Brace yourselves: this is likely to be a bit of a controversial one.
It involves a three-year-old with a cough, a coronavirus testing system in meltdown and a mama at the end of her rope.
Last week I spent Β£149 great British pounds – more than half of our monthly child benefit – on a private coronavirus test kit. Even though the concept of ‘going private’ is one I don’t normally agree with.
Why I spent our child benefit on a private Covid test kit
It all started with The Call, the one I knew we’d get at some point. The kids had been back at school and nursery for just one week when nursery called to say number three, who was on day four of a cold, had started coughing and could we come and collect her.
Despite having what we were 99.9% certain was a common cold, she wasn’t allowed to return to nursery until she had tested negative for coronavirus. Which is when we discovered everything they’re saying in the news about coronavirus testing is true – and worse. Here’s a screen grab of the message that will greet you on the government’s website first, which is just the start of a system that’s completely broken.
For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure yet a coronavirus test must be carried out within five days of a person displaying symptoms, otherwise it is assumed the person is positive and they and their entire household must quarantine for 10 days.
For us that means pulling the kids out of school and nursery and all six of us living in a two bedroom flat with no garden for 10 days while continuing to pay for childcare we’re not using, after school clubs the kids can’t go to and try to work at the same time. A scenario I’ll do pretty much anything to avoid.
Yet booking an NHS test is easier said than done. It took four whole days to get one – four days of refreshing the website only to be told there were no tests available in our area; four days of slots suddenly appearing 50 miles away but then disappearing as suddenly as they appeared; four days of getting through once or twice and hitting the ‘confirm appointment’ button only to be taken back to the start again; four days of worrying time was running out and four days fearing all six of us would have no option but to quarantine due to the lack of available tests. This second screen grab says it all.
At one point we were offered a test in North Shields – 350 miles and a six hour car journey each way from our home in East Sussex – which the NHS website claimed was just 4.1 miles away from our postcode. You couldn’t make it up and it’s no wonder the testing scheme has been branded a national scandal.
On the third day, with the prospect of not being able to book an NHS test within the necessary five days now a real possibility, I bit the bullet and bought a private one online. By that point I was already sat on two pieces of work worth more than the cost of the test that I couldn’t start owing to the fact we had the three-year-old at home as well as her baby sister, and we had already lost three days worth of childcare that we’re still expected to pay for in full.
Then on the fourth day I finally got through and managed to book an NHS test. She had the test just two hours later, but we were told it would take between 48 hours and five days to get the result.
To make matters worse it’s impossible to book a test for a child without booking an (unnecessary) one for yourself, which presumably means tests are being given to parents up and down the country who don’t actually need them, and if it does indeed take five days to get the results then coupled with the four or five days it can take to get a test you might as well not bother and simply self isolate for the required 10 days.
And presumably the situation is only going to get worse as we head into winter with the usual seasonal coughs and colds and whole school classes, or worse, entire schools, competing for test slots.
In the meantime the private test kit is in a drawer and it feels a bit like having one of Willy Wonker’s golden tickets. Because next time we get The Call – and we will get one, we can simply do the test, send it back and have the results within 24 hours.
If the test is negative there’ll be no days wasted and stress caused trying to book an NHS test and wait for the results, there’ll be no lost childcare that’s been paid for and not used and there’ll be no lost earnings either. And if it’s positive we’ll know far earlier than we would waiting for the results of an NHS one.
Of course we can’t afford to shell out Β£149 every time one of the kids gets a sniffle (which, as predicted, is exactly what it turned out to be) but after buying it in a moment of panic it feels reassuring to know it’s there.
What do you think? Have you had The Call yet? Would you consider a private test to avoid the NHS delays? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Oh my days what a performance! I bet you were so fed up. I would totally get a private test if I was in the same situation. Glad to hear that little one is OK. x
That must have been distressing. What I don’t understand, both in the UK and here, is that we can’t make our own test. Vietnam and Taiwan got onto that pretty quickly. In Taiwan it’s $20 if you do it privately…so why is it so much elsewhere? I would also say it’s extremely dangerous driving for 6 hours if you were potentially infections. Stop for a toilet break or petrol and you’ve spread it further afield! #KCACOLS
I really hope they get to grips on the testing system soon. My son has had to have two tests so far. The first was easy last month – before the testing system apparently buckled – we were given a slot at a local drive through just 30 minutes after we picked him up from nursery with a cough and received the result in just 24 hours. The second time though, last week, like you, we experienced having to refresh and refresh and refresh. We did get a home test but then had to wait 2 days for it to arrive, whereas a testing centre would have had it done that day. We sent it off on Thursday and it came back negative this morning so another three days wait – 5 days total from when we were allocated the test. But thankfully it does mean he can get back to nursery (as he’s fine now!) tomorrow. I’m worried about this endless cycle and how much it is costing parents, especially those with working parents and those who pay for childcare who are hit with a double financial whammy every time. If the system doesn’t improve then I can certainly see it being more financially viable to go private. I lost way more in nursery fees and work income this week than a private test would have cost. #KCACOLS
I haven’t yet had the pleasure of running this gauntlet here in the USA, but am so sorry you had to experience this frustration. Your story reminded me of the importance of praying for a speedy end to this virus!
Oh my goodness. What a drama it is trying to get a test. It is ridiculous. I did read about people down south being offered tests up north and vice versa. It’s a shame you had to buy the private test but at least you have a spare now. x
I have heard lots of stories about people trying to get COVID tests but I didn’t know about the rule that a parent all has to have one too. So glad that it wasn’t a positive result, I’m sure that I would have done exactly the same in your situation.
#MMBC
Oh dear, that all sound so bad. Glad to hear all is okay but you totally don’t want to have to do that each time someone has the sniffles, especially if you need to it as well. #MMBC
This is a disgrace. Sorry you had to go through all that. It is going to be a long winter if everyone needs to do this every time someone comes down with a cold… #DreamTeam
Could you please share where you got your test from? The only ones I can find take 72 hours to come back and I would love to have that golden ticket in my drawer!
Oh my goodness what a carry on. I can imagine so many of us will be facing the same situation during the winter months. I can’t believe how much it costs to buy a test either, Good luck with the results, I am sure it will be a common cold but good for you in making the right choice for your family. Sending love xx
sorry I was so deep in thought about your situation I forgot to tag! #DreamTeam
I actually think this is quite a smart move – having one in reserve. This could be a huge advantage if the test system goes wrong again. #DreamTeamLinky
I see my previous comment isn’t showing – I’m not sure why. I think having a spare test lying around could come in handy. Hopefully you won’t need it though. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time.
I have already commented on this post so I left a comment a previous one #kcacols
Oh my gawd Natalie! I can’t imagine how stressful it’s been for you all. I’ve heard of this before too, as there have been parents at another school near us with kids sent home with runny noses, but told not to come back unless they have that illusive test. But for love, nor money could anyone get a blooming test- no. I had no idea you could get one privately. This wouldn’t be the way I’d like to go, but if needs must, I think we’d be following suit. Sending hugs from the #DreamTeamLinky xxx
I work in a school and we have had children sent home due to ill siblings but they are unable to get tested so unable to return to school. The system is shameful and an international embarrassment. I completely understand why you would buy a private test but these private companies should be making them cheaper and put people ahead of money. Thanks for linking up with #dreamteamlinky
The “lie” that there are tests available is something that elected officials should be judged on, and held accountable for. I’m sorry for your experience.
Oh my, that sounds so distressing. I’m glad to hear it was just a sniffle #KCACOLS
Gosh it’s such a flipping fiasco isn’t it! Don’t blame you at all for getting a private one. We haven’t had ‘The Call’ yet but I feel like it’s pretty inevitable it’s going to happen at some point! That’s actually ridiculous if you have to book an unnecessary one for the parent though, what a waste!! #KCACOLS
I don’t blame you for doing this and I’m dreading the day we potentially get ‘the call’. It’s ridiculous that we’re unable to get tests and it’s such a sorry situation all round. For peace of mind, I would go private too x #KCACOLS
Oh my goodness; and I thought it was crazy here!! I had to get tested prior to my operation and it was very easy to get an appointment and do. HOWEVER, if my son gets sick at school or shows signs they want him tested that could be problematic as our doctor’s offices are in the next state over and you must be tested in your own state (I was exempt since the test was for the hospital and performed at the hospital). Also, in our state, you can not get tested if you are under 18 years of age unless you have a doctor’s order… so yeah.. that’s going to be so fun. I can’t see how testing sites will ever keep up with cold and flu season on the horizon!
Fortunately we haven’t had ‘The Call’ yet but I think it’s inevitable for every parent to have to go through what you went through at some stage. I’m disgusted, yet not surprised that the testing system is a mess. I think you weighed up your options and if you can afford a private test then go for it, the speed at which you can be tested and have an answer is well worth it, not just from a work and finance perspective but to help stop the spread to others. The sooner you know if it’s positive- the sooner you can all isolate if required.
Katrina x
#KCACOLS