Are the 20 minute tests out yet?

[Ohdoleavemealone]

I can't find any info about if they are available now or when they will be and whether they will be private tests or NHS?

Yes they've been rolled out in many NHS trusts. My father in law had one on Wednesday, said it was really easy. He is NHS and works on a ward, but not covid patients or even ill people.

Are they available to the public though? Can I elect to have a quick one? Surely everyone would do that if they had the choice?

They are not suitable for people with symptoms

We don't have symptoms. WAs thinking of getting tests at xmas before having inlaws round for dinner as MIL is carer for her vulnerable mum.

They are not suitable for individuals wishing to visit vulnerable relatives. If you are positive there is a 24 percent chance you will receive a negative result. @Ohdoleavemealone

So almost 1/4 people who are in fact positive will think they are negative. Not worth the risk.

Is that the case with all the tests?

Inlaws want to come round but DH is worried we will pass something on. Inlaws would probably come either way but DH would never forgive himself if they caught anything.

With the lateral flow tests yes, not the ones that take a day or two for results. So you could take a regular test and then isolate until results. Cost around £100.

Although to be truly effective you need to isolate for 14 days then take a test then wait for results. So 16 days total, depends how careful you want to be.

It's not going to be effective at all is it? Kids are in school until 18th and if we wait the 4/5 before testing it will be Xmas day before we get the result. And we would have to isolate between which although we don't plan to do much, maybe walks etc, we won't isolate.
So really there is no way of seeing them and being safe. But how do we convince them that?!

I’ve got a box at home at do it twice a week.
Lateral flow testing.

Can you buy the lateral flow tests privately?

Is this true about the accuracy of the rapid tests? I have a relative whos a nurse and went into my parents house the other day for a cuppa! She said she'd done a rapid test at work that morning and was therefore fine as the result was negative!! My mum is extremely clinically vulnerable and not one person has entered her house until then. I would like to be able to show her the evidence about the accuracy. Is there an article? Do nursing staff get told that the accuracy for negatives isnt 100%?

@boon fullfact.org/health/lateral-flow-test/

@Ohdoleavemealone maybe send them the link I posted? It’s difficult , if it was your in laws that were vulnerable they can decide if they want to take the chance but are MIL is a carer it’s more difficult.

@boon this is from The British medical journal
www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4469

We’re having the lateral flow test in the morning. Happy to let you know my experience afterwards.

we are in a high case area with a high level of cases in our primary school. DS has a runny nose. School is recommending we have a test as he doesn’t have the three main symptoms but as a precaution with a runny nose (or a whole list of other ailments such as stomach ache, sore throat, etc) they recommend we have a lateral test.

So if they're not suitable for people with symptoms, and they're not suitable for people without symptoms, what are they for exactly?

We've been thinking about using these so we can have parents over (late 60's and early 70's) but we just don't know if we can trust them.

My dc don't break up until the 18th, so we won't have much time to self isolate. If we did the test on the day we expected them to come over, that's still only 5 days after potential infection, so it very well might not show up....

Am I right?

@Reachersloveinterest mass testing , because they pick up asymtomatic cases.

@Reachersloveinterest

So if they're not suitable for people with symptoms, and they're not suitable for people without symptoms, what are they for exactly?

They are being used on uni students before they are allowed to travel home for Christmas