Well that was quicker than expected

[Whatever9999]

School sent my 6yo home Thursday, he's had a cold and a cough related to that cold, but they suddenly decided it was persistent and that neither he or his brother could return to school until negative test.

Spent most of Thursday evening refreshing page, managed to book a test 50mim drive away 11am yesterday. Got there early, it was virtually empty and we were waved in.

Actual testing experience was horrendous, little boy threw up everywhere at the thought of something being put down his throat and was distressed through the whole thing. But we did it.

Got the result email just after 3am (negative as expected).

So 30hrs from being sent home to test result, 18hr from test to result.

This is how it should work, if only it could be the same for everyone

Gosh, that's very different from my experience -- it took us 4 days to access a test at all, then another 3 to get the results.

Yes, really in order to be effective it does need to be like your experience. Both to get kids back to school (and parents back to work) if it's negative -- and to properly contact trace and isolate contacts if it's a positive result.

As you say, if only everyone could have quick testing and results like you experienced! The averages across the country are generally much, much slower (even for those who can access testing, which isn't everyone): www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54281071

Glad you got the results quickly. My DH had to get a test done before he starts his new job. He took the test at 11am and had the results at 8pm that evening! We were very impressed!

If you have to test him again, which is likely considering how things are going, you can swab each side of his nostril instead of doing one in the throat. It’s easier and nicer for little children.

Glad it was quick and result negative though.

We had an issue locally with tests being booked up because a load of kids all caught the same cold at school. So...runny nose, sneezing, blah. NOT a dry new cough, a temperature or any of the other symptoms.

But school banned them all until they got tested, and now people with genuine symptoms cant get tested.

Surely a bit of common sense should be applied by schools?