Why aren't people pcr testing?

[Acer82]

Spoken to two friends with dc in my child's year last few days. One child has had a temp, sore throat etc...and they have just been doing lft tests, the other child was off last week with a cold and bad cough and I said did they have a pcr and they said no, we just kept isn't the lfts. My dc from the same year has been off today, woke up with sore throat, achy, cold but no temp/cough/loss of taste/smell. I'm probably thinking ill get him a pcr anyway. I don't understand why people aren't getting the pcr tests especially when they have a cough and temp? Have people just given up on them?

@dementedpixie

You've not done your civic duty if you haven't taken the test you are supposed to if you have symptoms of covid. LFTs miss up to 50% of cases and shouldn't be used to rule covid out

According to the Oxford Uni study I've linked to, the figure is more like 95% effective, not 50%.

I think those who rubbish LFTs at every turn and exaggerate their error rate, all apparently in the interests of persuading people to do PCRs, risk being counterproductive... I mean why bother with LFTs if they really are so crap?

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-07-14-lateral-flow-tests-are-95-effective-detecting-covid-19-when-used-onset-symptoms

All these attempts to stem Covid spread in schools by pushing for ever more vigorous testing seem as futile as King Canute and his attempts to hold back the tide... It won't stop Covid from go through schools.

The people I know who are doing the most PCRs are people WFH particularly public sector and SAHMs
Most other people can't afford to los 10 days pay once never mind multiple times

@user1487194234

It’s all the stay at home mums who love a PCR test in my kids school. They all met up after the last email and plodded into town together with the kids to get them tested. On the BUS!!! The BUS, now in fairness they don’t drive and that’s the local testing centre now.

It was literally a day out for them all. I’m not prepared to lose another job over this. The head ask requested we didn’t use postal PCRs due to the longer turnaround time.

*also

@Treblebass

So requested not to do postal as longer turn around. So does that mean 1st option testing site and if not possible do nothing

OR 1st option testing site if not possible do a postal test.

If we did PCRs for every sniffle and cold we got as a family of 5 it would go like this: DH and / or I having to isolate (for ourselves or because of kids) would mean we couldn't run our business. If we had to close our business for a week, then 15 different families of our subbies would not get any pay for a week and not be able to feed themselves or their children or pay their rent or whatever. We would lose contracts as a company, there would be a massive knock on effect for other trades that work after us and that would affect their employees the same way.
Nope. Not doing PCRs.

@Covidworries

She does not give an option, que text in BOLD and all the CAPITALS about going to the centre.

She has requested two PCRs from my symptomless child and daily LFTS for a total
of 7-10 days. (One PCR at the beginning of this period and one at the end, with dates etc).

Like I said I would never send my child in to school with active symptoms but these requests are over the top (as in how many she expects me to do on my year one child). She will be there again this morning with her clip board on the playground.

Two people have tested positive in the class, I’m sure some people on mumsnet would love her though.

I think her heavy handed, military approach with ALL the capitals is going to back fire personally.

@mnahmnah

Interestingly, we had an email from DC school today saying that nobody should be doing LFD tests on under 12 as they are designed for asymptomatic over-12s. Any symptoms with under-12s should be PCR only

I thought they were designed to make money for whichever of Boris' mates owns the company that imports them? Given how unreliable they are they are clearly not designed to actually test anything.

@PickAChew
It's much less unpleasant than the lft tests because the swabs are softer, rather than like little bottle brushes
I hate putting the LFT swabs up my nose due to the weird sensation. PCR was definitely better.

[quote Warhertisuff]@dementedpixie

You've not done your civic duty if you haven't taken the test you are supposed to if you have symptoms of covid. LFTs miss up to 50% of cases and shouldn't be used to rule covid out

According to the Oxford Uni study I've linked to, the figure is more like 95% effective, not 50%.

I think those who rubbish LFTs at every turn and exaggerate their error rate, all apparently in the interests of persuading people to do PCRs, risk being counterproductive... I mean why bother with LFTs if they really are so crap?

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-07-14-lateral-flow-tests-are-95-effective-detecting-covid-19-when-used-onset-symptoms[/quote]
From your link:

The study supports efforts to conduct population-wide LFT tests. It is important, however, that the tests are carried out correctly by qualified personnel, as was the case in our study.'

In summary, this study provides evidence that lateral flow tests can accurately detect SARS-CoV-2 infection as an alternative to PCR testing among symptomatic patients in a real-life primary care setting across a large geographical area.

• most LFT tests are not done by qualified personnel and most LFT tests are done by asymptomatic people where they are much less effective

@treblebass
So it pretty clear she prefer a home test to do F all.

And yes i would love her but then my child is CEV and we are currently in the situation of having to send daily to a very unsafe enviroment with very little mitigation and the small thungs that can reduce risk people cant be arsed with.

Catching a asymatic case could prevent a lot of suffering.

Her heavy handed aporoach which you dislike could actually save someones life.

[quote Covidworries]@Londonwriter

We thats not true. I have just ordered online test twice in 1 week so 🤷‍♀️[/quote]
It’s possible they’ve changed the rules.

Back in February/March, I was flaring about 14 days out of 30 in a month. I felt obliged to do my duty for science by agreeing to every PCR test the JoinZOE app recommended.

When I tried ordering a home test the second time in 10 days, it said ‘you have already ordered a home test’ at the end of the ordering process, and refused to send me another. I had already completed the first test and got the results, so it wasn’t that I hadn’t logged the first test. This happened on two occasions 🤷

I just spoke to a few of my colleagues and they were under the impression that testing had stopped as well! One of them told me the big testing centre for this city has been closed for weeks. It's surely time, now, for people to crack on as normal (using sensible measures such as hand washing and masks if they make you more comfortable) and stay home if you're ill. This obsession some people seem to have with testing is very odd!

@narutocrazyfox

And if the virus continues spread because out of control with no testing and positive people mixing constantly that is a when not an IF. ...
What happens to all those needing hospital care for covid? And when the hospitals are full what happens to those needing care for any medicla reason?

I take it you wont want an ambalance or hospital care should you be taken ill or be in a car accident?

@covidworries are you suggesting testing continues forever? Surely taking precautions and staying home when I'll is a better long term solution.

No im sayyingnthat while there is a requirement to test, that people actually do it. All the scientist are concerned over the winter with covid cases so high plus flu and other illness at a time whennthe hospitals are struggling after a summer where there has been no let up.

If we can limp through this winter then there isnmore likelyhood of futher lifting of requirements such as testing. Lets not just through everythig at the NHS to see what happens when the service buckles and huge numbers die of treatable conditions just so some people dont have to test.

And do you really think people will suspected covid are going to stay home so as not to infect othera if they can be bothered to stay home with symptoms waiting on yest results, or if close contact continue life until result comes back

[quote Narutocrazyfox]@covidworries are you suggesting testing continues forever? Surely taking precautions and staying home when I'll is a better long term solution.[/quote]
Testing won’t continue forever in its current form. But it is freely available now for a reason.

I'd like to think people with the main symptoms would stay home until feeling better, but I guess that won't be the case for some people. Everyone around me thinks testing has already come to an end, so we're already in the 'sensible precautions moving forwards' camp.

You've not done your civic duty if you haven't taken the test you are supposed to if you have symptoms of covid.
But I don’t have a temp and haven’t lost my sense of smell. I have a tickly cough, sore throat and I’m tired and headachey. Those aren’t Covid symptoms. I did a lft just in case but why should I put myself out to get a pcr when I don’t have Covid symptoms?

@Covidworries

Her heavy handed approach is also very dangerous to many families within the community my children go to school in. Severe deprivation and I’ve seen some parents on their absolute knees in poverty due to her repeated, military requests. Many of the dads work in zero hour contracts and they have been absolutely hammered with redundancies in the automotive industry within this city. I know of three families who have moved their children to the school half a mile down the road as the head absolutely isnt as extra as her.

And when did I say I did fuck all? I am sorry your child is CEV but on what planet is it okay to test a well year one child every single day for ten days? Two PCRs and 8 LFTs and this is JUST the beginning with this head. Like I said, I have no issue with testing a child who is quite clearly unwell, but there needs to be some balance here.

At school kids and teachers aren't always PCR testing because you can't every time you get something. There are so many things going round.

Personally I've never had a PCR test - I don't trust them. The number of people who've come back negative when quite probably they are positive ie rest of family has it and person is very sick but their PCR says they don't have it and they still come into school ...

Also I have had this feeling from the start that if I'm going to get Covid from anywhere it will be from one of the testing centres.

@Treblebass

I should imagine people are bored getting their kids tested repeatedly for a virus that isn’t going to do them much harm and probably not themselves either if they’ve been vaccinated.

Coupled with a lack of fuel, time off work and lengthy drives to test centres I should imagine people just simply can’t be arsed anymore.

Quite 🙌🏻

@Treblebass

Its hardly painful having a test. You do realise there a year 1 children with conditions that require much more than a dwab up the nose. How the hell do you think children with diabetes check their levels and get there insulin it a lot more invasive than a covid test. Not to mention all the other things some children have to do.
On what planet is it ok for some people to be theown under a bus because others cant be bothered to do a tiny test.

And you are worried about families who are struggling financially as poor them but cant have any compassion/inderstanding for families that are CEV.

Please explain how these families are on the knees and more imprtant than CEV families that are on their knees.

@Covidworries

With all due respect it’s not a competition to see how much other children suffer in comparison to others. Let’s not play a game of oneupmanship here. Testing every day for ten days for an asymptomatic six year old is unnecessary. The time off work that leads to job losses is also a concern it’s happened to me three times now.

Forgive me if my concern is how to feed my children and keep up with my rent. Perhaps you ought to have a little compassion for others too. I’ve already stated I would absolutely test any child of mine that was displaying symptoms.