No LFT's to be found

[ichundich]

We are down to our last 3 LFT's, so currently not even enough for Christmas Day for our family of 4. Over the past week or so I have kept trying the government website and since yesterday I've rung / visited 7 different pharmacies. Not one of them had any LFT's or could tell when they'd be back in stock. This is Herts / Cambs. Anyone else got this problem? How are we supposed to 'be careful' if we can't even get hold of tests?

I ordered at 8am yesterday & DH today - we're testing daily for work up to Christmas Eve

@ihearttc I have long since stopped logging my tests with school or online

Who is hoarding them? And why? Can the gov not just stick a pack through everyone's doors?

I’m similar area to you OP and got some for delivery this morning (have been trying for a few days). I’m watching local Facebook sites as there is a thread going in my town as to which pharmacies have availability

I’ve ordered online twice. Neither order has arrived, and no tracking email either. I did however, have an email both times to say they’d arrived. They haven’t.
Ringing 119 is hopeless as none of the options seem appropriate.

@PotteringAlong

I don’t think I explained what I mean. Each test had to be logged when given out and who it is given to…ours is on a massive spreadsheet. It’s a requirement from DofE and they can ask for proof plus they schools are only sent enough for each staff for 3.5 weeks so there isn’t any spare to take and even if we did take them we’d have to log it on the spreadsheet. I mean the chances are they will never ever see proof of who has taken what test but it’s what we are advised to do.

I had to order some Monday as couldn’t find any in my part of Central London or my Surrey town. Judging by some threads some families are all testing everyday… I’m just not sure how plentiful the tests are in their area or how they’re getting so many but it seems excessive. I heard someone on the radio saying he has them hanging in his tree as Christmas decorations.

Keep trying. I managed to order some about and hour or so ago.

@Bubblty

Who is hoarding them? And why? Can the gov not just stick a pack through everyone's doors?

Even if they did a pack of 7 for a family really isn’t very many

Even if they did a pack of 7 for a family really isn’t very many this is true. Maybe 2 packs. Just to give them time to build up stock to order.

@ThreeKneeRepeater

I’ve ordered online twice. Neither order has arrived, and no tracking email either. I did however, have an email both times to say they’d arrived. They haven’t. Ringing 119 is hopeless as none of the options seem appropriate.

This has happened to me as well. Two sets ordered last week on different days, did not arrive. I didn't receive the arrival email either though. Not sure whether to order more and give these up for lost, but obviously don't want 3 boxes arriving when other people are short. No stock local to me either.

I've been choosing bizarre times of the day to order online & mostly been successful eg I wake in the middle of the night for a pee & log in sort of thing!

Places you could try - and I know it's a bit bizarre but bear with me - are the local mosques after Friday's prayers & synagogues on the Shabbat.

Certainly in my town on Fridays, according to Muslim taxi drivers & Jewish friends, you will find stalls set up as it's an easy way to distribute the LFT packs amongst the communities & they might have a few packs going spare.

(I've never done this but it could be an option)

I ordered a pack to be picked up from our local Lloyds pharmacy but they have none and don't anticipate getting any delivered this week. What to do? I dunno.

Can I trapise my q code all over the place trying different pharmacies or is my order tied to one premises, does anyone know? Sorry!

Same prob here OP (Cambs). Got a code online but all pharmacies out of stock for days and days. Managed to get some via the NHS website last night for postal delivery in a few days, not sure when that will be with Xmas post. Not going anywhere but suspected case in the house and need them.

Our vaccination hub are giving them away after each appointment

Probably running out because people on MM and Twitter are testing every five minutes

Or maybe people genuinely need them cos the number of cases are over double what they were in the Jan spike with massive outbreaks at schools.

Call local leisure centres too, I couldn't get any in the pharmacies but the leisure centre had loads

I ordered some this morning no problem, got an out of stock message when I tried to order last week but the next day I was able to order. Think you just have to try randomly throughout the day OP.

I’ve just ordered some online.

I ordered online yesterday and they were delivered today

I ordered some online last night and DH ordered a box this morning. I wanted to make sure we had enough as I'm waiting to find out if someone I spent all day with in the office on Monday is positive.

@ohidoliketobe

Have you searched for collection in nearby larger towns? Quick search for stevenage, Royston Cambridge throws up plenty of collection options.

My local pharmacy comes up as a pick up point on the NHS website, but I've just rung them and they confirmed that they're still out of stock. Online order website still displays "Sorry, no home delivery slots are currently available." I have a few teacher & nurse friends who I can ask, but what a pain 🙄.

I've just ordered another pack online. We have plenty at school but they're the older (throat and nose) ones so I prefer to use the flowflex ones.

Tesco and sainsburys giving them out today