Does Test and Trace put you off going for a PCR test?

[flashbac]

I find the calls from Test and Trace very annoying, unnecessarily lengthy and inefficient and intrusive. I regret sending DD for a PCR and will think twice before doing another if it means no one else is put at risk. Anyone else?
I mean, it's just going through the motions isn't it? Seen as the government don't give a shit anyway.

Both DD's are positive and we only had that first initial phone call and then someone called round to check on us. There hasn't been any other call at all.

Yeah, they are endless. Be nice and chatty and you can get them to skim over bits of it.

I was definitely worried about it when we did a PCR test this week. Thankfully it was negative.

I had 4 x calls on Monday! One was because my DD was positive, then I informed them that myself and my other DD were contacts. They then felt the need to phone me to tell me I was a close contact, then again to tell me my other DD was and then again to complete the first call because I said I unfortunately didn't have the personal phone numbers of all of my DDs teachers in order for them to contact them. They told me I had until 5pm and they'd phone me back, which they did. Obviously I still didn't have that information by 5pm and it was a different member of staff who apologised that I was told I should provide it.

Today myself and other DD tested positive, but luckily this time only 1 phone call regarding my DD that lasted 40 minutes!

They all seem really lovely and professional people making the calls, but it is so irritating and wastes so much time! Especially the calls to tell you you don't need to isolate. Don't phone then!

God it's a nightmare, why on earth would I need a call to tell me that my own husband and daughter have COVID? Especially when I was the one who did DD's T&T call, and I was literally in the room giving my phone number etc during DH's call!

Top tip: I wasn't able to speak for more than a minute or two during the first call, then I missed the next two. At which point DD's call got passed to the local council instead of T&T. And instead of a lengthy scripted call over a bad line with a call handler I got a lovely lady from the council who was friendly and sensible and didn't keep me on the line very long at all. So if the calls are annoying, ignore them until you get one from a local number. :-)

Yes it did. DD had a + ve PCR after a +ve LFT and the T and T call and endless text messages meant that when DH and I developed symptoms we just did LFTs to confirm and then isolated for 10 days and ordered an online shop. I think it would be trickier if you had to go out to work or leave the house for other reasons.

I'm sure I will test positive myself soon, I'm literally sleeping in a small room with both DH and DD and they are both positive (symptomatic and confirmed by PCR).

I don't think I'll bother with PCR myself if I become symptomatic and test positive on an LFT. I'm isolating anyway and will do so for 10+ days after onset of symptoms or positive LFT. Can't see how it could be anything other than COVID at this point! And that way I won't have to give my husband's and daughter's details to T&T, and they won't have to get calls - of course DD's would come to me anyway as I'm not going to give a child's mobile number to anyone. I won't be in contact with anyone else for the next couple of weeks!

No. But we've only ever had negative results so far so I've never had to deal with T&T.

Thankfully all our tests so far have come back negative so we haven’t had to deal with them.

However, yes dealing with test and trace is one of the many reasons I dread a positive test. I really just really hate how intrusive it sounds.

I really just prefer to be left alone in peace, I don’t want to be forced to answer a load of questions.

We are retired so wouldn't bother, don't want the hassle. It has put me off

Might be luck of the draw… 5 days in and no calls yet here and only 1 text!

We currently have 2 out of 5 of us positive and if the other 3 of us test positive on an LFT we won't get an official PCR. The track and trace calls are just so long winded, talking about income support etc when the two positive ones are children!

Our T&T experience was pretty poor.
The worst call wasthe one I got a call to tell me that DS2 was a close contact of someone who had tested postive.
Err yes, that would be me.
We can't divulge that information madam, and you can't be sure.
Well I probably can actually given he's self isolating and hasn't seen anyone else for ages.
Why is he self isolating?
Well he's got Covid, I caught it from him.
Oh if he has Covid then I need to get someone else to call him.
No, please don't, we've already had loads of calls.
Ok. Well as he is a close contact of a positive person we'd recommend you take him for a PCR test.
Errr....what's the point in that?
Well to see if he has Covid of course.
I know he has Covid. He had a positive PCR last week.
Huh? I'll have to speak to my supervisor about that.
No, look, it says on your own website not to get a PCR within 90 days of a positive unless there are new symptoms.
T&T person hangs up...
It's hard yo have complete faith in their level of training.

When ds was positive we had one initial call and that was it.
Dd has had it for 3 days so far and only 1 call.

Mine was someone for whom English was clearly not their first language. Everything had to be spelled phonetically as neither of us could understand each other. The call took over an hour and was only that short as after about 40 minutes I just lied to get or over with. How is that helping anyone?

Oh fucking hell yes!

All 5 of us have caught it in the space of 8 days. DS first, then me, DH and DD2, then DD1's results came back this morning. So today, I did the call for DD1s isolation and close contacts - they specifically ask about the people in the house - I said there's 4 of us who have already tested positive so she's caught it from one of us.

I have had 3 separate phonecalls this afternoon, telling me that DD2, then DS, then myself, are close contacts of "someone who had recently tested positive". No shit.... 3 times I've been through the same conversation, 3 times I've been told that none of us need to isolate from this contact, and 3 times I've told them that we are all still isolating from testing positive ourselves.

Bloody nuisance! Necessary, I know, but why can't they save themselves the effort and just have one phonecall for all three of us?!

It's a massive waste of time and taxpayers' money.

It needs to stop now everyone has had a chance to get vaccinated. I've got the number blocked, you get a text so can book a test if needed and would text any contacts anyway

I had a ridiculous episode with T&T, never again will I answer the phone to them.

Four different operators passed me around as i had a (basic) question they couldn't answer, each one told me something different. One even said to me "what feedback do you have? comment below please". Not their fault but it was a crazy, painful system!

I'm on day 7 and had my second call today. Both times, the scripts were almost the same, in a similar monotonous voice, and minutes past 8 o'clock in the morning. I don't blame them for that so much, must be a crap job saying the same stuff and possibly with all the abuse. But it would be nice if the caller might say things like-

'How are yer pet?'
'Ohhh that sounds terrible, why don't you get yourself with a nice lemsip on the settee and watch Escape to the country'
'I know, my Arthur was exactly the same, coughing terribly he was but he's ok now.'
'Forget about trying to upload online learning, you just get yer feet up and had a kip.'

One of the first questions they ask though, is 'do you intend to still self isolate today?' I mean, what if I were to say No. What would happen? Might they read a different script or do they send someone round straight away. I am that bored of isolation and the same calls I am tempted if I get call number 3.

I’m feeling left out! Got dd’s positive result on Tuesday and have had 2 texts. No calls at all. I did fill in the online form straight away - does that stop them maybe?

Yes.
The T&T bombardment has been inefficient and intrusive.

I love how, when they're calling about a child, and ask "do they need any support to self isolate?". What? I'm supporting them to self isolate! I might need support...

I must say though, that everyone I've spoken to has been really nice. They've been very human, and have sympathised when I tell them that although me and DH could sleep for a week, the kids don't have a symptom between them so we're stuck with 3 livewires who are bored out of their minds, and not an ounce of energy to deal with them! At least DD1 can do schoolwork on her own. I was helping DS with his maths today - I say helping, I couldn't figure out basic coins. Bleurgh.

Omg yes! Endless calls, texts, emails! Im bloody ill fuck off and let me rest!!
I won’t be having a PCR test again symptomatic or not, I felt utterly harassed!

I didn't even know this was a thing! DS tested positive today and I've already had a (long winded, rambling and inefficient) call from Test & Trace but I assumed that would be it!

I'm not overly impressed tbh...they asked me if he was planning to self isolate and got a bit shitty with me when I pointed out that he's 3 and unlikely to be going out unaccompanied 🙄

I'm not doing it multiple times, it's hard enough trying to WFH with a 3 year old clamouring for my attention all day, without adding them to the mix!

What happens if you just ignore their call?