Covid 19 Test for Key Workers

[Chicken Run]

Submitted my application just a moment ago, who else is going to get one done?


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[Butch Willykins]

My other half is a key worker, so I guess i’m eligible. However none of us have symptoms, so there is no point. Out of interest, when you sign up do you have to confirm you have symptoms?

If it was an anti-body test I’d be signing up straight away.

 

[Chicken Run]

My other half is a key worker, so I guess i’m eligible. However none of us have symptoms, so there is no point. Out of interest, when you sign up do you have to confirm you have symptoms?

If it was an anti-body test I’d be signing up straight away.

Don’t think it’s an anti body test and your right it’s for people who are not working and self isolating due to perceived symptoms so that if they don’t actually have Covid 19 that can get back to work!

I don’t have the any symptoms so on reflection won’t be waisting the time of the testers.


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[BBassic]

Similar situation to you guys - other half is a key worker but neither of us are showing any symptoms.

Will be making use of it if we do begin to show though.

 

[Mellotron]

It’s a tricky one.

Because you don’t want to waste testers’ time, but if supply continues to massively outstrip demand, it would actually be useful for more Key Workers/families to be tested even if not showing symptoms. Firstly it could help stop new transmissions, but also provide the valuable data that more widespread testing would bring.

I guess they’ll see what the uptake is over the next few days.

 

[GT49er]

I don’t have the any symptoms so on reflection won’t be waisting the time of the testers.

Similar situation to you guys - other half is a key worker but neither of us are showing any symptoms.

Will be making use of it if we do begin to show though.

Don't get that. If you or your partners are key workers you may be in contact with a lot of people, maybe vulnerable ones - so if you've got totally asymptomatic CV19 is it a good idea to not waste the time of the testers and go on spreading it?

 

[ManOfSussex]

Who can be tested
Our priority is testing patients to inform their clinical diagnosis. In addition, we are now also testing:

essential workers with symptoms
people who live with essential workers and have symptoms
This means essential workers can find out whether they have the virus, and we can help them return to work if they test negative. Testing is most effective within 3 days of symptoms developing.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested#essential-workers

 

[Notters]

Don't get that. If you or your partners are key workers you may be in contact with a lot of people, maybe vulnerable ones - so if you've got totally asymptomatic CV19 is it a good idea to not waste the time of the testers and go on spreading it?

Well they're saying the test is only for people with symptoms. It may be that testing asymptomatic people could increase the chance of false negatives?

 

[Mellotron]

Don't get that. If you or your partners are key workers you may be in contact with a lot of people, maybe vulnerable ones - so if you've got totally asymptomatic CV19 is it a good idea to not waste the time of the testers and go on spreading it?

I suspect they will want to see how supply copes with demand over the next few days, and if there is still spare capacity, they may then open it up to all key workers?

UPDATE....aaaaand they've stopped taking applications for now. Perhaps initial demand was higher than expected?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Highly likely that thousands of people who aren't showing symptoms applied.

 

[GT49er]

Well they're saying the test is only for people with symptoms. It may be that testing asymptomatic people could increase the chance of false negatives?

Oh, OK. If that's the case, not such good news as I originally thought. Doesn't offer a lot of health benefits - just means that people with a common cold or ordinary cough can go back to work and don't need to self-isolate. Useful to the economy, of course, which is a good thing, but still leaves asymptomatic Covid-19 sufferers spreading the virus.

Is the testing really that unreliable when it comes to false clear results?

 

[Notters]

Oh, OK. If that's the case, not such good news as I originally thought. Doesn't offer a lot of health benefits - just means that people with a common cold or ordinary cough can go back to work and don't need to self-isolate. Useful to the economy, of course, which is a good thing, but still leaves asymptomatic Covid-19 sufferers spreading the virus.

Is the testing really that unreliable when it comes to false clear results?

No idea TBH, was just a hypothesis! I think that's the initial intention though, to get key workers back to work.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Oh, OK. If that's the case, not such good news as I originally thought. Doesn't offer a lot of health benefits - just means that people with a common cold or ordinary cough can go back to work and don't need to self-isolate. Useful to the economy, of course, which is a good thing, but still leaves asymptomatic Covid-19 sufferers spreading the virus.

Is the testing really that unreliable when it comes to false clear results?

I suspect that isn't the reason, but it makes sense to only roll it out to all essential workers showing symptoms at first. They did 23,500 tests yesterday, so although the Government have said there is a capacity for 50,000, I would think it most unlikely that everything would be in place to do more than double the tests today. (I believe that the tests they post had run out in the first hour today).

Then, I would expect them to tune the process day by day, increasing the rollout. I would suspect that all essential workers would be in the next couple of days as you make a very good point about workers who are asymptomatic.

 

[Mellotron]

I suspect that isn't the reason, but it makes sense to only roll it out to all essential workers showing symptoms at first. (The tests that they post had run out in the first hour today).

Then, I would expect them to tune the process day by day, increasing the rollout. I would suspect that all essential workers would be in the next couple of days as you may a very good point about workers who are asymptomatic.

This. You can imagine how bad the press would be if Key Workers WITH symptoms were unable to get tests after being told they could, because asymptomatics had all booked themselves and their families in?

It has to be symptomatic KWs first, then all KWs, then eventually more and more of the population.

 

[beorhthelm]

Oh, OK. If that's the case, not such good news as I originally thought. Doesn't offer a lot of health benefits - just means that people with a common cold or ordinary cough can go back to work and don't need to self-isolate. Useful to the economy, of course, which is a good thing, but still leaves asymptomatic Covid-19 sufferers spreading the virus.

Is the testing really that unreliable when it comes to false clear results?

nothing we can do about the asymptomatic, they dont know they are. this testing is useful if it gives some people with related symptoms the all clear, or random clears others (for the day or so at least). thing is we've had everyone screaming for test, test, test, without really factoring in how productive that is. it isnt. ideally we'd save the tests for track and trace, but a lot of focus on test numbers right now.

 

[nicko31]

Looks like the government testing website has crashed. Am I missing something but opening to 10m people now in one go is asking for trouble is it not?

 

[Mellotron]

Looks like the government testing website has crashed. Am I missing something but opening to 10m people now in one go is asking for trouble is it not?

Apparently it hasn't crashed - simply the capacity for slots has been taken now - it'll be up again 9am tomorrow.

1,000 test at home kits have been ordered (1,000 will be available per day initially), and tens of thousands of slots have been booked in for testing Key Workers over the coming days. We will see testing massively ramped up in the coming days and weeks, which is very good news.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-online-applications-for-covid-19-tests-temporarily-closed-due-to-huge-demand-11978070

 

[ManOfSussex]

I suspect that isn't the reason, but it makes sense to only roll it out to all essential workers showing symptoms at first. They did 23,500 tests yesterday, so although the Government have said there is a capacity for 50,000, I would think it most unlikely that everything would be in place to do more than double the tests today. (I believe that the tests they post had run out in the first hour today).

Then, I would expect them to tune the process day by day, increasing the rollout. I would suspect that all essential workers would be in the next couple of days as you make a very good point about workers who are asymptomatic.

I just hope whatever it was I had in February was Covid-19 and I don't have to book one, but I'm an essential worker. I'm on full pay, but I have done diddly squat for exactly 1 calendar month now as my WFH equipment issued was dud and replacements have still yet to materialise. Monday 24th March was the last time our offices were open and I did something resembling yakka.

It's been launched as it has, but if I was to develop symptoms I take priority over an NHS nurse who doesn't, but has more chance of being asymptomatic, I assume.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Don't get that. If you or your partners are key workers you may be in contact with a lot of people, maybe vulnerable ones - so if you've got totally asymptomatic CV19 is it a good idea to not waste the time of the testers and go on spreading it?

It might help if you think of it like pump priming. There are two likely starting scenarios.

1 Key Worker or family member showing symptoms - negative return to work/ positive isolate until clear or hospitalised.

This one has started yet.
2 Have been in contact with someone known to be infected - positive isolate, negative carry on unless symptoms appear.

In the short term the effectiveness of scenario one is limited in that you have to be showing symptoms to be tested.

In order to deliver scenario 2, we will need to test and then isolate everyone coming into the country through air or sea ports. This is still some way off. Firstly they need to finish the repatriation exercise, which is still ongoing, then they need to have confidence that the testing results from scenario one are effective. Then I think we will have some fairly draconian entry rules, such as must be coming from a low risk area, must isolate from arrival for 14 days (no using public transport to get from the airport).

I can't see how we can get our infection rates down, even with isolation until this is delivered.

Next they need to recruit and train the 16,000 tracers they have identified.

Finally if they can get the numbers reporting as infected down to a manageable number they can start trace and test. This could drag on for a very long time, which means no mass gatherings. IF this is successful (assuming we reach this point before mass vaccination), we may see an end to self isolation but with limited movement and emergency containment rules in place, if there is an outbreak.

Three other variables that can impact this are;

Anti-body testing leading to a level of confidence in
Herd Immunity (I am massively skeptical on this one)
Improved treatment. If there is sufficient progress in early intervention and or ICU treatment leading to fewer hospital admissions and fewer fatalities, we may be able to see some return to normality without a vaccination, especially if trace and test is also successful.

 

[WATFORD zero]

nothing we can do about the asymptomatic, they dont know they are. this testing is useful if it gives some people with related symptoms the all clear, or random clears others (for the day or so at least). thing is we've had everyone screaming for test, test, test, without really factoring in how productive that is. it isnt. ideally we'd save the tests for track and trace, but a lot of focus on test numbers right now.

I don't believe there's a limit of tests that we have to stay under, meaning any used now won't be available for Track & Trace ? And we can't even start Track and Trace until numbers are reduced to a very significant degree (probably weeks, maybe months). I can't see how this could be viewed as anything but extremely 'productive' ?

I just hope whatever it was I had in February was Covid-19 and I don't have to book one, but I'm an essential worker. I'm on full pay, but I have done diddly squat for exactly 1 calendar month now as my WFH equipment issued was dud and replacements have still yet to materialise. Monday 24th March was the last time our offices were open and I did something resembling yakka.

It's been launched as it has, but if I was to develop symptoms I take priority over an NHS nurse who doesn't, but has more chance of being asymptomatic, I assume.

If you are a key worker who is displaying symptoms then you will take priority over an NHS nurse who isn't. I can't see that either of you have more chance of being asymptomatic than one another

(I suspect that all key workers, whether showing symptoms or not, will start getting tested in the next few days, it's just prioritising this first few tests).

And, I don't know whether I'm getting confused, but I thought that 'key workers' were, by definition, ones that couldn't work from home and 'essential workers' were ones who couldn't be furloughed Although I'm sure I have used both, probably in the wrong contexts.