My dd really doesn't want to test.

[Devongirly]

My other dd tested + last week. I had tests from work so tested. They iolated for 5 days before going back to school even though I know the guidelines are not to test under 18s. My other dd now has cold symptoms and I've suggested a test but she said she doesn't want to test and is upset by it. It feels irresponsible not to. Would you encourage it or are people not testing their children anymore?

[ApplesandBunions]

@Devongirly

My other dd tested + last week. I had tests from work so tested. They iolated for 5 days before going back to school even though I know the guidelines are not to test under 18s. My other dd now has cold symptoms and I've suggested a test but she said she doesn't want to test and is upset by it. It feels irresponsible not to. Would you encourage it or are people not testing their children anymore?

No chance.

[Thebeastofsleep]

I test mine when symptomatic. We had it as a household 2 months ago. DH and I tested positive, didn't test the kids but they'd been a bit under the weather the week before (but no symptomatic) so assumed they'd had it then. I won't test them again for another couple of months though.

[sillysmiles]

@motogirl thanks. Our government guidelines are still - stay home and isolate if positive and our work guidelines are - be an adult, test if you feel unwell and stay home.

[Anothernamechangeplease]

I had covid recently. I would have encouraged my dd to test as a precaution but didn't have to as she chose to do it herself. She wouldn't want to risk infecting anyone who was vulnerable.

Most people I know are still testing if they have symptoms tbh. It's only on MN that I see loads of people who aren't!

[rainbowandglitter]

I just got a notification saying covid cases have jumped 30% in a week so people clearly are testing thankfully. I think I know more people with it now than I have at any point in the pandemic .

[LIZS]

@rainbowandglitter

I just got a notification saying covid cases have jumped 30% in a week so people clearly are testing thankfully. I think I know more people with it now than I have at any point in the pandemic .

That will be from the ONS study, not general testing. The results from the regular sample the ONS uses is then statistically applied.

[DangerNoodles]

It's her body, it's up to her.

[orangina01]

@Anothernamechangeplease

I had covid recently. I would have encouraged my dd to test as a precaution but didn't have to as she chose to do it herself. She wouldn't want to risk infecting anyone who was vulnerable.

Most people I know are still testing if they have symptoms tbh. It's only on MN that I see loads of people who aren't!

This! Everyone I know in real life actually tests if they have symptoms. Seems totally logical/responsible to me.

[catpoppet]

i think you should push for testing. I currently have Covid, i'm not vulnerable, but as it's my second time around it's reminded me how shit I feel and how irresponsible it is to potentially spread it around!! I'd feel terrible spreading it to anyone, vulnerable or not. too much minimisation of it going on at the moment. it's not like having an average cold. it's debilitating, even if you're well and non-vulnerable.

[ApplesandBunions]

@orangina01

This! Everyone I know in real life actually tests if they have symptoms. Seems totally logical/responsible to me.

You don't know anyone who'd struggle to afford to pay for tests and potential inability to work and earn if they tested positive?

[DashboardConfessional]

I tested DS for nursery this week as DH and I both had it. I felt I should, morally, and he was indeed asymptomatically positive.

[Beefilm]

It seems irresponsible not to isolate if you have covid and a test is the only way of finding out for sure. Why is your dd so adamant she doesnt want to test?

I've not been the strongest supporter of all the covid measures but it does seem extremely selfish not to make any attempt to restrict the spread of this virus. I am currently ill with it myself. A test cost me £2 from a small independent chemist.

[Randomuser9876]

I'm so confused by the people not testing if they have reason to believe they've got covid. Surely being out and about if you're positive would mean more vulnerable people were exposed to the virus?

My Dd has a few friends who are positive and she woke up feeling ill this morning. I tested her as would seem really irresponsible to send her into school /round to friends houses /seeing elderly family this weekend if there was a chance she had covid.

She wasn't keen to test but that's the responsible thing to do.

[Randomuser9876]

I realise some people can't afford tests or have to think about work etc but if that's not your situation you should test.

[bigbluebus]

We (me & adult DS) tested when we started with symptoms after DH had tested positive a few days before. We were due to go on holiday sharing accommodation with friends so we didn't go. DS worked from home for 5 days as that is his organisation's policy. DH logged his test result but we didn't bother.
The statistics now come from ONS who are presumably gathering data from testing specific people then taking the results as a percentage of the total population.
Tests are £2 in Tesco for anyone who wants them.

[liliainterfrutices]

I had Covid last week and my family all tested before meeting with others. It was £2 per test. That would stretch some people at the moment, so if people can't afford it I think it's fair enough not to test, but if you can I think it's better to do so. Covid hasn't gone away and some people are still falling really ill and still dying from it.

[Marymary987]

Yes, if you have a test then I’d encourage them as it’s the responsible thing to do.

[mac1974]

No. We had covid in January & none of us had symptoms except my eldest but she point blank refused to test. I think she just got fed up of it & I can't say I blame her. I just kept her off school until she was better. The school did phone me to ask if she had symptoms but she actually didn't have the "official" symptoms so they didn't mark her down as having covid although I'm fairly sure it was. Covid or not, she wasn't well enough to go in anyway.

[Comefromaway]

I would only test if needed for a specific thing eg ds needed a negative test for a specific place a few weeks ago.

I agreed to test when meeting up with a particularly vulnerable friend (who then provided me with some spare tests).

I wouldn't test a school/college child.

[orangina01]

@ApplesandBunions

You don't know anyone who'd struggle to afford to pay for tests and potential inability to work and earn if they tested positive?

Of course I know people who struggle to pay for test and have lost valuable income when they've been positive. A member of my family is a single parent, on a very low income, and struggles to make ends meet despite working more than one job. But she knows that if she doesn't help stop the spread of the virus in her community, then both herself and her child are going to be infected more than once and thus, she can't work again and again - further impacting her income and ability to provide for her child. She also doesn't fancy long covid for either of them. Unfortunately we live too far away to support with babysitting, or we would, but there's no need to be flippant. People in all sorts of circumstances are logical and responsible - and them some are not, as the case may be. Luckily, as I already observed, everyone I know is testing.

[ApplesandBunions]

It wasn't flippancy. It's odd that you'd think it was. The financial impact of testing is a very real issue for lots of people and you didn't show any awareness of that whatsoever in your initial post. Your ideas of responsibility are a luxury not everyone can afford.

[MarshaMelrose]

I test. I had to take my mum to hospital and I started with what turned out to be a cold. But I tested me and my mum. And I rang the hospital for what they'd like me to do. I don't want to make others ill.

[Mariposista]

The kid is probably scared of being confined to the house (or even worse, her room), when she feels fine to be going about her daily life. Leave her be.

[Mariposista]

Or you risk her not coming to tell you that she feels unwell

[LonelyPlanetGirI]

@Beefilm

It seems irresponsible not to isolate if you have covid and a test is the only way of finding out for sure. Why is your dd so adamant she doesnt want to test?

I've not been the strongest supporter of all the covid measures but it does seem extremely selfish not to make any attempt to restrict the spread of this virus. I am currently ill with it myself. A test cost me £2 from a small independent chemist.

Give over.

Not everyone can afford tests, or to isolate. Most employers now tell staff they need to come to work if they're well enough. Same for DC at school.

It's not 'selfish' to do otherwise.