When are Covid test slots released?

[Idontneedthisrightnow]

Hi.

We're in London. My DC has a cough. No temperature but I had better get them tested as the school won't want them in. No slots for a walk or drive in are free.

Does anyone know when new slots are released in the evening?

I wish I knew. Not in London but can't get a test for my son. Fed up.

Is this the kind if cough?? It should be a coughing episode lasting 1 hour, or 3 episodes in 24 hours. Schools cannot demand negative tests when its not Covid (symptoms), not that I'm saying that's what you're doing.

www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/videos/701923027087849/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=kcNryMsnXSd06PSW

It took us 5 days of trying (after which it would have been too late). We tried all times of day and night. I've lost count of the number of people that said, 'oh you just have to try at 2pm/10am/8pm/2am....'. I started to believe we'd only get one if we did it on a full moon at midnight, whilst holding a rabbit's foot...
As it was whilst randomly clicking this morning, 3 options became available
I'm afraid it is such a shit show, you just have to keep on trying over and over again.
Good luck.

So the cough needs to last one hour or be 3 times in 24 hours. That's also a normal cough, right?!

My DC has a bunged up nose so I'm pretty sure it's a cold. However the school will send them home on Monday, so I need to get a test. I can't believe I have to keep them home until we get a test - what a mess. I'm going to see how they are tomorrow, try and get a test in the meantime

I was told it's 8pm on a weekday. We (me, and 4 SIL's) managed to get one for my DN by refreshing furiously on Wednesday night at 8pm. We had all the info loaded just before. First we were all offered really random test centres 50miles away but after 10 minutes or so we managed to get a local one.

According to a very nice helpline worker I spoke to on Thursday, it's no longer 8pm. Morning slots are released the evening before but could be any time (I finally bagged one around 7pm I think). Afternoon slots are released in the morning and she said recently it's been around 9-10am. Keep refreshing as they go so quickly when released.

There have been website problems too which don't help.

It's a shitshow.

Having tried throughout the day and night, and dh at one point sitting and refreshing for hours, like a man possessed, and still not getting anythibg for 5 days....I'd say there is no magic formula.

I’m in the same position - according to the graph in the Times yesterday, 9am seems to be the best bet. I’ve had no luck since dd started coughing last night, despite waking up periodically through the night and trying.

I sat and refreshed for 3 hours one day in week. Some came up just after 8am (but went just before I could get one) and then I got one just after 10am. Which fits with times on here other people have suggested as being good.

You don't get a blocked nose and snot with Covid.

Which page do you refresh? The one that says 'choose a time' then gives you the days (saying 'there are no available slots', then 'choose another day' )?

Thanks MaidenMotherCrone. It's a cold but what do I do if he starts coughing and the school send him home? In the symptoms checker it doesn't say 'if you have a blocked up nose with your cough, it's not Covid'. So shall I ignore it? I'm happy to, but not if he gets sent home for 14 days and we can't get a test!

There are home tests now

Don't choose the first one as lots of people do and if someone else chose it first then you just get kicked out.

Just ordered a home test. Thank you!

“We’ve also shown some negative signs in our app so if you have a runny nose or congestion, or sneezing, that’s really a sign that you absolutely do not have Covid,” he added.

You shouldn't have even gone on the site to book a test!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/17/children-runny-nose-do-not-have-coronavirus-expert-insists-demand/amp/

From the same article:

"Prof Spector’s guidance contradicts that from the Department for Health, which continues to state that if a child has a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a change or loss to their sense of taste or smell they should be tested for coronavirus." The school have have sent a letter with the same advice.

So, ignore official advice?

Do I think my child has Covid? No

Do I want them to be sent home from school because they have potential symptoms? No

Do I want them to miss school? No. I need to work and they need not to miss out on any more eduction.

Tell me what the best thing to do is then??

A runny nose is not a sign that you shouldn't have a test!

The government and NHS say you must have a test if you have one of the three symptoms: temperature, continuous cough, loss of taste or smell.

Loss of taste or smell can be caused by a snotty nose, or by COVID (or lots of other things). A test rules COVID out.

They do not say get tested "unless you have a snotty nose"

We don't want people running around thinking they're COVID free because some moron on Mumsnet told them this snotty nose bullshit