Covid Test and Work

jemstone001

Hi all, 

Just looking to see how other work places are doing this. My colleague has just called me and said that our manager has just turned up and given her a box of the lateral flow Covid tests and said that we are to start doing them. No instructions as to how often or any email or phone call from the manager themselves. My question is that if I'm going to be doing this should staff be getting paid for it? It's an hour of my week that will be spent sticking stuff down my throat (which from the one time I was tested caused me to vomit so test had to be redone) for a sessional post with no guaranteed hours at the end of it. 

My anxiety around vomiting twice a week is pretty high so me clocking in to do them seems fair in my head but I also feel I'm being unreasonable. 

Sncjw

When I've done lateral flow test it took 5 mins and just had to 9ut it up my nose. Just wait 30 mins for result and you can other stuff in the mean time. 

General_Grant

jemstone001 said:

Hi all, 

Just looking to see how other work places are doing this. My colleague has just called me and said that our manager has just turned up and given her a box of the lateral flow Covid tests and said that we are to start doing them. No instructions as to how often or any email or phone call from the manager themselves. My question is that if I'm going to be doing this should staff be getting paid for it? It's an hour of my week that will be spent sticking stuff down my throat (which from the one time I was tested caused me to vomit so test had to be redone) for a sessional post with no guaranteed hours at the end of it. 

My anxiety around vomiting twice a week is pretty high so me clocking in to do them seems fair in my head but I also feel I'm being unreasonable. 

I think that would have been a different type of test which you had before. 

As you seem to expect to have to do the test twice a week and it is only the wait between taking the sample and getting the result which is 30 minutes, I don't know why you expect it to take 60 minutes out of your week (because you don't have to lie down and do nothing while you wait for the result).

You should find instructions with the test kits.

If it is sessional work, then this would just be one way of allowing you to take up the paid work you could be offered.

74jax

If its the blue box, you should have instructions with it. If not you can get them online from the gov. Co. Uk website.
If you can't use the brush on your tonsils, just do your nose. 
I'm presuming the 60 minutes of your time and should you be paid is a wind up....., 😂 

AskAsk

Sncjw said:

When I've done lateral flow test it took 5 mins and just had to 9ut it up my nose. Just wait 30 mins for result and you can other stuff in the mean time. 

i had one done last week and it was a small stick up my nose, which was very unpleasant for a few seconds but that was about it.  the test results came back within 5 minutes!

elsien

I've done 3 this week. Took a couple of minutes, with the tonsils and nose (if you're throwing up you're probably going too far down) and 15 minutes waiting time which I spent catching up on emails.
They're really not that difficult to do. It was much worse when someone else was doing it for me - doing it myself is far easier. 

jemstone001

I was just out of curiosity more than anything as some staff will be paid to do it (they have admin time at home as part of their contract and were told to do tests in that time) and others will not which is a bit weird. I have been told by another staff member that we are to sit and wait for it and not allowed to leave it. I have sensory issues around things going near my mouth to the point I will throw up doing it so the thought of being made to do it twice a week is causing a lot of anxiety. We are also being made to do our first test in person in front of an admin worker and manager to train us in what to do which will be unpaid. Hope they have a strong stomach and provide a basin!

jemstone001

I was just out of curiosity more than anything as some staff will be paid to do it (they have admin time at home as part of their contract and were told to do tests in that time) and others will not which is a bit weird. I have been told by another staff member that we are to sit and wait for it and not allowed to leave it. I have sensory issues around things going near my mouth to the point I will throw up doing it so the thought of being made to do it twice a week is causing a lot of anxiety. We are also being made to do our first test in person in front of an admin worker and manager to train us in what to do which will be unpaid. Hope they have a strong stomach and provide a basin!

elsien

Have you told them that you have the sensory issues? 
These are really questions that you should be addressing to your manager.

74jax

So a staff member has told you, you are to do but with no training.
Another staff member has told you, you are getting training.

Has any manager spoken to you? Have you spoken to any manager?

Who gave you the tests, do you even have them?

They are government tests. Follow their instructions. It's great you are being given face to face training isn't it? You didn't seem happy when you thought you were getting none so I'm guessing it's what you wanted?

So many people have said what to do if you can't use your tonsil for to being sick.

It's a way of life now, I'm not sure what you want? To do it or not do it, be trained or not. 

bap98189

My OH works for the NHS and has been doing these for months now. It's only a nasal swab. Takes her 2 minutes in the morning. Yes it takes 30 mins for the result but you don't have to sit watching it, you can just leave it until the result comes through.

It would have been nice for your employer to have given you some guidence on how to use them but it isn't hard to find on the internet. Here is a booklet or there is a video if you prefer.