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Original poster

Tips on getting a test

72 replies

MotherofPickles · 17/09/2020 08:50

I'm trying to book a test for my DS5 who's woken up with a cough. There are currently no drive-through, walk-in nor home tests available.
Does anybody have any tips on how to get a test? What's the best time of day to look?

OP posts:
Original poster
MotherofPickles · 17/09/2020 10:25

Was just thinking the same thing @whatwouldscullydo! My son doesn't have a passport or, strangely enough, driving licence.

So, after refreshing the page every 10 min. for 2 hours we got one only 30 min drive away. Sounds like we were lucky! Thank you for the tips everyone.

OP posts:
Original poster
MotherofPickles · 17/09/2020 10:27

@winolly if you don't have an email with a QR code, which you need for the test, it didn't go through. You need to start again. Same thing happened to us Hmm. Well not start again, I mean go back in and book again.

OP posts:
Augustbreeze · 17/09/2020 10:28

ID no needed for under 18s - it says that further down the page iirc.

Jemimapuddleduk · 17/09/2020 10:31

In my area - NW, absolute red risk area, the new appointments are uploaded at 8pm and 9pm. I kept filling out the form over and over again (couldn’t refresh, had to start from scratch each time it said ‘system is busy’). Sure enough slots were available at around 9pm. Got a walkthrough for next day.

IloveJKRowling · 17/09/2020 10:34

Testing site came up 30 miles away (that's good, I've seen further) but by the time I'd clicked through all slots had gone. Parents up and down the country desperately clicking and refreshing.

It said 20 slots and they were gone in a matter of seconds.

While this is shit, the bigger problems is how many kids with coronavirus are waiting to get tests, and all their close contact friends still in school spreading it to vulnerable teachers?

We've been told again and again, opening schools will only work with functioning test and trace. We haven't had that at least since Monday when I started trying.

Jemimapuddleduk · 17/09/2020 10:34

You won’t be allowed in without the scannable QR code. I took my passport in case they needed proof of the person who booked/email went to.

PutOnAHappyFace · 17/09/2020 10:34

I got mine just after the hour (10.10am). I've seen a few people say the same thing. I had been trying for 4 days, constantly refreshing. Tbh it might of just been pure luck, but that time it came up with 40odd slots at a drive through and walk through when previously saying no tests.

IloveJKRowling · 17/09/2020 10:36

A couple of friends who've got tests told me 10 o'clock onwards was the magical time they got their tests. They struggled too (of course).

Whatwouldscullydo · 17/09/2020 10:36

You just need the one scan code though right?

I mean i just have the one for dd I dont have one

Winolly · 17/09/2020 10:42

Thank you MotherofPickels that was really helpful just managed to book and I got a confirmation!

IloveJKRowling · 17/09/2020 10:43

Jemima How did you figure out the times they got uploaded in your area? Was it just trial and error? Or is it published somewhere?

In the seemingly unlikely instance another one 30+ miles away appears, I don't really want to accept a slot - depriving, presumably, local people of tests - if I can somehow find out when the local slots are loaded. There are several very local sites.

Also, it would save me a lot of time sitting in front of a computer refreshing if I knew the time window for local slots.

This is one of the most depressing and frustrating ways to spend 4 days I've ever experienced.

NorfolkEnchance · 17/09/2020 10:44

We got a test slot in Aberdeen over 450 miles away and just took the QR code to the one down the road. Played around with postcodes until anything came up

Mippi · 17/09/2020 10:50

I've heard that if you can get a test for anywhere, you can take the code to your local centre.

Whatwouldscullydo · 17/09/2020 10:52

I've heard that if you can get a test for anywhere, you can take the code to your local centre

I'd not advise risking that though. I mean after all the effort booking last thing u need is to miss the slot..

Oldraver · 17/09/2020 10:54

OH ended up going to three centres, had an appointmnt but QR code so was refused, then got to one mobile site and it had 'moved'

All three totally empty. I dont think it's that there are no appointments as many have said sites are empty, just the system is fucked

IfIHadAHeart · 17/09/2020 11:32

I’m in Norfolk, it offered me Bolton (9hr round trip!) I clicked through out of curiosity as it said there were 218 slots available but when it came to booking a time, there were none.

It’s absolutely ridiculous. DD has a cough, sniffles, sneezes, the rest of us have no Covid symptoms although I do have that sort of achey feeling that sometimes comes before a cold. I’m a police officer, DH works in another key industry. Without tests we are all now stuck indoors, even though I’m fairly sure it’s just a regular cold from going back to school. The system cannot sustain itself if huge numbers are isolating and unable to get tested.

Snailsetssail · 17/09/2020 11:34

@Hmmph

So first, enter details for your child as if they were filling in the form. This will ensure that you get a test only for the person who needs it. If you complete the information as a parent, you will end up with a test for yourself as well.

Secondly, get every laptop/computer/phone/tablet in your house logged on and keep refreshing. When testing slots appeared, they only showed on one of our devices.

Thirdly, don’t log out once you’re in. Leave it on, even overnight.

Fourthly, refresh the page by switching between drive through and walk through. Walk though doesn’t apparently mean actually walk. We got a walk through space but when we turned up we needed a car. Switching drive through to walk through seemed to work better than refreshing the page which sometimes kicked you out or lost the postcode.

Finally, we got a spot released just after 10am. However, I think they release them all through the day so just keep trying all the time. The longer you wait between refreshes, the less lightly you are to see a spot when it appears.

You don’t need to do this!

Fill it it as yourself honestly, say you don’t have symptoms. Later on add a test for a family member and put that they do have symptoms. You don’t need to take a test yourself to access one for your child.

Snailsetssail · 17/09/2020 11:36

@Whatwouldscullydo

I just managed to get one at a mobile site 7 miles away. But they want photo ID? Dd doesn't have a passport
You don’t need ID. Just take the QR code with you. I wasn’t asked for ID at either of my test appointments and don’t have any for the baby anyway as she doesn’t have a passport.
FredaFrogspawn · 17/09/2020 11:38

I booked a private test in the end. We can’t afford to be out of action for two weeks because I’ve got what I’m sure is a normal seasonal cough. But I can’t go back to teach with it without a test, just in case. I just want to get back to work.

ThymeFlies · 17/09/2020 11:38

I suggest emailing your mp with personal stories of how this is affecting you. I just have. Not that I think he can / will do anything. But it means that they can’t say they weren’t aware of the problems.

IfIHadAHeart · 17/09/2020 11:41

For anyone in the area there are now slots at Bolton for throughout today. No use to me, as I can’t take DD on a 9 hour journey without stopping!

Jemimapuddleduk · 17/09/2020 11:43

In terms of the time the system got uploaded, it was anecdotal based on me messaging fb contacts who I had known had gone through similar and managed to get a slot. I’ve seen people in different areas saying that 8/9/10pm seem to be key times for uploads. When we got a slot just after 9pm it was obvious it had just been uploaded as there were 900 odd slots free.
Once we got to the walkthrough site it was great, no queue and in and out in 10 minutes. I’d advise to take bare minimum in (ie no handbag, brolly etc) and you can’t let personal belongings touch any surfaces.

Emmas85 · 17/09/2020 11:44

I'm not sure if this has been said already as I haven't read all the replies but it might help someone. I drove to the local test centre as it's only 5 mins away as I booked a slot but didn't receive confirmation. They didn't let me in without the text confirming the appt but the guy told me to book any slot anywhere in the country as as long as I had a code it meant my details were registered on the system and they could let me in my local one. He said this is the easiest way to get a test and was advising everyone to do the same.

kissmysass · 17/09/2020 11:45

I tried all day yesterday. Lots seemed to be released just after 10am this morning.

DowntonEstate · 17/09/2020 15:56

Yes, I managed to get a test at 10am after trying for three hours. The test centre was 30miles away.