Can I use this test?

[Sharkhoover]

I’ve come down with a horrible sore throat. I’m a TA working with vulnerable children so stayed off work yesterday to be on the safe side.
Not eligible for a test as don’t have the key symptoms plus can’t get one even if I did.
But yesterday got a letter to say that dd has been chosen to do a random Covid test and we can order a postal one.
Should I take it instead to get some reassurance for work?
The teacher I work with messaged me last night to say she’s come down with the sore throat too. Nightmare!

No, it’s probably for a study or something. Why do you need a covid test if you don’t have symptoms?

I hope you feel better soon. the bugs that go around at the start of term are miserable.

don't use the test that is intended for your daughter. that random selection is part of a serious study to find out how prevalent asymptomatic covid is among young people and hijacking the tests will actively hinder scientists from learning what they need to about the virus. that would be a low move.

the overwhelming likelihood is that you just have a normal cold virus. lots of people do. testing capacity is sufficient to test everyone who develops the main covid symptoms. it is not sufficient to provide reassurance to those who don't have such symptoms. if you really want peace of mind then pay for a private test - they cost about £150 each - rather than making the nhs pay for one that you aren't entitled to.

You shouldn't really.

Our testing is a mess, it simply isn't coping with schools.

if you really want peace of mind then pay for a private test - they cost about £150 each

Awful to think the government testing is failing so badly people would ever have to resort to paying £150 for a private test.

Teachers and school staff should be eligible for tests more readily due to the importance of keeping the virus out of schools.

The whole thing is failing.

Fair enough. I know it’s not the right thing to do really-just in my sleep deprived brain it came to me as an idea.

The trouble is I know sore throat isn’t a key symptom but have read enough to know that plenty of people have a sore throat with Covid and the kids I work with would be high risk if they got it.

I looked at the private tests and couldn’t find one for under £250.

Oh just found one for £120 but I still can’t afford that really. What a mess

@Sharkhoover and you are correct about symptoms/sore throat. This is why there should be testing avaible for school staff (and hospital, care home, prison, police) on a lower threshold.

If you feel very concerned, speak to your GP. They may be happy to refer you for a test.

I wouldn't test for a sore throat personally as it isn't on the list of symptoms.

I mean it COULD be coronavirus but it’s most likely to just be the seasonal bugs you get anyway. Hopefully by Monday you feel better anyway x

because a sore throat isn't in a main symptom of Covid19 but is a frequent symptom of normal seasonal bugs, from a statistical point of view one of these 4 things will be the case if you do a test:

A) most likely to happen, well over 90% - you do not have Covid19 and your test is negative. you are reassured but someone else who does have symptoms can't get hold of a test because you used it.
B) second most likely to happen, possibly somewhere around 2%. you actually don't have Covid19 but you get a false positive on the test because the test specificity isn't perfect. you end up self-isolating unnecessarily, adding to the disruption everyone is dealing with.
C) much less than 1% - you do have Covid19 with atypical symptoms and get a positive test. yes so in this unlikely scenario you are glad you did the test
D) even less than 1% - you do have Covid19 with atypical symptoms but get a false negative from the test - in which case the scenario is worse than if you hadn't tested as your false sense of reassurance means you aren't as careful about not spreading your germs about.

so given that 3 out of the 4 possible outcomes are worse than not testing, and the one that is better is only very very unlikely, I would think it is best not to test but to be as careful as you can be not to spread your germs around using normal hygiene precautions as well as you can.

LIkely you would give it to your DD so she is your sentinel, anyway.
However, I don't think her result would come back quickly, would it? Even if she tested today she might wait a week to get a result, so that doesn't give you certainty soon enough.

Good idea to test dd assuming we’ve shared germs.
I’m feeling better this morning (always worse at night isn’t it) so hopefully will be ok to be back at work on Monday and will take even more care than usual

Hello
I'm a TA in specialist education also.
We are in wales and have weekly testing in world. If it makes you feel more reassured I have got a terrible sore throat and cold after the first week of being back after the holidays and my test this week was negative. Think it's just usual back to school germs 🦠

That is reassuring thank you Dixie-I’m sure it’s just the usual as well-I’ve been pretty sanguine about the whole thing since March but now being back to close contact with the kids I’m so worried about passing something onto them