Home tests

[Hugosmugo]

How long do they generally take to arrive? Ordered yesterday afternoon.

Mine was not next day it arrived day after.

I ordered at 5pm on a Monday and it arrived the next morning via amazon (I assume they're helping with logistics as I ordered from gov site)

Thanks both. They have arrived. Now searching for post box locally with late collection as the one nearest is 9am!

@Hugosmugo it has also be a priority box you can’t just use any box.

Oh god @AldiAisleofCrap I didn't realise! I haven't looked at it yet. I'm assuming that is quite easy to find?

A word of warning. A friend of my family was told by NHS 111 the home tests detect only 50% of positive cases.

@Egghead68

A word of warning. A friend of my family was told by NHS 111 the home tests detect only 50% of positive cases.

That's because 50% of people don't do it correctly.

Thanks @Egghead68 I suppose the same could be said for the drive through centres then?
I've had 2 back in the summer as part of covid app and I had to do them both myself then too.
Keeping everything crossed that it comes back soon.

@Hugosmugo yes you should have been emailed your nearest priority boxes and last pick up time. You have to do the test an hour before last pick up no earlier.

@Hugosmugo

Did you get this email? :

After you’ve used your test kit

1. Follow the instructions in the kit to return your test kit using a priority postbox.

Put your completed test in your nearest priority postbox, 1 hour before the last collection time

Here are your three nearest priority postboxes, including: the postbox name, last weekday collection times and a link to Royal Mail’s website to show you where it is located.

X LANE POST OFFICE
16:45
www.royalmail.com/services-near-you/postbox/

X POST OFFICE
17:00
www.royalmail.com/services-near-you/postbox/

X ROAD
17:00
www.royalmail.com/services-near-you/postbox/

For more information on your nearest priority postbox, including Saturday collection times, visit: www.royalmail.com/services-near-you

I didn't get that in my email however there was a link in the booklet to find my nearest one. All sent off in time so just the waiting game now :)

@Hugosmugo when you say sent off in time did you post it no earlier than one earlier than the last pick up time from the post box. Eg you did test at 1pm posted at 1.15 last pick up 2.15?

*one hour

Why would the home tests be any less accurate than the drive or walk through tests? You do them all yourself.

Longer wait time to get the test plus longer transit time of the completed test could both reduce the sensitivity.

@norunningwithscizzuhz

Why would the home tests be any less accurate than the drive or walk through tests? You do them all yourself.

I don’t know whether they are less accurate than test centre ones or not not but (a) I presume in test centres you are supervised by someone trained which may increase the accuracy and (b) maybe the time delay in the post before processing doesn’t help.

I presume in test centres you are supervised by someone trained which may increase the accuracy

I've had three tests now, one drive through and two walk throughs and in each case they just shove the kit at you; they don't even watch you doing it.

Maybe they’re all less accurate than ones done by healthcare professionals then (which detect 70-80% of positive cases).

Sorry I'm confused by your message @AldiAisleofCrap
I posted it 1.5 hours before collection time.
In my booklet it says to post it no later than 1 hour before the last collection time.

@Hugosmugo sorry I had typos!
I meant if you post your test more than one hour before the last collection time, you may not get a valid result due to the time between when you took the test and when it’s tested.
You need to take the test then immediately take it to the post box so if last collection time is 2pm you test at 12.45 and post at 1pm.
Hopefully 1.5 hours will be ok if you took the test just before posting.

@Hugosmugo your booklet should say no earlier not no later.

Ah got you. Thank you. I hope it will be OK.
I assume it will be as otherwise they would have said in the booklet. It says 'post your completed test kit no later than 1 hours before the last collection time of the day'
I did the test exactly 2 hours before collection. Nothing in the booklet said not to, and really it should do if it is to make a difference.
I am keeping everything crossed that it will come back OK.

@AldiAisleofCrap it says 'no later'

How funny?!
I'm confusing myself now and just googled the different between no earlier and no later. I am normally pretty good at English too!
It says no later which according to what I've just googled, I have done it correctly?!

I think they make up the instructions as they go along my email says the opposite! Either way though it will be fine hope it’s negative for you .

Does this picture come up? I've never posted a picture before!
I'm worrying now that it will come back invalid.