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Original poster

How do people still not know?!

125 replies

Biscoffandtea · 26/10/2021 15:12

Currently on a self catering holiday for half term in the UK. My FIL turned arrived yesterday full of cold coughing continously. He said he's fine as he's done a LF. I pointed out as he has one on the main three symptoms he needs to have a PCR. He claims he had no idea that it was a requirement and doesn't know what the main symptoms of covid are. He said he would book a PCR but wasn't going to isolate whilst waiting for the results.

I'm so cross about it all 😤 How on earth, over 18 months later can people claim they don't know when they should get PCRs?!

OP posts:
LoathesomeLinsey · 26/10/2021 15:13

I think people do know but don't want to be arsed going to the test centre tbh.

Whitegrenache · 26/10/2021 15:13

Don't know or don't want to test?

I'm done with it all now I'm afraid.

Call me selfish - I'll Accept the name

SeasonalNamechange · 26/10/2021 15:18

me too @whitegrenache

MrsTerryPratchett · 26/10/2021 15:22

But then surely stay away from people who don't feel the same way. You have the right to your own risk assessment but you don't get to make mine.

Original poster
Biscoffandtea · 26/10/2021 15:26

That's the thing though, why bother to do a LF but then claim he knows nothing about needing to take a PCR.
@MrsTerryPratchett that is how I feel - he can choose not to test but I'm angry my ability to do a risk assessment for my self and my children has been taken away from me.

OP posts:
Fiowill · 26/10/2021 15:28

I was in denial at first, convincing myself it was the flu. Until I completely lost my sense of smell. It's a lot of hassle realising you do have it, going for a test and then having to isolate. I can imagine people are purposely avoiding that.

NotMyCat · 26/10/2021 15:31

@MrsTerryPratchett

But then surely stay away from people who don't feel the same way. You have the right to your own risk assessment but you don't get to make mine.
Well exactly. I hope people are at least isolating if they're refusing to do a PCR rather than going food shopping etc where there is vulnerable people who may have no vaccine antibodies
Mosaic123 · 26/10/2021 15:35

You can order a test to be delivered to your house if you don't want to go to a centre. My DH has just done that and posted it off. He thinks he has the super cold that seems to be popular at the moment but it will be good to find out. Have cancelled various outings until he is sure one way or the other.

Topseyt · 26/10/2021 15:41

@Whitegrenache

Don't know or don't want to test?

I'm done with it all now I'm afraid.

Call me selfish - I'll Accept the name

I am inclined to agree with this.

I had a heavy cold recently. I did cough a fair bit and lose my sense of taste and smell for a few days, as I often do with colds and flu viruses. I did actually do a PCR test (reluctantly, but I did). It was negative.

I only did the PCR Test because it was a required one (day 2) after returning from abroad. If it hadn't been required for that reason I don't think I would have bothered doing it. I'd just have waited until I felt better before seeing others.

I wouldn't have just turned up full of it as OP's FIL did though. As I said, I'd have waited for it to subside somewhat.

LizzieSiddal · 26/10/2021 15:41

He should know that if he has a continuous cough, he needs to get a PCR, there’s no excuse really.

PlausibleSuit · 26/10/2021 15:43

I understand why there are two different types of test but I think a lot of people don't.

My SIL is one of them -- as far as she's concerned, a test is a test. The shit's been shat now but I have always thought it wasn't terribly helpful to call both types 'test'. Needlessly confusing.

The other factor, I think, is actually understanding the information given. The average reading age of adults in the UK is 9. I.e. about half the adults in this country would struggle to read a Harry Potter book. Around 16% of working adults are functionally illiterate. A lot of the wording online and in leaflets around covid tests is still quite badly worded, and easily misunderstood for someone whose reading comprehension level is average or below.

A lot of medical information is copywritten to a Plain English standard but I don't think the covid info has been -- probably because there hasn't been time, rapidly unfolding situation and all that.

LizzieSiddal · 26/10/2021 15:43

I'd just have waited until I felt better before seeing others.

Well that’s absolutely fine then, you weren’t imposing yourself on others, when you could potentially have Covid.

If I were you Op I’d send your FIL home.

Original poster
Biscoffandtea · 26/10/2021 15:59

@PlausibleSuit

I understand why there are two different types of test but I think a lot of people don't.

My SIL is one of them -- as far as she's concerned, a test is a test. The shit's been shat now but I have always thought it wasn't terribly helpful to call both types 'test'. Needlessly confusing.

The other factor, I think, is actually understanding the information given. The average reading age of adults in the UK is 9. I.e. about half the adults in this country would struggle to read a Harry Potter book. Around 16% of working adults are functionally illiterate. A lot of the wording online and in leaflets around covid tests is still quite badly worded, and easily misunderstood for someone whose reading comprehension level is average or below.

A lot of medical information is copywritten to a Plain English standard but I don't think the covid info has been -- probably because there hasn't been time, rapidly unfolding situation and all that.

I agree that where for example English is not the first language the covid messaging has not been appropriately disseminated.

However, that is not the case with my FIL he is highly educated, supposedly intelligent, reads various media outlets and watches the news. It's either he doesn't want to know or genuinely didn't know and I'm not convinced it's the latter.

OP posts:
TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 26/10/2021 16:00

Even if it was just a heavy cold then It's
Good manners to check you are still welcome when you could pass it onto everyone else on holiday.

BeautifulBirds · 26/10/2021 16:09

I think some people play ignorant because they can't afford to be off work.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 26/10/2021 16:28

The PCRs haven’t had good press recently. Maybe it’s that?

XenoBitch · 26/10/2021 16:36

@BeautifulBirds

I think some people play ignorant because they can't afford to be off work.
This. And nearly 2 years on, I can't believe people don't realise this either. If you have your own little company, having to isolate could spell the end of your business.
Dontcomeinwithyourcough · 26/10/2021 16:36

@Whitegrenache

Don't know or don't want to test?

I'm done with it all now I'm afraid.

Call me selfish - I'll Accept the name

You are selfish to people like me who have extremely vulnerable loved ones.

It infuriates me OP.
I’ve had 3 people turn up for appointments with me in the last couple of days, all with coughs “but it’s okay, it isn’t Covid my LFT was negative….I don’t have a temperature……I always get a cough this time of year”.

If people want to get on with their life that’s fine, but they don’t have the right to put others in the situation where they may take Covid home and kill their loved ones Angry

zoemum2006 · 26/10/2021 16:40

You have news articles saying Lateral flows are a lot more reliable than thought and travellers now needing only lateral flows.

Why should people assume they’re rubbish?

Original poster
Biscoffandtea · 26/10/2021 16:41

Again I totally agree with this and I have a great deal of empathy with people in this situation. However, this is not my FIL's case, he is retired and has been for a number of years, has no commitments. I think it just doesn't suit him to isolate so is claiming ignorance.

OP posts:
Mybalconyiscracking · 26/10/2021 16:42

LFT tests have been proven as reliable as PCRs now. The only reason they want PCRs done is because they have to be registered so T&T can keep an eye on you and the government have the statistics,

stingofthebutterfly · 26/10/2021 16:42

There's an Oxford study that claims lfts are 95% effective at picking up covid cases when used in symptomatic people. There's not much difference between them and PCRs.

That's good enough for me.

BeautifulBirds · 26/10/2021 16:43

Not just small business owners, people on 0 hour contracts, those that only get ssp, those that have exhausted company sick pay etc.

Some families just can't support this, so people will hide symptoms, test results and the like.

User135644 · 26/10/2021 16:44

@Biscoffandtea

Currently on a self catering holiday for half term in the UK. My FIL turned arrived yesterday full of cold coughing continously. He said he's fine as he's done a LF. I pointed out as he has one on the main three symptoms he needs to have a PCR. He claims he had no idea that it was a requirement and doesn't know what the main symptoms of covid are. He said he would book a PCR but wasn't going to isolate whilst waiting for the results.

I'm so cross about it all 😤 How on earth, over 18 months later can people claim they don't know when they should get PCRs?!

Is this the Great British Common Sense Boris has relied on throughout.
User135644 · 26/10/2021 16:45

@LoathesomeLinsey

I think people do know but don't want to be arsed going to the test centre tbh.
Which is fine if you're staying at home.