Testing - am I being exceptionally stupid

[monkeypuzzeltree]

I have a brain like cotton wool, we all feel totally awful in our house. We are in Kent and I'd have thought it wouldn't be that hard to get tested but nearest is showing in Essex, 50 miles away. No postal test being offered on the site. I'm not sure I'm up to doing a 100 mile round trip. Any tips on when slots are Released?

And while I'm hear, muscle aches dear Lord I feel I've been run over.

Can you check on Facebook or your council website? I’m in London and I’ve seen information about walk in test centres with no appointment required on both of them.
As far as I know they release quite frequently so keep checking and hope you feel better!

Keep checking the booking site. New locations become available in batches all through the day and postal tests are also released periodically. It's a pain because you have to keep answering the same questions each time you go on the site but it generally does enable you to get a test.

I hope you feel better soon.

You just have to keep trying. When we tried it changed about 4 times throughout the days with different test sites being offered etc. It’s a real faff. (We are in South Norfolk and our nearest one is 5 miles away but it kept offering us one 65 miles away! We kept trying again and eventually got one 15 miles away).

Definitely keep checking, particularly on the hour. It updates regularly.

Thanks I'll keep checking, some alternatives just came up on the hour as suggested. Still 60 mile round trip. Madness! It seems like Kent is struggling which is no surprise given the additional testing needed to be done for those poor lorry drivers over the last few days. At least I'm just stuck in my house.

I agree with a pp about checking with your council - or local councillor. Ours also has walk in sites available with no appointment

We’ve had to book a couple now and I read that 8am/8pm were the best times to try and these worked for us.

Good luck

Phone 119 and they will sort postal tests and arrange for courier collection if needed.

I booked at 10pm at night. Got 5 miles down the road

Kent is such a big county.
If you are East Kent you are going to struggle getting a local test because of the way the gov fucked up getting the poor stranded lorry drivers tested - I think there is still a big backlog.

I am feeling you OP. I have the muscle aches now.

As other posters have said, keep refreshing and check first thing in the morning as new slots are released every day.

I tested positive on Xmas day. I feel pretty rough. Headaches were the start.