PCRs can’t keep up with demand. We are expecting a postal PCR for my son to arrive today. It was ordered yesterday, none available on Sunday and Monday and no drive through slots available within 50 miles. By the time he’s sent it back (it will be posted, if it arrives, today) and got a result it could well be over a week since he first showed symptoms. He’ll be doing the early release LFTs from tomorrow. What’s the point?
I’ve done a few LFTs over the last few months, but I’ve only logged the result on the NHS website once. Should I be doing it every time? Should every one? Are they? Of course not.
The infection stats are hopelessly inaccurate, but probably directionally correct. Loads of people have got COVID, many probably without knowing it, either no or very mild symptoms. If the symptoms are like my son’s - a really heavy cold and cough - it would be pretty anti social to be at work. In a pre covid world you wouldn’t want someone that obviously ill, even if not seriously ill, working next to you or sneezing on a bus.
With the chronic shortage of LFTs and the similarity of omicron symptoms to a cold I imagine we are on the brink of the whole test and isolate system collapsing, which might not be a bad thing, as there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that isolation is reducing infection rates. If you are ill stay at home, if you are really ill call the NHS, if they advise you go to A&E. Regardless of cause of illness.
While writing PCR test kit arrived…..
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