Testing times - Covid in 2022

[Ella]

Fuck!

[Ella]

The CEO of Boots is old friends with Johnson, right?

[overthehill]

This is madness (bold mine).

What to do if you have symptoms

Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and either:

you have a high temperature
you do not feel well enough to go to work or do your normal activities.

Wow! So, with nearly 19k people hospitalised with Covid, over the last 7 days, they've basically downgraded it to the common cold. That's almost insulting to anyone who's lost someone to Covid over the last 2 years (R included). I'm pretty sure we were infected by a waitress in TGI Fridays, last week. She was so obviously ill, but presumably needed the money.

[Texaco Shirley]

I’m trying to find out if I can get a box of LFTs. I am an essential caregiver for my mum and I have to have a neg test to visit. The gov website suggests I should be able to order a box online in the guidance but doesn’t have that option on the order form. I tried phoning 119 but after going through about a million menus eventually was told they couldn’t answer my call as they were too busy. I can get a test there but I’d rather not eat into their supply if I can get my own plus sitting around for 20 minutes at the beginning of each visit is a waste of everyone’s time.

In the meantime I have a cough and chest pain but currently testing neg.

[Arrietty]

Yeah, there’s hardly any mention of the need to test now, just stay home if you feel ill. If you can. Even the hospitals no longer require you to show a negative LFT before you visit, but given that my mum’s ward is riddled with it, they aren’t allowing visitors currently anyway.

[Edith Bacon]

Tie rules have always been complex and conflicting but this, what we have now, just feels like a total abdication of duty of care.

I hope you find a way to get a supply of tests, Tex.

[Ella]

I have a spare box if you want it, Tex? Totally understand if you'd rather not give out your address to a random though.

[Texaco Shirley]

Thank you Ella, that’s very kind. I will pm.

[dizzyd]

Tex I've got a spare box as well

I sent some down to off topic so she'll vouch for me

My mum managed to stockpile some as her local pharmacy gave them to her without a qr code

[Texaco Shirley]

Thank you Dizzy.

[Vegas]

Arriety my mum was completely delusional with it. It was terrifying. She's back to normal madness now but I was honestly petrified and really upset talking to her.

This has unsurprisingly all gone to shit.

[Marth]

I’m trying to find out if I can get a box of LFTs. I am an essential caregiver for my mum and I have to have a neg test to visit. The gov website suggests I should be able to order a box online in the guidance but doesn’t have that option on the order form. I tried phoning 119 but after going through about a million menus eventually was told they couldn’t answer my call as they were too busy. I can get a test there but I’d rather not eat into their supply if I can get my own plus sitting around for 20 minutes at the beginning of each visit is a waste of everyone’s time.

In the meantime I have a cough and chest pain but currently testing neg.

I think the government hasn't provided for unpaid carers. It's so shit, especially when places like care homes will insist on tests, and especially when unpaid carers save the gov over 1.4 billion a year or something!.

I got pinged yesterday, saying the event happened on Saturday. The only place where I could have had 15mibs of close contact was one of two bus journeys. I was sat next to the bloke though both times and he wasn't pinged. Maybe I was right on the edge of the 2 metres with him sat the other side of me. Anyway, first ping ever.

[speedy gonzalez]

Oh no Marth. I'm surprised with everything else they've stopped they're still doing the pinging.

[Edith Bacon]

Oh no Marth. I'm surprised with everything else they've stopped they're still doing the pinging.

I would not be in the least bit surprised if it turns out that the companies selling the tests are sponsoring the pings.

[Kenickie]

It seems really pointless to ping when many people can't afford to test anymore and there's no self isolation guidance.

[Lily]

What is the point of pinging? What's the point of anything if you're charging people a fortune for these bloody things?

Arrietty, your poor mum. That must be so frightening for you .

I am really, really freaking out. I was still testing faintly positive yesterday but ran out of tests. We checked the guidance and it looked like I should be OK go in (2 other people are off with it at the moment) so I went in thinking I'd test there, as we have a load there. Only the bloody building was full of people, including my friend who is having cancer treatment FFS. I tested and it's still positive so I just fucking ran out of there. I am terrified I have infected him. Absolutely terrified. I forgot that he was going to be in - had I known, I'd have driven over to my parents' to get a test. He's been on aeroplanes and in simulators and all sorts with other people but NOT ME and if I give him Covid and he dies or is seriously ill I won't ever forgive myself. I am surprised he was there surrounded by so many people. Oh fuck fuck fuck.

[Ella]

He knows the risks. I do think more people should be wearing masks, especially if they might be positive and definitely can’t stay at home.

[Texaco Shirley]

Tex I've got a spare box as well

I sent some down to off topic so she'll vouch for me

My mum managed to stockpile some as her local pharmacy gave them to her without a qr code

Fast work Dizzy! Thank you so much.

[dizzyd]

I take it you got them ok

[Texaco Shirley]

Yes, they arrived this morning.