How many rapid antigen tests do you do each week?

[NightLight2]

Am stressed and worried, govt (Australia) has told us we must purchase rapid antigen tests ourselves as they won’t be free. They’re as scarce as hen’s teeth anyway but when they can be found can be about equivalent of £4 to £9 per test. We need them for quick testing otherwise will have to wait for PCR results which are taking 48 to 70+ hours. Just how many do you use each week per household member?

Only before I go to close indoor meet up so once a fortnight I guess?

I never had a free one. When I needed them for foreign travel, I paid £19 & £59 - avg once a year or 2 tests/trip

Thanks everyone, a different range of answers.

Daily when I’ve been a close contact .. which has been 7 days & then immediately, another 7 so far 🙈 I imagine back to school, probably another 7 😂 it’s such a waste of tests! I hate the amount of plastic we are wasting 😭

Can you imagine if we suddenly had to pay for them in the UK?! Usage would drop like a stone!

@Bobholll

Daily when I’ve been a close contact .. which has been 7 days & then immediately, another 7 so far 🙈 I imagine back to school, probably another 7 😂 it’s such a waste of tests! I hate the amount of plastic we are wasting 😭

Can you imagine if we suddenly had to pay for them in the UK?! Usage would drop like a stone!

We can but hope. I'm going back to plastic straws

I miss plastic straws. My young kids get through about 1/4 carton apple juice before they’ve turned their paper straws into pulp 😫 such a waste of juice!!

@Bobholll

I miss plastic straws. My young kids get through about 1/4 carton apple juice before they’ve turned their paper straws into pulp 😫 such a waste of juice!!

And McDonald's milkshake impossible with paper straws lol

@Bobholll

Daily when I’ve been a close contact .. which has been 7 days & then immediately, another 7 so far 🙈 I imagine back to school, probably another 7 😂 it’s such a waste of tests! I hate the amount of plastic we are wasting 😭

Can you imagine if we suddenly had to pay for them in the UK?! Usage would drop like a stone!

Yeah that’s what paying for them will mean in Australia, many people won’t test when they have symptoms because they have to pay for them, instead symptoms will be hidden.

Dd2 and I do twice weekly during term time. I'm the holidays it's only if we are going somewhere with lots of people or vulnerable people. So over Christmas we did 4 each, including dh and dd1 (who are both wfh so not testing) because we saw my parents a couple of times and mil a couple of times.

I don't think I'd test as often if we had to pay for them. I know my sister and her kids wouldn't test at all in that case, as they just couldn't afford to.

Once a week before I do my weekly elderly jobs. DD does twice a week (NHS) DH doesn’t ever do them and DS if he’s come across someone with Covid.

Twice a week for the school goers and DH who works out of the home. When a member of the household was positive the rest of us also tested daily during their isolation. I test every week or so, or if I'm going to see my mum as she lives with someone clinically vulnerable.

If I was paying for them I'd only bother for the mum visits.

At the moment, none. Can’t get hold of them for love nor money.

Twice a week. I work for NHS. If someone is a close contact at work or dd has a close contact at school (she's a teacher) then daily for a bit. I also test just before I visit my elderly parents if I'm going in the house.

None. I did a few before christmas when i was meeting up with people for social events but am working from home and not really socialising at the moment so not routinely testing.

3

1 before bell ringing (required as a condition of going) , twice a week.
1 for work.

None. So many people I know seem to do them at the drop of a hat,and be all virtuous about it. just seems such a waste.and the virtuous thing is just pants.

None at all. Haven't ever done one. I refuse to add to landfill in this fashion. I'm a regular middle class person, mother of three, not some hippy dippy but I am ethically opposed to this plastic garbage. The environmental crisis is far more of a concern than blooming Omnicron for gods sake.

None for me or DH.

DFW has to have a negative LFT test before her driving lesson each week at the moment, but that's it in this house.

I've only ever done one Covid test - my obligatory day 2 PCR test on return from a holiday abroad. I won't do any more until definitely required for a good reason.

I wouldn't be very surprised if the UK government stops providing them for free soon. As an earlier pp said, usage would drop like a stone. That would in turn reduce the horrendous level of plastic waste that they generate.

I think they've said they intend to stop giving them away free soon haven't they? Forget where I saw it.

Normally 3 times a week for work..care home.atm we are having to do them daily as a few staff tested positive. I will be glad when we can stop to be honest.

Zero.