Please stop these numpties having tests with no symptoms!!!!

[chestergirl39]

Tests are in short supply. We need to save them for people who have symptoms and need to know if they have covid or are safe to return to work or school. And also for people who are feeling really poorly. I am so sick of people bragging on Facebook that they have no symptoms but have booked a test because they felt like it or want to protect their family. Reality check, we all want to protect our families. Especially those of us who have been working in hospitals (and those in schools, supermarkets etc), but the tests are in short supply, and are out of date as soon as you’ve had it!

I've had to take DS for a test today. I know full well that he's just got the same cough and cold he gets when school goes back every single year, but school won't allow him to attend without a negative test. Its going to be like this all winter unless there is a huge increase in capacity or schools and employers take risks. The government needs to provide more tests.

I agree the government need to provide more tests. The tests should also be referred by GPs, as happens in other countries, to control demand.

I also think the guidance could be clearer - a snotty cold with occasional cough could be covid, but it's not very likely according to the evidence. Whereas fatigue is a main symptom for adults and children, and we're not testing for that (understandably)!

Perhaps the three main symptoms could be tweaked slightly as below!
Temp
Loss of taste/smell
Continuous Cough (without accompanying running nose/sneezing)

All I know is I have seen about 6 or 7 friends or acquaintances who have said that they’ve had tests with no symptoms to put their mind at rest.

To be honest OP I think it's the company you keep!

I don't know of and haven't heard of anyone I know having a test unless they have one of the three set symptoms, or for other valid reasons such as working in Social Care etc.

Mostly people I know have had horrible viruses with high fevers so of course they should be getting a test even though it's fucking impossible around here

Genuinely I don't think your experience is replicated that widely from the responses on this thread. So that's a relief at least?

Surely all they need to do, if it's that big a problem, is to go down the line pre-test checking. Just take temperature and ask a couple of questions - and you can have a test or not. Job done.

@BlueJava

Surely all they need to do, if it's that big a problem, is to go down the line pre-test checking. Just take temperature and ask a couple of questions - and you can have a test or not. Job done.

How would that work if you are at home, very sick and isolating, with no access to private transport?

I think a lot of people have the home delivery tests, especially if they have the gastro symptoms that often accompany Covid.

I've been admitted 4 times to hospital in the past 7 weeks and on admission to a ward, you are tested - asymptomatic or otherwise. Negative every time. 4 tests completely wasted. I've never had symptoms at all.

My DM has her temp taken every morning on arrival at school where she works (students don't get temp taken).

@Lilybet1980
Er in my city they were employing people to go door to door testing entire households, regardless of any symptoms.
Now just a week later we're being chastised for booking tests, the government is woefully incompetent.

What a load of bollocks. When have they ever said get yourself tested if you have no symptoms?!

Lots of Local authorities asked people to with no symptoms mine did, so stop saying people are talking bollocks with no evidence.

Councils own website

www.rotherham.gov.uk/news/article/155/rotherham-people-urged-to-get-tested-for-covid-19

@HeIenaDove

People being encouraged to get tests now being gaslighted and told they were wrong. Abusive Government

100% this

We are in an abusive relationship with our government. It's all blame and finger pointing.

@bluebeck

All I know is I have seen about 6 or 7 friends or acquaintances who have said that they’ve had tests with no symptoms to put their mind at rest.

To be honest OP I think it's the company you keep!

I don't know of and haven't heard of anyone I know having a test unless they have one of the three set symptoms, or for other valid reasons such as working in Social Care etc.

Mostly people I know have had horrible viruses with high fevers so of course they should be getting a test even though it's fucking impossible around here

Genuinely I don't think your experience is replicated that widely from the responses on this thread. So that's a relief at least?

Yes that is a relief! I would say it’s more acquaintances than friends, fellow school parents, anxious that there has been a positive case at our school, and wanting peace of mind. They have isolated the pupils in close contact, and their children have not needed to isolate, nor have any symptoms. If they were worried their child has been in close contact outside of school they should have isolated them. Instead they chose to test. If they had symptoms I would understand their reasoning.

@OnceUponAThimble

I've been admitted 4 times to hospital in the past 7 weeks and on admission to a ward, you are tested - asymptomatic or otherwise. Negative every time. 4 tests completely wasted. I've never had symptoms at all.

My DM has her temp taken every morning on arrival at school where she works (students don't get temp taken).

Testing every patient on admission isn't a waste at all. It's to keep wards covid free to prevent infection spreading throughout the hospital. Hospitals and care homes must be protected this time.

This is mostly a red herring. There's a shortage of tests.

It's going to be endless I feel, we have a large family and I dread to think how many tests we will go through over this winter.

I absolutely have no issues with getting tested but it's been a nightmare to actually get one booked in.

One son sent home due to a cough, we are all full of a cold anyhow. So managed to eventually get him a test after days of trying but had to make a 4 hour round trip.

Test was negative, all went back to school/work.

ONE DAY LATER older son at a different school gets sent home with a cough and it starts all over again.

We managed to get a test only a 3 hour round trip this time and again was negative.

So back to school again tomorrow until another of our kids gets a cough 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

I can understand the care home, as some staff at our hospital have them weekly to protect the patients. But can’t justify why you’d need it for a fast food place? He could have caught it the day after the test. How would anyone know?

Surely care home staff can catch it too the day after the test and they would not be due to be tested again for another five days?

You've fallen for the lie that the government keeps on spinning - it's somebody else's fault. There will be people who have no symptoms and getting a test but it will be a minority.

Until recently there was allegedly spare testing capacity - it's clearly a bullshit attempt to keep Piers Morgan types off their back.

@blimppy

I don't think the major problem is people without symptoms getting a test because they feel like it. I think there is too much confusion over how to decide between a common cold/cough virus and Coronavirus and too much caution at play in schools and employers. My DD works in childcare. Had a slight occasional cough over the weekend. I'd developed a cough last week which was more significant, had a test which was negative. Pretty confident she has a milder version of mine. Coughed only a few times a day over the weekend. Got to work, coughed once (singular cough of the ahem ahem variety) and was promptly told to go home and not come back until she's tested negative. Madness.

Surely the point is common cold and covid symptoms are far too similar to tell apart without a test?

My DD - snotty, sneezing, no fever, occasional cough - had a test and was positive. If it was negative I'm sure people like you would have thought it was madness to test, but otherwise how would you know?

@HeIenaDove
We are in an abusive relationship with our government. It's all blame and finger pointing.

You aren't wrong it's all gaslighting encourage to go out with the eatout to help out, but now we shouldn't have, it's our fault tests aren't available no it isn't.

People need to wake up rather than blaming each other that's the plan.

OK Dominic. Sure. Its the publics fault. Again.

We received a letter in our town encouraging us to go for regular tests even without symptoms!
And then they wonder why they are in short supply! (I didn’t take them up on it btw)

What on earth are you talking about OP?Who is having tests just because they fancy it?
The people who are having tests are having them because they are ill in some way which might be Covid, and they need to get on with their lives, get back into work or their kids back into school.
I haven't heard of anyone who thinks it might be a bit of a laugh to spend all day on the internet trying to get a test or driving for miles just to be part of something they've seen on the news.
Stop it with your divisive shit. The only people to blame here are the Government who have failed to ensure that sufficient tests were available in what was obviously going to be a very busy time.

Yes let's blame people who don't know whether their cough is COVID. Or let's blame the youth. Anybody except us, the government.

Because why should we be expected to know that sending kids out to mix in school and asking people to go out to restaurants would lead here?? And why should we be expected to prepare for it.

Fuckwits.

@ducklingyellowowl

I agree the government need to provide more tests. The tests should also be referred by GPs, as happens in other countries, to control demand.

I also think the guidance could be clearer - a snotty cold with occasional cough could be covid, but it's not very likely according to the evidence. Whereas fatigue is a main symptom for adults and children, and we're not testing for that (understandably)!

Perhaps the three main symptoms could be tweaked slightly as below!
Temp
Loss of taste/smell
Continuous Cough (without accompanying running nose/sneezing)

Yes this is what I favour. Cough doesn't count if you also have a runny nose. People counter it by saying you could have a cold and covid at the same time and some people test positive with a runny nose (although again could be a cold and asymptomatic covid at the same time). They are going to have to change the criteria in some way though or else the system is going to completely fall apart. Some-one on the radio today said that in winter around 500000 people develop one of those symptoms every day. And that probably doesn't even include the kids with a slight cough due to a cold.

I'm torn, my toddler has a cough (only at night) but no temperature & no coughing during the day. He's also really snotty, but in high spirits.

I'm pretty certain it's a seasonal toddler bug, but feel irresponsible sending him to his childminder. I've tried to book a test, but no joy.

The thought of having him home in our gardenless flat for days, and taking time off work (I'm freelance) fills me with dread & I can barely afford it.

I feel like this is going to be our reality for at leats the next 6 months

I don’t mean people with symptoms, even if it turns out to be a cold, as I completely understand why they need testing. I mean people who have no symptoms at all, who just want a test. Maybe they’ve been on holiday, or they’re worried they’ve mixed with more people than they should? I’ve no idea. All I know is I have seen about 6 or 7 friends or acquaintances who have said that they’ve had tests with no symptoms to put their mind at rest.

Well to be fair to them for 6 months we have been all told we will either die or cause the death of another, even if we are asymptomatic, it therefore no surprise that some people would want to be tested even without symptoms.