Does anyone know what things will be like come April?

[Wednesdayafternoon]

... I.E when the tests are no longer free.

Will the guidelines still be to isolate until you have 2 negative tests or is that all going to go?

My family have all had Covid apart from me and my 2 sons. I don't know how we have been spared, but I am so glad we have this time around. I'm anxious though, the isolating is what makes me nervous. I'm looking forward to a time where, if you have it, it's ok to go for a little remote walk or out in your car if need be like you would with any other illness.
I'm aware you can do that now, but everyone around me is so against it because of the guilds ones it's just not socially acceptable!

@TalkToTheHand123

Does anyone know what the schools plan to do? Will they demand children with symptoms stay away and get tested / get sent home?

They won’t be able to unless they provide the tests, that would hugely disadvantage lower income families and the backlash would be massive.

Symptomatic and qsymptomatic testing ends on 1/4

So people won’t be able to go get a test at drop of a hat

Gov are not advising people to test or isolate etc from 1/4 so schools will be issued new advice. They can’t send kids home since there are no rules from then on isolating or testing

Currently today the government are still advising to isolate and that’s why schools are following gov advice and sending kids home

They won’t be doing that from 1/4.

I wonder what will happen with pcr tests. Will these be at a cost too 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Wednesdayafternoon

I wonder what will happen with pcr tests. Will these be at a cost too 🤷🏼‍♀️

Yes free PCR tests are stopping too.

@Overthebow omg no way!!! I'm really surprised about this!

[quote Wednesdayafternoon]@Overthebow omg no way!!! I'm really surprised about this![/quote]
why? its got to all end sometime?

@SaxendaSummer yes it does but I'm just suprised that free pcr are being scrapped too!

Do you think you will be able to pay for Covid PCR tests? I’d be worried if I get long covid- with no tests how would I access long covid clinics. Im sure as the emphasis on Covid goes down the money will go so presumably hospitals will have to ration the service somehow.

Well... my workplace has said come to work covid positive or not! Have been told we are not required to tell them and if we are off work it will be normal sick pay ie: no pay. What choice do we have? Got to pay the bills regardless of the selfishness.

I think there will be a high level of people off sick for a few days here and there as it burns it's way through the population.

@Bagadvertsa I wouldnt worry to much about not being able to access COVID clinics. The waiting lists are years long and they have no treatments, everything is very much in the research stage.

Doctors in my area are playing lip service to long covid

They openly admit there is no need for massive rush to diagnose since there’s no treatment anyway other than time

Ah ok. It will become the next ME or fibromyalgia misunderstood by employers and the assessors for disability/illness benefits.

You won't know you have Covid as people won't be testing.

You will wonder do I have a cold or Covid, but will have no clue.

So I assume you carry on as if it's a cold.

[quote Porcupineintherough]**@Bagadvertsa I wouldnt worry to much about not being able to access COVID clinics. The waiting lists are years long and they have no treatments, everything is very much in the research stage.[/quote]
not necessarily true, the CFS service I am under is already seeing long Covid patients, I am in groups with people with this diagnosis now and the management is exactly the same as people with CFS/ME diagnoses (for those who present with this form of long Covid at least). The only good thing is that research is finally being invested in....there was a report about research funding for post-viral conditions in USA where its apparently gone from millions of $ to over a billion. There is no specific test for any post-viral condition @Bagadverts, long Covid included, its a diagnosis of exclusion based on symptoms and patient history.

plus the sooner that people/Dr's are educated that post-viral conditions can be managed/improved and people can and do recover all the time the better. If people know the right way to handle it in the months after their initial trigger illness you won't get as many people suffering for years and years like me and many others! When I started working in the 90's people were still being referred to psychiatric services with it.

@Bagadverts

Do you think you will be able to pay for Covid PCR tests? I’d be worried if I get long covid- with no tests how would I access long covid clinics. Im sure as the emphasis on Covid goes down the money will go so presumably hospitals will have to ration the service somehow.

Yes, you can pay for private pcrs now if you want and this will continue. They’re around £60-£100 depending on the company.