Testing twice a week?

[julieca]

I read someone say that we should all be testing twice a week. This was news to me. I know that people in some jobs are supposed to test twice a week. But surely we don't all have to?

Yes I can imagine there might be in Scotland. I am in England.
We have adverts on our shopping streets and main streets into the city telling us to get out there and spend.

I work in the NHS and we are told to test every Mon and Thurs but I don't know anyone outside work who does

I’m fairly sure it says to test twice a week on Gov.uk somewhere.

The advice changed recently (see reticle below), from test twice a week to test before you meet up with anyone. However this may change again with omicron.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/nov/23/people-in-england-and-scotland-urged-to-take-more-lateral-flow-tests

@Crimsonripple

I've never seen anywhere it saying twice a week. I know they're easy to get and use but it's only recommendations not a mandated requirement. I certainly haven't been doing that or will do that. I'm fed up of the whole thing now!

Well the whole point is that they are done to protect other people. I don't know about you but I wouldn't like to give covid to my 85 year old neighbour I visit sometimes so will happily take the precaution of doing a quick test.

@julieca

Okay it has been a pretty crap campaign then. I am a news junkie and don't know this.

I don’t live in England and, initially, we couldn’t get LFT but I knew about the English ‘every adult test twice a week’ campaign.

There an advert on tv running about how to test to keep everyone safe. What do people imagine when we talk of lateral flows that are purely for no symptom testing. Or do people think just for going on holiday?

@akire I thought they were for using before visiting someone vulnerable or big meet ups. And the theatre asked people to do one.

This is the kind of publicity I saw.

Secondary school and college pupils will be routinely tested for Covid twice a week
All families with schoolchildren, or members of support and childcare bubbles, will also be encouraged to get tested regularly

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/secondary-school-college-pupils-routinely-19889691

They’re really easy and quick to do. These are the things people should be doing to stop and further restrictions over the winter.

You can pick them up in most council run buildings across the uk, order online via gov.uk and call 119 for them.

Literally take 2mins to do then wait 15 mins for results. You only put a swab up your nose now with most.

It was announced this week in the briefing to do one if you went out, I think to a crowded place or visiting people but before that I thought it was for work or school, I haven't done them.

@Orchidflower1 I know, I have done some. But nowhere near twice a week. Maybe once a month?

The point is though 1 in 3 positive cases have no symptoms so that’s third everyday so around 25,000 cases not being picked up. If everyone tested would really help hammer down. But agree if you don’t watch live TV or radio adverts you may have missed it.

In England, when schools went back and they asked pupils to test twice a week, families were told to do it too. And there's been general advice in various press releases etc advising doing them regularly. Certainly in my town they regularly hand them out in the shopping centre. I do them about twice a week, depending on where I'm going or have gone - try to make sure I've done within last 3 days if I'm going anywhere where there's lots of people or vulnerable people or where I'll be with the same people for considerable time, so eg toddler group, church, train, work, but also that I do within within 3 days of going somewhere like that, so tends to work out as about twice a week. They aren't particularly pleasant but are easy and quick.

They do expect common sense eg if you rarely leave the house or come into contact with anyone then twice a week would be overkill. If you travel on crowded trains, work in close proximity with people or visit vulnerable people, then I'm amazed that people aren't doing it. No wonder it just won't go away!

I has been twice a week for ages for parents, and many workers, and school kids, and students. Later on it went to twice per week for everyone I think.

It hasn’t been widely advertised. Like many things during this pandemic, the government’s message has been dire.

I know we should because ds is at secondary school. I test regularly because I’m commuting into the office so want to check before I go in! We also test ds almost daily.

I'm I'm Scotland and everyone is recommended to them twice a week, although it is not mandated, it is encouraged.

Tests are free by mail order or you can collect them at pharmacies and designated sites in towns.

I know lots of people who do it and lots who don't.

DS1 is supposed to test twice a week, I'm a Councillor and we are encouraged to test as well, so we both do. DS2 has taken the odd one. And DH works from home and hardly leaves the house so has used them on a much more sporadic basis. Most of my friends have teenagers so they're all doing the same. We're in Northern Ireland

I wfh but go out about 3 or 4 times a week. I know the local chemists hand out free LFT but I don't know if anywhere else does apart from schools.
I go to the supermarket, pub, shops, leisure centre and an education class every single week. Even the education class did not advise us to test weekly.

I follow my local council and the First Minister ( Nicola) on twitter so I know anything locally that is happening , briefings ,weather and so on . Then I don't miss whatever is happening . I hate not being in the loop .

[quote PerfectlyUnsuitable]@gettingolderandgrumpy that’s exactly why I’m saying the campaign has obviously not been very good.

I don’t buy newspapers or magazines, like a lot of people really.
Never seen anything like this on my feeds (Twitter, fb etc…)
Don’t have a Tv
Like more and more people nowadays[/quote]
How can you even comment that it’s not been widely advertised when you don’t have a tv or read magazines/ newspapers? .
Maybe just check in to the news website occasionally. Don’t rely on mumsnet or twitter .

There is a stall in our local market twice a week, you can order online or ask at local chemist.

[quote julieca]@Orchidflower1 I know, I have done some. But nowhere near twice a week. Maybe once a month?[/quote]
That’s fine I know someone who tests every time she’s out somewhere like a concert then afterwards. At least your testing

@gettingolderandgrumpy most people now use news apps. That is normal. If they are advertising in paper magazines and newspapers thy will be reaching old people.