Is anyone in the ONS study?

[GinAtMerlottes]

The one where you get £425 if you complete the entire thing?
We had our first swabs yesterday, all 4 of us are participating.
Just wondering how anyone else is finding it. Have you had the vouchers quickly?

We received the letter on Saturday and I've just called to register us. We are doing the swab and blood ones but won't have the first one until next month due to us having a weekend away in October. We've been told it's £50 vouchers each for the first test then 11 x £25 to do it each month after that. I don't know anyone else doing it, was the appointment ok? I've read articles from when it was first rolled out where no ppe was used, the hcp didn't turn up etc... I'm interested to do it as we suspect my husband at least had it in January so the antibody test would be interesting. However, it's a long time since he had it (if it was actually it but he lost sense of taste and smell which he commented was really strange for him and this was before it was an official symptom, plus he had a cough for weeks), so I'm not sure if any antibodies will show up.

I've just read the information pack and it seems it's the weekly and monthly ones so 16 tests in total, the main letter seemed to separate it out into either the first test, the weekly tests or the monthly tests.

Yes I'm in it. Read on here vouchers take about 9 days to come through - and they did! The person randomly rings you and randomly turns up though!

We’re doing a similar one. The vouchers came almost a week later to my email address but my dp’s have been really sporadic and we haven’t had them all for some reason. It’s a faff using the vouchers. Loads of copy and pasting.

The appointment was fine, he just came to the door and gave us the consent forms and some bumpf, then went back to the car and called us from there. He went through loads of questions, we were on the phone about 45 minutes. Won’t have to do that every time though. We had watched the swab video and I did the kids and DH and I did each other then put them in the bags, he came back to the door and collected it all. They only do the blood test if you have had a positive test, or get one during the study. We had it all on Sunday and haven’t had results or vouchers yet!

@GinAtMerlottes and everyone else in the study. When did your test results come back? And how are you finding them out? It’s been a week and ours are still not at the GP surgery. And GP surgery says they won’t contact us, I have to call in and ask for them. Seems a bit daft I think.

I'm not but a relative is doing it.
They're only going to be told their results (via their gp) if it's a positive test. If they don't hear anything they've been told to assume it's negative.

Yes we are doing it. I registered about a week ago and they are running a bit behind so said we'll be contacted in about 2 more weeks from now.

Yes we are doing it. We started in August and just starting the monthly tests. We have had 3 different HCPs and they have travelled some distance to test us. We have opted for paper vouchers in the post as don't have printer. I think our CF neighbours are a bit freaked out and think we are tested positive but at least they have stopped moving and using my bin when I put the swab wrappers in the bin! We are also doing zoeapp daily symptoms reporting.

We're doing it. Had 3 visits already. So far only one voucher has arrived, DP's hasn't. Trying to chase but phone lines constantly busy. It's been fine so far visits are very quick and well worth the vouchers. So far I've used my voucher at argos at get a new steam mop and pressure cooker (rock n roll!)

We have signed up but not had the initial visit yet.

We have been doing it since it was launched. They now come monthly. None of us (dh, me, ds5 and dd2) have Tested positive. Ds is loving his expanded hot wheels collection!

It’s an interesting study.

What type of vouchers are they?

We are doing it. Completed the weekly visits. Didn't receive vouchers for one of us but emailed them and they sent it out (email address had been incorrectly input). Choosing voucher and using takes a while but it worth it.
Got a response in a day or 2 to the emails query.
Haven't had results when queried was told doctors would get in touch if positive. To get a response by phone I had to leave a message for a call back which took several days.

We have had 3 visits so far and the vouchers have been sent around 4-5 days later.

I've had 2 visits and both times the vouchers have arrived after 4 days.

How do you register to take part in this? Or do you need to be invited to be part of it?

I think you are contacted randomly @Lindy2.

I would love to be invited but sadly haven't

We had first visit on Thursday. It was straightforward. We were told positive results dont go via Gp now and come direct to you within 4 days if you're positive.

Yes we are in it (me, DH and DD 8).

We have had 3 visits so far since early Sept, but only the first vouchers arrived so I need to chase them up.

No positive swabs, but would love to know the results of our antibody blood tests - apparently we won't get to find out!

Sometimes it feels like I am trying to illicitly sell a kidney as I've received a call at 9pm on Saturday night with a visit happening at 9am the following morning - lovely chap who had travelled quite far to get to us.

We're past the weekly swabs, a few weeks off the first monthly ones.
Vouchers took 8 days to come through (for everyone except me as my email was misspelled😖).
They're Sodexo vouchers that you can turn into loads of things, from Asda and Amazon to Next and Zara.
DD used hers to get a takeaway and some clothes, DH pooled his with DS to get him a TV for halls. I got some OS maps.
DCs have moved out since the start of the survey but still count as our household for survey purposes. They visit on swab days as they aren't far away.

We are in it , had 3 tests so far vouchers have been taking 9 days to come. I'm using them for Xmas presents which is very handy.