Being honest, who else is doing this?

[HonestTest]

Talking to a group of friends who are split between what they now do in regards to Covid. None are CEV.

Some still testing for every symptom on either LFTs or PCRs and isolating if positive as previously required for up to 10 days (or early if neg day 6/7).

Others, like me, now not testing at all even with potential symptoms and just staying in until they feel well enough like they would have in 2019 whether that's 3 days or 10.

What are you doing now?

When tests start to cost I imagine we'll see the number of people bothering with them drop but it's been very freeing to not have to bother anymore with the circus of scrambling to find a box of gold dust lfts every time my DC or I sneezes and just treating what could be potentially Covid (I wouldn't know) like anything else.

(I appreciate the answer to this will be entirely different if you are CEV and that these people will still have access to free testing and will understandably want to do so).

I'm not doing anything. Since you no longer have to do tests to travel, I no longer do any tests and don't plan to (don't work in healthcare or have anyone in a care home). Had my vaccines, will get annual vaccine if asked to later on.

Still have several boxes left over from school handouts so using them if any of us have symptoms.

At work I know of a colleague who’s gone in with Covid this week, and to be honest I wouldn’t want the pay drop so I’d go in now if positive too.

I’d just mask up and maintain social distance at all times.

Most of the young foreigners at my workplace aren’t vaccinated - they don’t believe in it. I work in a team directly with Moldovans, Romanians, Polish, and not one of them is vaccinated. So Covid will continue to spread through our workplace no doubt. Work encourages us to come in, not stay home.

DD is abroad and she says everyone just accepts they buy LFTs either for piece of mind with symptoms or if they've had contact, so this is what I thought would happen here - obviously not.

I've had it recently and don't particularly want it again any time soon. I'll continue to do what I can to protect others as I know it can be rough for some.

I haven’t tested for ages now and had no need

If I felt unwell not sure if I would or just stay home until better

I'm waiting with interest to see what happens with NHS staff and in education. Which are still testing staff and students. Tbh I can't see anyone buying the kits for work or school, so either the gov. Will fund, or each NHS trust will have to find the money for them almost certainly directing money away from direct pt care and schools will also have to squeeze their budgets even further, OR all testing is stopped. I think the latter is most likely.
I can't imagine many non gov. Employers will spend money on testing unless the gov. Make it mandatory.
I'm think ultimately the only people who'll buy the tests are those with vulnerable family, or where travel requires it.
Out of interest does anyone know how much the tests will cost?

@ArcheryAnnie apologies for causing offence, it wasn't aimed at you. Also sorry to hear it has left you disabled.
I had the original Covid back in the early days, wouldn't want it again, and if I'm honest haven't really been the same since. I'm loathe to play the "long covid card" though as maybe I'm just getting old and looking for excuses for aches and pains I didn't have in 2019. However I thing long covid will be the new "bad back" of the work shy.

Not testing any more - have no more tests and can't get anymore locally now

(Have had Covid in last 6 weeks and triple vaxxed)

And I've just checked and there are none available to be delivered via the NHS either

I tested positive for first time at beginning of March, and stayed home for a week because I felt pretty shit tbh. I don't intend to test now unless I'm specifically asked to.

We are due to go to visit MiL at Easter and I suspect she will insist that we all do LFT, we'll do it for her peace of mind. She is early 70s with no underlying health conditions, apart from MH issues which resulted from lockdown.

Out of interest does anyone know how much the tests will cost?
Just done my own research. So gov. Won't set a price and boots have quoted £5.99 for one test or £17.00 for 4.
I can now confirm I will not be buying the tests.

I will only test if I get symptoms because I have been covid free so far. It's just general interest. I will test dc as long as we have free tests left.

@extractorfactor

Out of interest does anyone know how much the tests will cost? Just done my own research. So gov. Won't set a price and boots have quoted £5.99 for one test or £17.00 for 4. I can now confirm I will not be buying the tests.

No way would I pay that!

www.boots.com/flowflex-antigen-rapid-testing-self-testing-kit-4-kit-bundle-10314028

People have different reasons for testing/not testing - and yes, some of these are 'moral' ones, some are financial, some involve minimising (it's just a cold etc), some involve mental/physical health, education etc etc. Testing/not testing have impacts on all these areas that need to be picked up by others.

I've covid now, I'm not vaccinated, I had muscle aches for a day, took paracetamol and woke up fine. I'm continuing to isolate as don't want to infect others who might not be so lucky

They are not £17 for four.

They are £9.80 for five.

www.boots.com/flowflex-antigen-rapid-testing-self-testing-kit-5-tests-10312496

www.bmstores.co.uk/products/flowflex-covid-19-rapid-antigen-lateral-flow-testing-kit-386643 B and M have them for 1.99 (at the moment).

I’m not testing if I or the kids feel fine, even if We’ve been in close contact. I’d just rather not know. If i feel unwell I might test, or just would stay home til I feel better, or if im going to see a vulnerable relative I might test.

Not testing, never tested. Never had symptoms in the 2 years!

We aren't testing and don't have any LFTs currently. I did check to see if there were any in last time I passed the pharmacy as I thought it might be good to have a box just in case, but there weren't. If anyone in the household is ill, they'll stay out of the way until they feel better, as was the norm for us until March 2020.

All had covid quite recently, both adults fully vaccinated. Not a chance in hell will we be paying for tests. Nobody we ever visit would ask us to either.

I've tested if we've had symptoms. We had covid last week. When we felt well enough to go out, we tested and were negative so went out. That felt like the sensible thing to do.

Not testing anymore at all. I've had it twice and both times I wouldn't have even registered it had we not had it in the house anyway. The two CEV people I know have had it recently and barely registered as a bad cold for them either. I'll stay at home if I'm ill, just like I would have done in 2019.

(not registered it as in, barely gave me any symptoms at all)

I tested positive today on LFT - have quite bad symptoms. Hopefully better soon though.

I tested because I was sure I had it (I did) and my employer asked me to as they didn't want me in the office spreading it around