just ones for British and NI citizens.

Covid doesn't check your passport to see what your insurance and nationality coverage is before infecting people.

Lack of health coverage has fuelled the spread of the virus in other parts of the world.

Increasing capacity is the only effective solution.

We are all constantly reminded how we are likely to be asymptomatic and could kill granny without any symptoms ourselves, so its hardly shocking that people want testing.
We need to have more testing. Surely this would be easier and cheaper than another fuckingockdown

Some schools saying that children with sore throats or mild temp rises should be tested or stay at home for 14 days is not helping. My nephew got sent home for testing yesterday for coughing a few times in the morning. He hadn't been coughing before that. Fair enough being sent home and told to observe symptoms and if it persists get tested but ridiculous to say test or 14 days for a few coughs and no other symptoms with the current shortage in testing.

Just blame shifting from an incompetent and shameless government.

Our school has requested that children get tested if they have 1 or more of the main symptoms....fine that is gov/nhs guidance, and also they must be tested if they have 2 or more of the following (not alongside a main symptom): running nose/congestion, sore throat, sickness/diarrhoea, fatigue, loss of appetite, not feeling themselves, headache......none of which are classed as a main symptom at present, and are pretty much every illness a child will come down with over the course of a year.....I mean not feeling themselves, that could be down to a late night, worry, being in a mood amongst physical reasons.
We then have the gov saying only test if you have a main symptom, I know for a fact my work aren't going to entertain me being off until I get a test/results for a child who doesn't feel themself that day! It just isn't workable, schools need to be consistent in testing requirements and the gov need send a very clear message on when we test.

People definitely are getting tested that don't need it. People who have come into contact with a positive case and isolating are getting tested when they have no symptoms. Its coming back negative but that doesn't mean they won't develop it in another 5 days.

Very angry that the blame for the governments incompetence is being placed with the individual - be it young people or people with a cough requesting a test.

The lack of a decent test and trace system could itself be the cause of the rise in cases.

Delays in testing, leads to a delay in positive cases being identified, which leads to more cases. Not rocket science is it?

Person 1. Child develops symptoms on Thursday evening. Been at school all day, then went for a pizza with another family.

Test ordered. But doesn't arrive until after last return post on Sat. Can't test until Monday. Results expected within 4 days... so positive case confirmed over a week after initial infection. Then trace kicks in. Far too late.

In the meantime, other children from the same class and the other family have been infected and are contagious before they develop symptoms - unwittingly passing the virus on.

Rinse and repeat.

The R rate rises and this is how exponential growth occurs.

The only effective way to contain the virus and stop spread is if the test and trace system is robust and very efficient. Individuals are not to blame for the spread - its the inefficient unfit for purpose system. But poetically easier to blame everyone else.

I feel really sorry for our government. They are clearly first-rate minds, hampered by a useless population.

It's funny how not one single thing, all the way through, has been a poor government decision, everything is our fault.

Travellers who cant do this for whatever reason are more likely to pass on to non-travellers if they dont know they dont have covid. You want to identify ALL cases in Britain and NI, not just ones for British and NI citizens.

Should have been clearer - I meant travellers in the sense of people currently in UK who are asymptomatic but who need to test as part of entry clearance to their destination abroad. I think they should be sourcing those privately.

They wouldn't be putting ROW at risk, because they wouldn't be able to travel without sourcing a test from somewhere

*The lack of a decent test and trace system could itself be the cause of the rise in cases.

Delays in testing, leads to a delay in positive cases being identified, which leads to more cases. Not rocket science is it?*

Exactly this

I've finally been able to book a test, new slots became available in my area just after 10am for later today, it's been incredibly stressful, but hopefully we'll have a negative result soon and we can get back to school/work.