The End is CerTEIRnly in Sight ...

[dancemom]

New thread, possibly the last?

@Scottishskifun

In some good news Englands test pilots of large crowds (which some labelled irresponsible..... 🙄) showed 15 positive cases out of 58,000!

Ooooh, that's great news! Hope we start to see things moving up here too. I'm still a bit grumpy at the lack of prospect of proper crowds/ audiences again. The masks/sanitizer/distance thing is still seeming pretty engrained as things open up, and that's making it not very appealing for me to go to stuff I'd otherwise really enjoy.

@prettybird

We've just had a box of 7 lateral flow tests delivered by the postie to "The Household"

I don't think we can complain about lack of testing

Yes, I hadn't realised these were available to anyone who wants them now. We got a box last week, to use just in case... We're not really going anywhere, but it's a useful thing to have before visiting people or whatever, as a reassurance. Though having said that, the box is currently sitting unopened on the coffee table of junk even though we have been for lunch with (double jabbed) DPs today, so we're probably not model citizens... I still get twitchy about single use plastic so want to only use them if totally needed!

You can order them by filling in the form here

@WhatWouldTheDoctorDo

Jupiter Artland is worth a visit - the Bridge Inn at Ratho isn't far if you want to tie in a nice lunch.

Not been to jupiter artland (though want to now I've looked it up) but I am totally all there for the Bridge Inn.

Thanks @WhatWouldTheDoctorDo - good recommendation.

I am never ever testing on spec. Or probably if I’m unwell. I’ll just stay home if I am.

I do it once a week, takes about three minutes. I feel better keeping a check on it.

I think if testing helps us move forward then I'm happy to do it, painless and takes minutes to do.

A colleague and one of my teens friends received a confirmed positive at the testing center after it being flagged by regular LFT's - both were asymptomatic so would have gone about as usual if it wasn't for them.

We've been using LFT tests twice a week since last year for school/work and I do a mandatory PCR once a week too.

The point about the testing - and the sneaky thing about this virus- is that you can be asymptomatic, feel fine, yet be transmitting it to others That's why I'm happy to be tested, especially as I live in the middle of a "hot spot" (and over the last few months, have done both PCR and lateral flow tests - all of which have been negative ).

That's why the testing campaign is specifically for those who are asymptomatic - to stop the spread from those who don't realise that they've got it

Well, it ain’t for me. I’m never near enough anyone to spread it anyway, and asymptomatic spread is rare.

Just need to stop counting cases anyway and look at hospitals/deaths.

Off to watch Eurovision 😃

I think we'd all be happier if we stopped testing tbh. I think all it does is increase anxiety. What does it matter if 50 or 1000 have it and are asymptomatic? What does it matter if they spread it to other people?The vulnerable are protected, hospitals aren't over-run and we need to just stop now.

The cure is now worse than the disease. More people dying and getting ill with things acerbated by the restrictions now. Plenty things to be worried about that aren't covid.

Oh and DH was talking to a woman who sits in her house with the curtains drawn, not wanting to see anyone and is now getting even more anxious about the Indian variant as she is half Indian and thinks that puts her more at risk! Poor woman has been terrified by project fear and isn't in any way living her life.

I've followed the guidelines closely so am never "close" to anyone outwith my extended bubble (which includes my dad). But I do go to the shops once or twice a week and despite my best efforts, people do come within a metre of me there.

@Scottishskifun

In some good news Englands test pilots of large crowds (which some labelled irresponsible..... 🙄) showed 15 positive cases out of 58,000!

Brilliant

I'm happy to test. I live in Glasgow and while I'm lucky enough not to live or work in one of the 'hotspot' areas we have had cases in school so I'd rather minimise the chances of me inadvertently spreading it. It seems like a lot of spikes in Scotland now are coming from schools and while the (batshit) government are fixating on case numbers, I'd rather know I'm unlikely to be adding to the spread.

I suppose i should test weekly. I don't as it fuels my anxiety. I work in a busy shop and am very often closer to people than i like. And i use public transport 5 days a week. I usually get slaughtered on here for my worry over covid but its plain I'm in contact with people a lot lot more than most here.

@ssd

I suppose i should test weekly. I don't as it fuels my anxiety. I work in a busy shop and am very often closer to people than i like. And i use public transport 5 days a week. I usually get slaughtered on here for my worry over covid but its plain I'm in contact with people a lot lot more than most here.

I'm a teacher who travels by public transport so I am in contact with a lot of people on a very regular basis. I find with every negative test I feel more reassured.

@Haudyourwheesht

I'm happy to test. I live in Glasgow and while I'm lucky enough not to live or work in one of the 'hotspot' areas we have had cases in school so I'd rather minimise the chances of me inadvertently spreading it. It seems like a lot of spikes in Scotland now are coming from schools and while the (batshit) government are fixating on case numbers, I'd rather know I'm unlikely to be adding to the spread.

Not Glasgow but teacher in another area with a spike. I find testing gives me peace of mind. It has picked up cases among colleagues. There needs to be a discussion and acceptance that schools are driving up spikes. I feel too many people are caught up with the narrative of March 2020 that children were not catching Covid or passing it on. Simply not true.

I work in ICU so am around lots of staff and patients all the time and I test myself twice weekly. I'm fully vaccinated but my DH only got his first dose last week so I think I'm testing to protect him from me passing it on to him.

PCR Testing of close contacts picked up several children in ds' school who were postitive, none had any symptoms. They would still have isolated if they hadn't known but their families wouldn't - at least one dad tested positive.
I've become more casual I suppose since Easter as I just see so many children every day, no real distancing - glad we still have masks, for now.

In the few weeks we had of anything being open (Stirling so tier 3/4) prior to Christmas I didn't go anywhere or do anything for fear of being contact traced and the impact on my pupils if I had to isolate.

I had a long time to regret that.

Now I am squeezing every last drop out of weekends and have a real carpe diem approach.

I happily do my 2LFTs per week, so does DD4.DH has weekly PCRs. We have had one dose none of our DDs have had one, all work in jobs which bring them into contact with large numbers . Testing reassures me and knowing that my colleagues and many of my pupils are testing also reassures me.

The "kids don't get it, kids don't spread it" narrative permeated so deeply that despite the current figures there is still an alarming belief in that bullshit. My friend who works in an educational setting was infected through contact at work (child not a colleague) just before Easter and one of her non vaccinated as too young family ended up in ICU .

Why aren't people who work in spike areas in key roles not being prioritised?

I’m the opposite @Lidlfix. I was out and about everywhere last summer and whenever things were open. But I’ve lost much enthusiasm for doing anything now because of masks, and rules, and booking, and laminated notices everywhere declaring SAFETY. Can’t be arsed.

But I am off to Helensburgh on my mini break next weekend 😂

From info sessions on the zoe app seems to be children were a lot less likely to get the original strain but withe the Kent one which is dominant that has gone out the window!

We got it from my 2 year old although he had zero symptoms.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/22/no-10-tried-to-block-data-on-spread-of-new-covid-variant-in-english-schools

I was out and about during the summer but as soon as school went back the rhetoric surrounding the impact of our "behaviour" was so critical I just felt like risking 14 days isolation was selfish.

I don't now.

DH and I had a day out yesterday where we had 3 walk ins. Our one booked establishment turned out to be booked for next month but they found us a table anyway . I am fine wearing a mask as I wear one all day at work but appreciate that not everyone feels that way. The only inconvenience was one in one out in the toilets I was bursting! I am suffering today and totally self inflicted but kind of enjoying that it was crap pub wine that caused it.

Hope you have a lovely weekend away. I escaped my FK postcode for the first time since October last weekend with an Airbnb in Perthshire and it was bliss!

The cases in Fife seem to be mostly in schools. Nhs Fife posts a list of schools with more than 5 cases in that week each week and the list is pretty long. When you add it up it is making up the majority of cases. We are in the north east of Fife though which is more rural so we’ve been okay so far.