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Original poster

Time taken to get test results

271 replies

DragonLegs · 16/10/2020 08:04

I’m really annoyed it takes so long! Surely the government should have this sorted by now. The whole family is on day 3 off school and work. My sons cough was borderline in my opinion. I’m wishing I hadn’t bothered getting him tested so we weren’t in this position! We’ve been tested before and had results in under 12 hrs, so it is possible.

I can’t be the only one thinking like this, surely the delay in getting results is going to put some people off being tested at all.

OP posts:
MangoM · 16/10/2020 09:12

We're in a similar position. My 14 month old son had a fever Monday afternoon, tested Tuesday and have nothing back yet. I can't chase until Sunday as it was a home test.

In my and my doctor's opinion, it looks like the normal cold/viral/fever that babies just get constantly over the winter and I really hope and think it'll come back negative but that'll be a whole week of isolating at home unnecessarily. I've no problem isolating if it turns out to covid, but to do it multiple times is going to become frustrating and impractical and will eventually result in people either not getting tested or not isolating properly.

Dickorydockwhatthe · 16/10/2020 09:21

Yep still waiting from Monday morning. One lot came back but nothing in the other. Ive tried 119 and they won't chase unless after 5 days. Is there anyone we can complain to and this is rediculous? It's not even tested in a particular order!!

OnCandyStripeLegs · 16/10/2020 09:31

We were tested Wednesday afternoon and got the results this morning.

Dancingmuppet73 · 16/10/2020 10:11

We're waiting too, tested 9:30am Wednesday morning at a drive through.

NormandySR1 · 16/10/2020 10:14

We tested my ds on Monday, test in priority post box for last collection at 6.30pm and didn't get results until Thursday. 4 days off school and work. If I have to do this everytime I'm going to be skint.

Chickenandegg8 · 16/10/2020 10:27

My mum is part of the ONS study, she had her test last Thursday, results came back on Wednesday so six days. It was positive. She had no symptoms so wasn’t isolating.
And they wonder why it’s spreading.... Confused

notnowdennis · 16/10/2020 10:37

Day four of self isolating and 119 is worse than useless. I have symptoms and feel pretty rubbish. Just would like to know for sure. Can’t plan or do anything. Having to keep working despite being sick as no diagnosis. Other people at home can’t do their key worker jobs and very bored child getting distressed as it’s just like bloody April again.

whatatool · 16/10/2020 10:39

It's the delay in getting a result that's putting people off being tested if symptomatic.
I think people would generally accept 24 isolation waiting for a negative result, but waiting 5 days for the result is frankly ridiculous.
Why is England so bad at this?
It's no wonder people are ignoring symptoms or failing to isolate properly.

Sunshinegirl82 · 16/10/2020 10:57

We are on day 2 of isolation. DS2 has a viral type thing (snotty, crusty eyes etc). Cough has now stopped and to be honest I'm wishing we hadn't bothered with the test!

I wrote to my MP last night, I suggest everyone else do the same. There is no point spending weeks debating tiers if they can't get the basics right. Test results need to be back within 24 hours max across the board.

7vio · 16/10/2020 11:03

Same here. Home test kit sent out in Tue. Still nothing. We’re in SE. I work in a school, we are are understaffed as it is. So my OH and my child are all stuck indoors - they have no symptoms but have to isolate with me. I am sure what I had was a normal winter cold. I was running a mild temperature so had to test. I did not mind doing it but I’d expect the results to be quicker ((

cathyandclare · 16/10/2020 11:05

Absolutely Sunshine I've been waiting 3 days, for a test through ZOE. In the spring and summer I was really impressed with the service, I got results in less than 24 hours. Now it's just too long.

In my opinion, we'd be better off using rapid-antigen testing in some settings, even if it is slightly less accurate. I also think a shorter quarantine could ensure better compliance and consequently improve results overall, even if a small number of people are still infectious.

Sunshinegirl82 · 16/10/2020 11:15

@cathyandclare

Agreed. We were tested in July as DS1 had a temp and got the results in 11 hours. The current situation is unworkable. If they can't process enough PCR tests quickly then they need to be looking at other options.

I'd also agree with reducing the isolation period to 7 days if it improves compliance.

Dickorydockwhatthe · 16/10/2020 13:12

@Sunshinegirl82

We are on day 2 of isolation. DS2 has a viral type thing (snotty, crusty eyes etc). Cough has now stopped and to be honest I'm wishing we hadn't bothered with the test!

I wrote to my MP last night, I suggest everyone else do the same. There is no point spending weeks debating tiers if they can't get the basics right. Test results need to be back within 24 hours max across the board.

I've wrote to my MP too. Where I am it seems pot luck with the results coming through. Someone I know had a test 2 days later then me but got their results through before me and I'm still waiting! How does that work!!
catpoooffender · 16/10/2020 13:20

Same here. DS (2) had a cough for 24 hours with no fever, along with a runny nose. Made a split second decision to order a test. By the time it arrived on Tuesday the cough had gone. Yet we've been self-isolating all week because the results have not come through yet. DS fine health wise but bored. DH and I are fine but have had to juggle work and caring for DS all week. Fed up of it and next time he gets a cough I'll think twice before ordering a test. Called 119 and they said I could call after five days and then they would do an investigation into lost results which would take up to 72 hours. Great.

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 16/10/2020 13:24

Agree. Got DS tested Wednesday evening and waiting for results. This means DD has also missed the last two days of school before a two week half term. Wales might go into a two week circuit breaker and I really don't want to spend my last weekend before in isolation. Especially as everyone else is healthy and I'm pretty sure DS just has a cold. I can't do this every time one of the kids catches a cold! Results need to be next day or the day after at the absolute latest.
I am lucky I have someone who can shop for me today because otherwise I'd have no choice but to go out, which really defeats the purpose of all this. I can totally see why people don't isolate while waiting for results, if it's been 3 or more days and they are under pressure from work or feeling like their kids have already missed too much school.

catpoooffender · 16/10/2020 14:54

Finally just got our (negative) result.

Dickorydockwhatthe · 16/10/2020 15:41

@catpoooffender

Finally just got our (negative) result.
Brilliant. How long have you been waiting?
catpoooffender · 16/10/2020 16:24

@Dickorydockwhatthe we ordered the test on Sunday, it came on Tuesday, did it and sent it back immediately, it was delivered to the testing centre in Glasgow on Wednesday morning. So I haven't even been waiting as long as others and have been incredibly frustrated. Even more so because DS had only been back at nursery two weeks following a two week self-isolation period due to another case in his room...

Feelingconfused2020 · 16/10/2020 17:20

It's driving me mad. I'm a teacher, tested weds morning and still nothing. They ask you if you're a keyworker but clearly there's not any kind of priority system. I'm fine now and all three of my kids have lost 3 days schooling for what's probably a cold.

As a pp says they wonder why it's spreading but how inclined are people gonna be to go through all this for a cough with no other symptoms? If I told work in November I had another cough and was off for another 3 or more days I can understand them being aggrieved. It affects so many people

DivGirl · 16/10/2020 17:27

We got a test at 8am Monday morning and results were back at 10pm that night. I was very surprised.

OvaHere · 16/10/2020 17:49

Just got our negative test at 4.30pm today. Sent home test back on Tue first thing so I assume they will have got it Wed. Just grateful DS can go back to college on Monday now.

We are all better after what was obviously a seasonal type bug. Not looking forward to repeating this palaver several times over the winter period (which seems inevitable!).

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 16/10/2020 18:53

So if you totally recover from your cold type symptoms before your test result and no one else in the household develops any symptoms, how many people are going to stay home for up to 5 days?

catpoooffender · 16/10/2020 19:22

Exactly @MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously. If the test i ordered had arrived on Monday and I sent it back immediately and got the result on Tuesday, I'd be much happier to do that again. But if it's going to take five days I'm going to think twice next time. And I'm definitely on the more compliant end of the spectrum.

Original poster
DragonLegs · 16/10/2020 19:52

I’m so frustrated! Can’t believe some people have waited 6 days! Before more testing, they need to sort out processing them otherwise people with symptoms won’t bother isolating.

OP posts:
Feelingconfused2020 · 16/10/2020 20:28

But if it's going to take five days I'm going to think twice next time. And I'm definitely on the more compliant end of the spectrum

This is exactly how I feel. When I got my test arranged quite quickly I was really hopeful but it's fairly obvious what they've done, the issues around testing capacity were in the news so they've upped the number of appointments but not managed to increase the number of staff behind the scenes so results are taking longer.