I'm in one of the doom postcodes, what do I do?

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

Sorry but I am a bit cofused- the news I read said to get tested if I live in one of the doomsday postcodes with the SA variant regardless if we have symptoms or not, but the website says not to book if no symptons? My husband is convinced someone will be coming to our house to test us or that there will be a letter?
Apologies again if it's been mentioned, but I have been trying to find intel online already and only coming across contraditory or outdated information.

I'm in a room postcode too but we all had covid 3 weeks ago, I won't be taking a test it's voluntary I believe.

Checked the map. I'm 200yards away from the areas in blood red. And we have a higher rate than most of the actual door to door area.

No problem here, apparently...

@NeverDropYourMoonCup

Checked the map. I'm 200yards away from the areas in blood red. And we have a higher rate than most of the actual door to door area.

No problem here, apparently...

The point of testing is to locate how much of the South African variant is in the areas where they have already picked up some cases.

It's not about how many cases there are of 'ordinary' Covid in your region.

The SA variant is more transmissible so they need people to be tested even if asymptomatic, to stop the spread nationally.

My worry would be distraction burglary or similar.
If someone vulnerable is expecting to be delivered a home testing kit, they may well let their guard down a bit when someone arrives apparently delivering it. Even though they might have a leaflet with a phone number somewhere.

For anyone else in CR4: Our local MP ( siobhan mcdonagh) has just tweeted that there will be an announcement on merton council website at 10am tomorrow. She also says testing is likely to focus on Pollards Hill area.

They're doing this now because of random testing of samples on 18 December 2020??

Yes, rush to stop the spread there. Great job.

@TheChip out of interest, why won’t you be taking part?

@TheChip

No thank you. I hope they don't end up in my area knocking on doors. I won't be taking part in it

I understand. I hope it doesn't kick off here.

@doublehalo

They're doing this now because of random testing of samples on 18 December 2020??

Yes, rush to stop the spread there. Great job.

😂😂 quite.

In my area David Lammy mentioned there will be surge testing but no idea how that’s going to work in North London. No word from Haringey council either.

@PuzzledObserver I have extreme anxiety. The idea of someone randomly knocking on my door wanting to shove a swab up my nose is a scary thought lol. I have agoraphobia so if I do happen to have it, I'm not in much of a position to be part of the spread, so me missing a test won't be that important.

@RuledbyASD My exFIL (84 and had his 1st vaccine shot on Sunday) is in one of the postcodes, my exH rang him tonight and told me that his father isn't arsed, and from what he was told it isn't going to stop his father and his cronies from getting together and socializing!

I felt like yelling AND THAT'S WHY THE FUCK THIS COUNTRY IS IN SUCH A MESS!

I really bloody despair...

@CostaDelCovid

I suspect they'll end up with a lot of doors slammed in their faces!

As long as the door knockers have correct ID I can’t see why people would slam the door in their face. I would much rather be tested and keep everyone safe.

@Staffy1

The door to door thing worries me as well, or any walk through/drive through testing centre for that matter, as I doubt the testers change gloves between each person and their hand goes right up to everyone's wide open mouths. Lots of those people are going to gag, sending germs flying. It just seems like a good way to spread disease.

How many covid tests have you had?

@picklespark www.haringey.gov.uk/news/south-african-variant

@TheChip

No thank you. I hope they don't end up in my area knocking on doors. I won't be taking part in it

What’s your reasoning for that then TheChip?

I thought Mumsnetters never answered their doors, anyway!

I'm one of the post codes.
One of the postmen has tragically died in the postcode. There was a break out at the post depot.

However the postcode is a vast area and covers leafy villages, a working class area heading closer to centre and a vast enormous council estate with high poverty.

There is already a walk through site in the council estate (let's not start the debate about I shouldn't call it that, locally that's what it is and that's what it's known as)

It's where the most vulnerable children tend to live who are now back in school.

It's the sort of area they just won't open the door. They already have a testing centre.... clearly they aren't popping in.

RuledbyASD

Who else is worried about all the elderly people in those postcodes? Particularly the ones without family. They must be terrified“

Thankfully, many will already have been vaccinated and evidence suggests that all vaccines offer a good degree of protection against this and other known variants.

No need for terror.

@PicsInRed

Doomsday by postcode, so British 🤣

Meanwhile, down the road at Heathrow...

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This comment for me nails how inept our government has handled this whole pandemic.

Is it too much of a stretch to say it’s because these people live close to an airport with all the comings and goings that they could be at higher risk ??

Take care everyone

Is it too much of a stretch to say it’s because these people live close to an airport with all the comings and goings that they could be at higher risk ??

The cases in these areas can't be linked to any recent travel. That's why they're causing concern; they don't know where the cases came from.

And the Maidstone postcode isn't near an airport.

Just carry on as usual, unless the government are going to build walls around each postcoded area! I don’t live in one of the areas my friend, who lives in my postcode, is a teacher in a ‘doomsday’ postcode. We can’t just stop going to work so just carry on following the usual guidelines.

And the Maidstone postcode isn't near an airport.

Nor is PR9, unless 'near' means the 20+ miles to Liverpool, which only flies to Europe.

I live relatively close to one of those postcodes and a couple of my colleagues live there.

Whats crazy is the lack of force in this. We all work in a non essential role yet these people will be forced into work tomorrow in a role with little measures.

We are not key workers but the advice is anyone can go to work who cant work from home so half the doors they knock at probably wont answer as they'll all be out!

I know regions differ but i don't know a single person working form home

@Pastanred I don't live in an affected postcode. I live in Leicester which has had a consistent problem since forever.

Here too so many people (including me), are still leaving home daily to work. I don't feel good about it but I need to support myself and my self employed status has seen me slip through every safety net and financial support scheme despite paying decent rate tax since I left uni a long time ago. I can't afford not to work and I'm permitted to do so.

I feel that many decision makers in government don't realise how many 'ordinary' people with 'ordinary' jobs simply can't work from home.

In my immediate circle we have a dog Walker, window cleaner, cleaner, painter and decorator, electrician, first aid teacher, accountant, solicitor, delivery driver for a florist- the list is endless.

Add to this the number of retail workers that I know who are travelling to work as usual in order to facilitate a booming click and collect service. Plus pubs and restaurants trying to keep afloat offering take always- who have increased staff in kitchens or opened outside in cramped 'burger vans' can't blame them tbh- it's all within the rules and people are now fighting for their lives financially.