Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[beorhthelm]

Have I read this right, free tests have been scrapped for the clinically vulnerable, unless they have symptoms?

Someone please tell me I have misunderstood.

free test will continue to be available to some groups after 1st April. details of the groups have not been decided.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

free test will continue to be available to some groups after 1st April. details of the groups have not been decided.

This was how it was covered on the BBC earlier...

Instead, beyond social care staff, only those deemed at-risk will get access to tests in the community - and only then if they have symptoms.
The at-risk group has not been defined, but is likely to be the most vulnerable who would benefit from antiviral treatments to reduce the risk of them needing hospital admission. This includes the severely immuno-compromised. A healthy 80-year-old would not qualify.

Hopefully something has been lost in translation, or that means a vulnerable person will only be able to get a test kit if they GET Covid... then relying on the anti-viral treatments to keep them safe. Seems a bit locking the stable door after the horse has bolted to me!

At present we can screen who we come into contact with by asking them to test, without that crutch many thousands of vulnerable people will feel isolated and unsafe.

 

[LamieRobertson]

This was how it was covered on the BBC earlier...

Instead, beyond social care staff, only those deemed at-risk will get access to tests in the community - and only then if they have symptoms.
The at-risk group has not been defined, but is likely to be the most vulnerable who would benefit from antiviral treatments to reduce the risk of them needing hospital admission. This includes the severely immuno-compromised. A healthy 80-year-old would not qualify.

Hopefully something has been lost in translation, or that means a vulnerable person will only be able to get a test kit if they GET Covid... then relying on the anti-viral treatments to keep them safe. Seems a bit locking the stable door after the horse has bolted to me!

At present we can screen who we come into contact with by asking them to test, without that crutch many thousands of vulnerable people will feel isolated and unsafe.

Personally I’m in favour of this move forward, but as you know from what I’ve said before, I hope that people like yourself continue to get the necessary help..wish you the best

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

Personally I’m in favour of this move forward, but as you know from what I’ve said before, I hope that people like yourself continue to get the necessary help..wish you the best

Thank you. I know we have spoken previously with regards where we are with regards Covid and was particularly touched by your “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”analogy.

As I said earlier, hopefully this is a misunderstanding, either by me or the journalist from the BBC who wrote the article and that the vulnerable will continue to get free test kits for the use I have stated and not just as a means of confirming that they have Covid.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

Read it and weep if you are someone who is vulnerable or are caring for or living with someone who is.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1056229/COVID-19_Response_-_Living_with_COVID-19.pdf

So the government are removing free testing for the vulnerable (unless they catch Covid), and putting all their eggs in the basket of the anti virals once they are ill enough to need them. So my wife is no longer able to give a test kit to my daughter and family to test themselves before visiting?

There are going to be a lot of scared, isolated vulnerable people around today! Mind you, this government has been very good at doing U-turns, so maybe they might do one on this too, though I doubt it as it is appears to be a case of cost above anything else.

 

[worthingseagull123]

Am I the only one who never bothered to test myself during the Pandemic?

Saved the taxpayer a few quid there.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

And so it begins, the price of “affordable” testing for the general public.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60486323

Will be interesting to see how the price will change over time, and how many they actually sell.

 

[METALMICKY]

OK so here's my personal situation. I tested positive on Saturday evening after coming home from the game. I only really tested on the off chance as the previous day I had a tickly throat and on the Sunday I knew was seeing my vulnerable mother law. I might add that on Saturday I felt fine at football.

In line with the current regulations I tested again today and am still showing as positive and I feel OK. Going by the existing regulations I'm meant to test again tomorrow. However, as tomorrow is ' new rules ' day if I test positive do I say ' whatever ' I'm out of isolation or do I continue to isolate for the full 10 days. And what if I'm still testing positive on Saturday morning do I still go off merrily to football. Of course common sense suggests I could minimise risk by wearing a mask all day but I wonder what the reaction of the fans who are mates sitting next to me might be if I mention that I'm still positive? Will they have immediately adopted the mindset of " don't worry about it as it's no worse than flu so I'll take my chances " or if they have contact with a vulnerable person will their attitude be " selfish **** you shouldn't be here if you are positive "? And of course in the ensuing weeks this scenario will be common with the exception that we won't know if we are positive or just have a cold as we will run out of tests as most people will not be inclined to pay for them.

 

[beorhthelm]

And so it begins, the price of “affordable” testing for the general public.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60486323

Will be interesting to see how the price will change over time, and how many they actually sell.

well the price reduced from £6 in the headline to £2.40 by line 3, bodes well for future price reductions.

 

[dsr-burnley]

OK so here's my personal situation. I tested positive on Saturday evening after coming home from the game. I only really tested on the off chance as the previous day I had a tickly throat and on the Sunday I knew was seeing my vulnerable mother law. I might add that on Saturday I felt fine at football.

In line with the current regulations I tested again today and am still showing as positive and I feel OK. Going by the existing regulations I'm meant to test again tomorrow. However, as tomorrow is ' new rules ' day if I test positive do I say ' whatever ' I'm out of isolation or do I continue to isolate for the full 10 days. And what if I'm still testing positive on Saturday morning do I still go off merrily to football. Of course common sense suggests I could minimise risk by wearing a mask all day but I wonder what the reaction of the fans who are mates sitting next to me might be if I mention that I'm still positive? Will they have immediately adopted the mindset of " don't worry about it as it's no worse than flu so I'll take my chances " or if they have contact with a vulnerable person will their attitude be " selfish **** you shouldn't be here if you are positive "? And of course in the ensuing weeks this scenario will be common with the exception that we won't know if we are positive or just have a cold as we will run out of tests as most people will not be inclined to pay for them.

If you know you have covid then you will surely isolate yourself, just as you would if you know you have flu. The difference being of course that you know you have flu only when you feel ill; with covid you can know you have it when you have no symptoms at all.

No-one will have the mindset of "no worse than flu so I will take my chances by deliberately sitting next to someone who certainly has it" - any more than anyone would deliberately take their chance of sitting next to someone who has flu. The "no worse than flu ..." mindset only applies to the extent that you would apply it to flu.

 

[METALMICKY]

If you know you have covid then you will surely isolate yourself, just as you would if you know you have flu. The difference being of course that you know you have flu only when you feel ill; with covid you can know you have it when you have no symptoms at all.

" Surely "? The point I think your missing is that according to the regulations from tomorrow you are not obliged to isolate. And the key point is that going forward without free access to LFT most people will never know if they have covid. Asking people to pay for tests packs on the off chance when they have a slight cold is pretty optimistic. And the ' it's no worse than flu' mindset is precisely the mindset we are being told to adapt by the govt provided of course that infection rates, hospital admissions and deaths don't surge.

 

[LamieRobertson]

" Surely "? The point I think your missing is that according to the regulations from tomorrow you are not legally obliged to isolate. And the key point is that going forward without free access to LFT most people will never know if they have covid. Asking people to pay for tests packs on the off chance when they have a slight cold is pretty optimistic. And the ' it's no worse than flu' mindset is precisely the mindset we are being told to adapt by the govt provided of course that infection rates, hospital admissions and deaths don't surge.

Slight amendment (moral obligation remains one would have thought and cooperation of employers)

Regards your point over paying..perhaps some didnt bother even when they were free, for various reasons..poor sick pay/mouths to feed…then you have the argument over should that money currently dished out for free tests be spent on other pressing concerns….most pay for prescriptions for various medicines, so providing the tests are priced ‘properly’ isn’t it reasonable to any for tests? …their of course groups where perhaps they should be free (or should they?) ..care home residents?…hmmmm

 

[darkwolf666]

Slight amendment (moral obligation remains one would have thought and cooperation of employers)

Regards your point over paying..perhaps some didnt bother even when they were free, for various reasons..poor sick pay/mouths to feed…then you have the argument over should that money currently dished out for free tests be spent on other pressing concerns….most pay for prescriptions for various medicines, so providing the tests are priced ‘properly’ isn’t it reasonable to any for tests? …three of corse we have groups where perhaps they should be free (or should they?) ..care home residents?…hmmmm

You have brought a good solution to the table re free tests, make them "free" to those who don't pay for prescriptions, that would capture a very high % of the vulnerable!

 

[LamieRobertson]

You have brought a good solution to the table re free tests, make them "free" to those who don't pay for prescriptions, that would capture a very high % of the vulnerable!

Would get my vote!

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

And so it begins, the price of “affordable” testing for the general public.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60486323

Will be interesting to see how the price will change over time, and how many they actually sell.

To answer my own question (yes, I know talking to yourself was once considered a sign of madness), Superdrug have now apparently undercut Boots on the price of LFT’s.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lateral-flow-covid-test-prices-superdrug-boots-133644853.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALt-z8Jkcpklv-zOEJeT2tIxvTosypWxsm-KEP7lVP2jmHZ1pqNAQtX15W07liO9vGsJKFO7knoxCPJfYCt2ATc2S6092t4oUhKszacliHe32GoUx5W3-s3LjHphV19Pi4RzRMzITKCwdpQ6AqojqEieO7XaENOgkRrPGNL0tgv_

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Well - nearly made it to 2 years since it first really kicked off but not to be. Tested on the off chance as someone at work had it and the line couldn't come up quick enough. Finishes off the weekend perfectly.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well - nearly made it to 2 years since it first really kicked off but not to be. Tested on the off chance as someone at work had it and the line couldn't come up quick enough. Finishes off the weekend perfectly.

….better now than a year ago though eh

 

[Dick Swiveller]

….better now than a year ago though eh

Indeed. Not entirely sure I have symptoms despite having sinus issues and a nasty cough. Had this since Friday before last and blew off the Burnley game. Tested several times including last Wednesday and all negative. Might just have been unlucky enough to get it whilst having a cold. My gf just told her work and said she should probably test in the morning - it was up to her - but if she has it then they won't pay her. Did tell he if she is positive to go in, tell them, cough a bit and get them to send her home as they have to pay her then. Her company really are scumbags.

 

[Randy McNob]

so they have finally concluded that the virus started in the market as first thought, so no more conspiracy theories and fake news on this please

[tweet]1498254536095547395[/tweet]

 

[Billy the Fish]

so they have finally concluded that the virus started in the market as first thought, so no more conspiracy theories and fake news on this please

[tweet]1498254536095547395[/tweet]

Pre-print studies, not peer reviewed.