Stop overusing lateral flow tests!

[musicalfrog]

How many posts on this forum say "ooh I tested twice yesterday", or "ooh I'm waiting for a pcr result but still taking a lateral flow every day"...

Have some fucking thought for the expense to the taxpayer of all these tests, and the poor folk who are struggling to get a supply of tests to keep their loved ones safe while you fritter them away without a second thought.

You DON'T need to take more than one test a day, you DON'T need to keep testing while waiting a pcr result (you should be isolating) and you DON'T need to be testing every day unless you're a close contact.

Over consumption is killing this planet, these are prime examples.

Funny how it's become the norm for people to test without symptoms for one virus when there are loads circulating that can cause serious illness given the right circumstances. My mum was seriously unwell, has long-term issues following contracting a non-specified virus in autumn 2019 and no-one not even the GPs were in the slightest bit interested. She was dismissed with 'it's just a virus, sometimes these things can be serious, yes, you can have symptoms months or years after the original infection'. So those that feel the need to LFT before doing anything ... think on this, a common cold could lead to significant illness for someone. Do you worry about that?

In London alone more than 3m people use public transport daily. I think it's unrealistic to test on that scale.

you are meant to use lft if you have no symptoms!

I think part of the problem is the messaging about symptoms, testing, incubation periods etc. Many aren't sure when LFTs vs PCRs should be used. Meanwhile, our government sticks rigidly to an outdated symptom list so many with cold like symptoms or close contacts of positive cases can't get PCRs. I think people are just trying to be responsible in the midst of the chaos.

@musicalfrog 👍🏼

you are meant to use lft if you have no symptoms

yes, lots of confusion around this

@AnyFucker

Are you the LFT monitor ?

I think we need one. Certain people on MN think you need to have one all the time, just because. Why on earth would you do one if you were meeting vaccinated, boostered, non-vulnerable people outside, for example? The only time I have done one was just before Christmas as my mum and an elderly friend were staying with us.

Mind you, our local cycling group asks people to do a LFT before attending a ride. Outside. Moving relatively quickly. [shakes head]

@musicalfrog

Does public transport not count as a crowded indoor place then? I'll be honest, haven't used it for a while. Maybe it's not so crowded.

No. It’s not indoors. I travel by tube, train and bus most days. I go through tube and train stations. Sometimes they are busy, sometimes not. You have to wear masks, unless exempt.

I was told by my gp it's good to test twice a day as it captures different samples

@newbietoanxiety

I was told by my gp it's good to test twice a day as it captures different samples

Sod that, my poor nose would be finished! Daily was bad enough so there's no way I could do them more often, I'd rather stay in.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat doesn't bother me in the slightest. Work asked us to test every other day as well so have been testing regularly throughout. I find it comforting to know that I'm PROBABLY negative....

I agree with you OP. We are being told to reduce our consumption and production of single use plastics, yet somehow people can make an exception in their mind for LFT usage on a scale beyond comprehension. How much NHS funding is being redirected towards paying for them? How much single use plastic on a daily, even twice weekly, timescale in many households? I imagine many other countries aren't using them at all or anywhere to the extent as we are in the UK, which is the only thing that gives me a bit of hope.

I think I have a problem with my nose after an accident a few years ago @newbietoanxiety. I always feel as though I've got a cold and LFTs are painful. I've also got allergies (no idea what to unfortunately) and I don't think that helps either.

The obsessives are putting mine and other families at risk by stockpiling and testing just because they can

Save your breath, OP; you might as well ask folk not to queue for £5 of petrol or strip the supermarket shelves of stuff they don't actually need for all the difference it'll make

When people have allowed themselves to be driven into this kind of mindset there's no quick way out. Personally I'm hoping charges for LFTs do come in; some will still need to test for their jobs of course and employers can provide those, but for others it could solve an awful lot

@AllThingsServeTheBeam

We're all testing daily at the minute as I have an operation on NYE. I'll carry on as I am thanks.

You don't need to test everyday you just need to isolate until the day of your op. You should have had a pcr and then are told to isolate. I know because I've had lots of ops this year on my spine and I've got at least 3 more early next year.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

The obsessives are putting mine and other families at risk by stockpiling and testing just because they can

Save your breath, OP; you might as well ask folk not to queue for £5 of petrol or strip the supermarket shelves of stuff they don't actually need for all the difference it'll make

When people have allowed themselves to be driven into this kind of mindset there's no quick way out. Personally I'm hoping charges for LFTs do come in; some will still need to test for their jobs of course and employers can provide those, but for others it could solve an awful lot

This.

I read some of the threads on here obsessing about testing. They do numerous LFTs which are then dismissed as they are apparently not reliable. So then they start fretting about the PCRs and the availability or lack thereof.

Jesus.

@snapsieplopp

If you have to test to realise you even have it then why the hell are we giving covid a second thought

🤔

Because you could be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, but want to avoid spreading it to people who wouldn’t and could be hospitalised ??

my work no longer provide the tests, even though we need to do them every 3 or 4 days
when i go into town people have been handing them out

@musicalfrog I've not read any of your recent posts since I last posted but....

If you re only going to see CV people for a day then it makes complete sense to test before you set off.

If you are going to stay with them ( are you?) then by travelling on a train/ bus/ tube etc you are not really being that careful.

This is because you could pick up the virus on that train and it would not show on a LF test until you had enough viral load to be picked up.

This could take a few days BUT all the while you may still infect the family you are visiting.

Have you not listened to the news lately about trains? They are absolutely packed.

Yesterday on the radio a journalist reported on his train journey.
Instead of there being 10 carriages, there were 5 .
The train was full with people standing all the way.
This is because staff are off sick so trains are cancelled or rolling stock is being used differently to keep more trains running but with fewer carriages.

Legally, masks have to be worn on public transport. I'd say anything from 10-20% of people consider themselves exempt from what I've seen on trains into London.

By all means test before you go, but do bear in mind that you may be infected on your journey and it won't show up on a test immediately.

Same here can't get any! While some selfish people have boxes an boxes of the things doesn't surprise me tho these are the people that stock piled baby milk and toilet rolls.

@musicalfrog

Does public transport not count as a crowded indoor place then? I'll be honest, haven't used it for a while. Maybe it's not so crowded.

You need to listen to the news .

The crowding on trains has been in the news for days.

Legally, face coverings must be worn but a lot of people are 'exempt' you will find.

I'm aghast that anyone thinks they need to do a lateral flow test to go on public transport.

@BellaChagall

I'm aghast that anyone thinks they need to do a lateral flow test to go on public transport.

But is that what the OP and others said?

I assume they mean they want to test before they meet vulnerable family at the end of their journey.

Not that they are bothered about infecting others on a bus or train.

However, it ignores the fact they may pick up the virus on public transport and carry it to their destination with them

Try living in NI. They charge for LFTs in Ireland so loads are coming over the border to get free tests from pharmacies.

It’s openly discussed on Facebook groups.

People are also getting them by the truckload (exaggeration of course..!) and giving them to family and friends over the border.

So none to be had here!

[quote VaccineSticker]@AllThingsServeTheBeam if someone catches omicron in your household, sadly the whole house will go down with them. It’s highly transmissible. If I were you I would isolate them all with you until you operation. Good luck.[/quote]
Sadly you're wrong.

We have had a case of omicron in the house, DD diagnosed +ve just before Christmas. Nobody else got it .

Same as her friend whose mum got it, but not her dad or two (adult) siblings.