People are just going to not bother getting tested

[MNnicknameforCVthreads]

If they can’t get a test, surely people will think sod it and not bother.

I’m so angry with the government for not sorting their act out. It’s about time they were held accountable. In any other profession they’d have been sacked a long time ago for utter incompetence.

This is before you take into account all the people who can’t afford to self isolate.

If government want people to do this they need to pay them full pay.

AIBU?

@ifonly4

Shamrocksunshine I can't believe you'd be that irresponsible and return to work today. If you do have Covid, you risk passing it onto at least one year bubble of pupils and staff. You'll get full pay for another couple of days. Our school would turn you away, so hopefully you won't get through the door.

Shamrock does not work in a school. I can only imagine the reason they wrote (education) in their post was to create some froth.

@Testingisajoke

Selfish behaviour like this will result in blood on your hands.... Except of course it won't be your loved one....

People making comments like this will have blood on their hands... Except it won't of course be your loved ones who are evidently privileged enough to afford 14 days off EVERY time a member of the household gets a cold. Unemployment leads to worse life outcomes, increase in health issues including mental, not having a home impacts on children's education. That's not to mention the impact it has on buisness. If I could run my buisness without staff for an unending amount of 14 days do you think that maybe I'd pay myself their wages?
The fault lies with the government, a ferret could have predicted that the need for tests would increase when children returned to school for the autumn term.

One hundred fucking percent.

I agree people just won’t bother.

My DS has a temp on Monday so me and his younger brother were all at home. Eventually managed to get a home test by Thursday, got the results Sunday.

In the meantime his younger brother became unwell and then today I am. Luckily neither of us had a temp or cough as otherwise we’d had all had to go back into self isolation and begin again. I’m a single parent - it’s both a logistical and a financial nightmare. If the tests accessible quickly it would be just about doable but atm it isn’t.

Also it means for schools it is going to be increasingly difficult to teach - as you will have children off for up to a week in and out like yo-yos all term. Let alone the issues with staffing as teachers have to isolate and wait.

There are a few attitudes on here that arent helpful.

Yes there will be people walking around who have coughs who haven't been tested and arent isolating.

Then there will be people with colds who have coughs who have got tested and are negative and therefore technically able to stop isolation.

If they do return to work / school etc then they can give the cough to someone else, who then gets into the whole mess of not being able to get a test either.

Or they have a chronic condition which includes a cough.

They then face getting abuse or socially shunned merely for the cough because people assume they are being 'selfish and have blood on their hands).

Which isnt really very helpful tbh. It only adds to tensions and problems we have.

The issue is that the system isnt fit for purpose and if you could get a test easily and get it turned around quickly there would be a lot more people willing to take and less need to break the isolation rules which would lead to more public confidence in the whole damn situation.

Anger should be directed in the right direction which helps to solve this issue rather than rather pointlessly throwing mud at people and accusing them of murder. Afterall that doesn't really help the frontline of the NHS either does it?

The government need to do MORE testing not less. I can't believe they are actually encouraging people not to get tested?! Most people do not actually want to do it, it's horrible, it's not some fun day out. But it's a social responsibility if you have symptoms.

We need to stop blaming each other and look towards the government for failing to be prepared - AGAIN!! It's a shambles.

I've been trying since Saturday, it keeps saying there's no tests available. I've now got 4 DCs off school because they can't go back unless my 2 DCs have it done and get a negative. Anyone know where I can get private tests from please?

@icecreamconie

I apologise for writing education. It was a mistake, and obviously people were going to assume I worked directly in a school. I do not work in a school.

Anyhow, I did manage to get a test yesterday, I didn’t have anything booked and I was told on the phone not to turn up at my local testing centre. I turned up anyway, and they tested me. I have not gone to work and I am awaiting the results. That’s all I ever wanted tbh, a test!!

I have been trying to get a test since Friday I have till 3pm today to get a home test if not I have to isolate for the remaining time. It's shit and so annoying. I have a cough, high temp and had some diarrhea on Friday. I feel like rubbish but before Covid I would have been back in work today but because of this I know it would be irresponsible of me to have gone to work (public facing retail worker)

Yes but the government told everybody to get a test if even just one symptom presented. This was not that long ago.

Sorry that was supposed to be in response to the following quote from a PP

Part of the problem (IMHO grin) is that people are enjoying the drama of going for a test and waiting on results, which means that people with cold symptoms are clogging up the system. That, plus schools and workplaces asking people to take unecessary tests and for some, getting a few days off work while they wait for results. There's a lot of unnecessary testing being done.

I was meant to start back at one of my Zero Hour Contract jobs on Friday last week. My manager there spent time writing and submitting a business case so I could return. Both my DSs started coughing on Thursday.

I kept them off school and did manage to get a test for them on Friday afternoon. Negative. So they are back at school today.

But I lost 6 hours of work. There are other people available to cover my shifts. They don't have children, so are a safer bet for my employers, as they probably won't have to isolate/test as often.

Luckily I have permanent hours at another job, plus another zero hour contract which hasn't been affected (so far). It's stressful though!

Blame the system NOT the individuals

Well, my DD has been sent home from work because she coughed once. She has probably picked up my slight cough - I tested negative for Covid on Friday. She can't go back to work until she has a negative test, or completes 2 weeks isolation. Cannot get a test of course, although will keep trying. She is doing an occasional single cough and does not have a raised temperature or any other symptoms. She clearly does not meet the criteria on the .gov website for a test, but has to get one anyway because her employers tell her to. It's barking.

^I’ve been ill for days with all the symptoms. I’ve tried for three days straight to get a test, I’ve given up now. I’m feeling brighter today so I’ll be back at work (education) tomorrow.

I’m not self isolating when I have no idea if I have it or not.^

Wow Shamrock, that is about as irresponsible & selfish as it gets, nasty, nasty, nasty inconsiderate behaviour & you a teacher, how can you be responsible for a class of DCs when you can't even take responsibility for yourself. You shouldn't be in teaching with such an awful, I'm alright jack, feck everyone else attitude 😏

Wow Shamrock, that is about as irresponsible & selfish as it gets, nasty, nasty, nasty inconsiderate behaviour & you a teacher, how can you be responsible for a class of DCs when you can't even take responsibility for yourself. You shouldn't be in teaching with such an awful, I'm alright jack, feck everyone else attitude

I'm hoping this is a crap attempt at humor.

If not maybe learn to read and whilst you're at it maybe develop some humility and empathy. If neither of those options suit you I'm sure people like Shamrock would welcome you paying their bills to keep a roof over their heads and providing food so they dont go hungry...

We need to stop blaming each other and look towards the government for failing to be prepared - AGAIN!! It's a shambles.

We do. But looking through some of the comments here, it's clear we are never going to do that.

I get it. It's easier to have a rude dig at a previous poster for struggling to get a test, than face into the massive challenge of a government that has not only failed to be good enough, but never wanted to be good enough. Just wanted to be self-serving and enrich themselves.

That's too big, so it's easier to serve a cheap insult to anonomous poster and feel smug about it.

No Tiny, & tough shit if my delivery isn't good enough for you. I'm disabled & considering what I'm dealing with right now, I did just fine with that post. I'm not performing for your benefit 🙄

& I stand by my post. It is inconsiderate & extremely selfish to put a whole school at risk if you've been told to quarantine. Yes I get bills are to be paid etc, but we are in the middle of a pandemic & no doubt people who will be infected by her selfishness have bills to pay too & god forbid lives to live & not wanting to risk disability caused by long Covid

@SingingInTheShithouse

No Tiny, & tough shit if my delivery isn't good enough for you. I'm disabled & considering what I'm dealing with right now, I did just fine with that post. I'm not performing for your benefit 🙄

& I stand by my post. It is inconsiderate & extremely selfish to put a whole school at risk if you've been told to quarantine. Yes I get bills are to be paid etc, but we are in the middle of a pandemic & no doubt people who will be infected by her selfishness have bills to pay too & god forbid lives to live & not wanting to risk disability caused by long Covid

She doesn't work in a school, hence saying try reading the whole thread. Direct your anger and resentment at the people responsible for this ahit show not the ones trying desperately to follow the rules continue to earn enough to ensure they dont spiral into poverty.

What do you suggest people do if they lose their jobs because they cant get a test? I can fucking garuntee the Government isn't going to step in and help but then I suppose it won't matter to those enjoying playing the blame game as by the time they are homeless or hungry they will be out of sight and out of mind...

@SingingInTheShithouse

I do not work in a school.
Apologies for making that unclear. I tried repeatedly to get a test for three days straight online. I rang up to be told not to attend a testing centre. I am on a temporary (unstable contract) whereby if I take time off for every “unproved” case of covid I most certainly will be sacked.
My husband has been made redundant.

I am sorry you are vulnerable to Covid but feeding your own children comes first. That’s not selfish, that’s survival.

Anyhow, I turned up at a testing centre yesterday with no appointment and thankfully I got a test. I am now at home awaiting results.

You need to redirect your anger at the government not people who have tried their hardest to do the right thing.

Shamrock

Apologies, I did misunderstand that you were working in a school teaching, in which case going to work with suspected Covid would have been an incredibly selfish thing to do. Without knowing how many people you would be risking passing in an infection to, I can't say if you are now being selfish or not.

I totally get that the testing system is a shambles & I do understand how hard it is when you have kids to feed & bills to pay, DHs work has been hit too & he's self employed so we feel it financially too & I've also not been tested & we've had to quarantine on GPS say so regardless of getting that test or not.

I'm not saying there's an easy answer, there isn't, the whole thing is a shambles & that lays firmly at the feet of the muppets in power. The only way we will get through this though is everyone takes responsibility for themselves infecting others & without that test it's impossible to know whether anyone has it this time or not as the symptoms & how badly affected you are seems to vary massively. I know 2 who tested positive via track & trace & they had no symptoms at all. I also know 3 who have died & 1 wasn't in a vulnerable group at all. Long Covid & the Kawasaki like after affects some kids are getting is tge bigger concern numbers wise though.

I'm glad you managed to get a test. 🤞 you're right & it's clear

There's one extremely easy answer to the question of what people who can't do without the money they earn are going to do if testing and isolation might prevent them from working. It's just unpalatable.

And that's the infuriating bit. THERE IS AN EASY ANSWER. Have a test and trace system that works. You want people to isolate they should be able to get a test same day near them and results 24 hours later.

That's a large part of it. But we would also need to have some mechanism for paying wages to people who wouldn't be able to work if they needed to isolate, since obviously there will be some people who can't do without their pay who do actually have covid.

Cough and temperature are pretty common in many winter ailments. A child could have a temperature for 48 hours, feel a bit under the weather, and then be fine. If it takes 3-4 days to get a test, and then another 3 days to get a result, a parent will have to take a week off work (and child have a week off school) before even knowing whether it is/was covid. That's in addition to isolating if it is covid, and if/when there are any year group closures at school.....and that's without the parent being affected by a t and t contact, or workplace outbreak.

I agree:

Various friends with kids reporting suspicious symptoms but can't get tests to prove anything positive or negative. It could well be a cold, so why isolate for 14 days, have kids out of education, a parent out of work, if it can't be proved. It's ludicrous and highly unlikely people will ah e the patience for this multiple times over the coming weeks and months.