Lateral Flow covid testing centres are empty.

Norman_Castle · 13 February 2021 at 12:49PM

I went for a lateral flow test yesterday, arriving at midday we were the first people using the centre that day! The centres are there for people without symptoms, apparently 1/3 of infected people show no symptoms but can carry the virus and infect others. There were about 10 people working there, at £10? per hour each, that's £100 per hour just in wages. The tests were very simple with results given by text in 30 minutes. Please use these centres, its a pointless effort and expense if they are unused. I found out about one local to me by searching online, it hadn't been advertised and there are no signs nearby promoting it. Its in a leisure centre in a park, the only sign is hand made, A4 size and taped to the closed and unused leisure centre door. Very difficult to spot by the few people passing by.

If interested please search online for centres local to you, my nearest is in a park a pleasant walk away, no booking needed, just turn up with photo id. Details of yours will be online.

If you're involved in one of these centres please asses how visible you are in the local area.

superbigal · 13 February 2021 at 1:20PM

Norman_Castle said:

I went for a lateral flow test yesterday, arriving at midday we were the first people using the centre that day! The centres are there for people without symptoms, apparently 1/3 of infected people show no symptoms but can carry the virus and infect others. There were about 10 people working there, at £10? per hour each, that's £1000 per hour just in wages. The tests were very simple with results given by text in 30 minutes. Please use these centres, its a pointless effort and expense if they are unused. I found out about one local to me by searching online, it hadn't been advertised and there are no signs nearby promoting it. Its in a leisure centre in a park, the only sign is hand made, A4 size and taped to the closed and unused leisure centre door. Very difficult to spot by the few people passing by.
If interested please search online for centres local to you, my nearest is in a park a pleasant walk away, no booking needed, just turn up with photo id. Details of yours will be online.
If you're involved in one of these centres please asses how visible you are in the local area.

10 x10 is 100 not 1000

HopeAndDriftWood · 13 February 2021 at 1:23PM

We have one locally that’s pretty quiet too, but the local council is heavily pushing the message that they are 76% accurate at best and people should behave like they have the virus, so I expect that contributes.

Norman_Castle · 13 February 2021 at 1:29PM

superbigal said:

Norman_Castle said:

I went for a lateral flow test yesterday, arriving at midday we were the first people using the centre that day! The centres are there for people without symptoms, apparently 1/3 of infected people show no symptoms but can carry the virus and infect others. There were about 10 people working there, at £10? per hour each, that's £1000 per hour just in wages. The tests were very simple with results given by text in 30 minutes. Please use these centres, its a pointless effort and expense if they are unused. I found out about one local to me by searching online, it hadn't been advertised and there are no signs nearby promoting it. Its in a leisure centre in a park, the only sign is hand made, A4 size and taped to the closed and unused leisure centre door. Very difficult to spot by the few people passing by.
If interested please search online for centres local to you, my nearest is in a park a pleasant walk away, no booking needed, just turn up with photo id. Details of yours will be online.
If you're involved in one of these centres please asses how visible you are in the local area.

10 x10 is 100 not 1000

lol , edited. Is thinking while typing considered multitasking?

od244051 · 14 February 2021 at 4:05PM

I went last week to my local LF test centre. It was after 9am and about 7-8 patients in there in various stages of the testing. There were 2 others with me that registered for the first time together.

Will go again as its only 8 mins walk from my home.

ess0two · 14 February 2021 at 4:55PM

Is'nt that a good thing? we need to get over this not prolong it?

MattMattMattUK · 14 February 2021 at 5:20PM

We are in the middle of a lockdown, everyone is supposed to be staying at home, they should not be in a position to gain an infection which they need to be tested for.

Mickey666 · 14 February 2021 at 5:31PM

I had a covid test sent to me last week by post as part of a nationwide random testing programme. A courier collected it and I gt the negative result the following week. I wonder how much all that cost?
Healthcare is an expensive business . . . but probably not as expensive as locking down an entire country.

silvercar · 14 February 2021 at 5:32PM

MattMattMattUK said:

We are in the middle of a lockdown, everyone is supposed to be staying at home, they should not be in a position to gain an infection which they need to be tested for.

Except for those that can’t work from home etc
In my area there is a lot of advertising for those working in nursery settings to get themselves tested twice a week.

jimi_man · 14 February 2021 at 6:23PM

MattMattMattUK said:

We are in the middle of a lockdown, everyone is supposed to be staying at home, they should not be in a position to gain an infection which they need to be tested for.

There are people still working and of course going to the supermarket you could still pick something up.

There is one near my office in Central London for people to use. We are encouraged to go out and use it.

GibbsRule_No3. · 16 February 2021 at 9:39AM

My works introduced their LF testing last week. I did the first shift on Friday and we had nearly 50 people through from 9.30 - 14.30. Not bad as the email letting people know they could register a time for a test went out late on Thursday after we finished training. 10 minute slots, two booths doing the tests. We are not being paid extra, just released a day a week to do it. Not sure how many people turned up on Monday. It did take some people longer to sign up than others but once signed up it should be quicker for the repeat tests. I did a test as training, not as bad as I thought and will certainly do one every week when I am on site. LF may not be as perfect as PCR but hopefully doing it regularly will pick up any symptoms. I actually have my first vaccine booked for today anyway.