Coronavirus test availability

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 mullermn 08 Sep 2020

Anyone booked one of these recently?

I've been trying to get one today because our child has come down with a temperature, and it is an utter f*cking shambles.

If you can persuade the website to work (which it has not done at any point we've tried it between 5 and 11am) it collects a whole load of tedious information from you BEFORE telling you that ‘Sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again in a few hours when more tests should be available.’. (So, which is it? Is the booking service unavailable or are you out of tests?)

Now, having finally got through, then filled in all the patient information twice, because the website can't decide whether it's asking questions about the person operating the website or the person the test is for, I get to the end to be told there are zero drive through appointments available, but, good news! there is a walk in appointment available within 5 days. In Scotland. 317 miles away.

They've had 5 f*cking months to get this working. Utter, utter cretins of the highest order.

2
 john arran 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

It's an effective way to keep the published number of infections down.

1
 SouthernSteve 08 Sep 2020
In reply to john arran:

Similar here - friends child affected and no test available. How Mr Hancock can say that there is a valid track and trace system beggars belief. 

 Axel Smeets 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

I booked one yesterday morning (Sheffield) and was tested by 5pm. Awaiting the results. 

However, a friend has just texted me (lives in Chesterfield) to say the nearest she can get in is Oldham. 

 SouthernSteve 08 Sep 2020
In reply to Axel Smeets:

Is Sheffield defined as a hotspot with testing prioritisation? This seems to be making a big difference between geographical locations.

 kathrync 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

One of my colleagues tried to get a test for his son and was directed to a testing centre a 45 min drive and £45 return ferry ride away. He lives in Glasgow city centre, you would have thought there would be something more local availble!  To add insult to injury, no-one told him until he had made the trip that it only opens two afternoons a week.

I was going to say it's a bit Kafka, but it actually reminds me more of  Arthur Dent's attempts to see the plans for the bypass that demolishes his house in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy...

 Axel Smeets 08 Sep 2020
In reply to SouthernSteve:

Not that I'm aware of. It's been above the national infection rate average but I'm not aware of any special measures regarding the availability of testing. 

 mondite 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

> but, good news! there is a walk in appointment available within 5 days. In Scotland. 317 miles away.

So a way to boost the tourism business. Seems win win once you get round the minor inconvenience.

mick taylor 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

I heard a Top Tip this morning:  leave it until after 9.00pm because the website refreshes for available appointments.  Bloody hilarious really, that we have to find a workaround for something so World Beating.

1
 PaulJepson 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

Someone at my work can't get a test either. This is after a government puppet said on the news this morning that they have 'more tests than they need'. 

 wintertree 08 Sep 2020
In reply to kathrync:

>  but it actually reminds me more of  Arthur Dent's attempts to see the plans for the bypass that demolishes his house in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Third or forth time that reference has sprung to mind during this crisis now...

 abh 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

Didn't Dominic Cummings drive similar distance to to some testing...?

In reply to your original question. About a month ago (so the system could have been under less stress then), my wife and I booked a test very easily. We actually had to change the slot, because it was a 45mins drive away, and the slot was immediately. When we got there, it was a very quick process, and we got the 'negative' results back in less than 24 hours. We are in London so that may also have a bearing...? So for us, then, it was a very efficient service.

OP mullermn 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

Part of the problem is evidently data or the website. 10 minutes after I posted this evidently a new batch of slots was posted up and I was able to get one 20 minutes away for this afternoon. Seems bizarre to me that this data can be that volatile, it's not like I'm in the queue for Glastonbury tickets here, the capacity for testing and the number of appointments already issued must be known.

The website is a total mess. It looks like only half the technical team were in on the idea that you might need to book a test on behalf of someone else or a child because half of the questions are non-sensical for a child and it's very unclear who the target of any given question is.

Next bit of entertainment is trying to get a viable and non-contaminated sample from an 18 month old.

1
Clownfish 08 Sep 2020

I needed to book one for myself yesterday. The earliest slot available was thirty miles away on Friday. I opted for a home test kit. It arrived this morning and is now sitting in a priority post box awaiting collection. Hopefully they will receive it tomorrow which is rather better than not even being tested until Friday.

In reply to mullermn:

It looks like the labs are the "pinch point".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54072479

This is seriously troublesome news.

 john arran 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

Found out I needed one for my young daughter yesterday after she spent the night coughing. This is in rural France.

Drove 15 mins to the nearest test centre. No appointment needed. No queue. Test done in about 2 mins.

Just received the result online, a little over 24 hours later. Negative, thankfully.

It is possible to provide the service, if there's the political will and funding to do so.

 neilh 08 Sep 2020
In reply to john arran:

Did you have to pay for it? Friendi n France was surprised when I told him in the Uk it was free.

OP mullermn 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

Done now. As with all things NHS related the actual people on the ground are doing a great job. Showed up with a reservation for the 18mo old and got tests for both adults for free.

The baby did not enjoy the process but it wasn’t the worst thing we’ve ever had to do to him and it doesn’t take too long.

Taking the test as an adult is not particularly pleasant but I’d have no problem doing it again if necessary.

 Si dH 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

 .

> The website is a total mess. It looks like only half the technical team were in on the idea that you might need to book a test on behalf of someone else or a child because half of the questions are non-sensical for a child and it's very unclear who the target of any given question is.

We had that experience too and I told them (test and trace) about the problem in our later survey with them. I doubt it will be fixed though.

I did wonder whether it was intentional because they want parents to book a test alongside small kids, but that's speculation.

Re: distances, when we were tested it wasn't quite as bad as reported now, but the locations available certainly change with high volatility and new waves of appointments become available at specific times in the day, so if you look at the wrong time you will struggle.

 john arran 08 Sep 2020
In reply to neilh:

> Did you have to pay for it? Friendi n France was surprised when I told him in the Uk it was free.

It's 100% paid as part of the social security health benefit system, which in most health treatment cases would cover only 80% of treatment costs. I did read also, but haven't confirmed, that even those without a social security number would be tested for free.

 Bobling 08 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

My favourite bit in the initial website survey thing was the slightly comical "Do you own a car, or a small van?"  just tickled me for some reason, the emphasis on 'the small van'.

We had kids with temperatures last week - nearest available testing was in a different country!  40+ miles away.  So we opted for the home service - mistake!

The kits arrived the next day (good) with 15 minutes to go before they needed to be in the priority post box (bad).  I watched the nice Dr's video on how to do it (good) but as we were hurrying didn't take in the bit on the instructions where it mentions the fluid in the test tube (not mentioned in the video - bad) that keeps the sample fresh or whatever so putting the swab back in the test tube I poured the fluid all over the floor (bad).

Tests arrived the next day in the lab which then took four days to get a result back.  

A friend in exactly the same position got testing in a drive in centre round the corner and results back in 12 hours!  

When all is said and done I think it was pretty grateful for the ability to get tested but it was  infuriating at times along the way.  

Good luck with it everyone, I think we're all going to get much better at doing it over the next few months.

Post edited at 22:21
 neilh 09 Sep 2020
In reply to Bobling:

It’s not a simple and easy process.Early on I remember when of the profs heading up the test labs saying that if people made mistakes it meant that the test had to be done manually which takes longer. just putting on labels upside down led to delays as the process was automated.

 StefanB 09 Sep 2020
In reply to mullermn:

I am in a different country, so not too relevant, but I finally opted to pay for private testing (120 €!!!).

It's ridiculous, and it's beyond what can be expected from an average family. Imagine paying for testing 2 adults and 3 kids. 


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