worcestermakem
Winger
Poor result but may explain why the Government chose to count them when sent and not when processed.
Only a third of of home testing kits returned.
- Thread starter worcestermakem
- Start date
SAFCOldie
Striker
Good point.
SurreyMackem
Striker
People complained they couldn't get to the test sites and now they can't do the test when it is sent to their home, what more can be done.
daventry cat
Striker
your numbers are correct
Me mam wouldn’t have managed the internet side of it if I hadn’t helped her
GordonMuchallNo1Fan
Striker
Seems ridiculous the public complained they couldn't get a test booked at a centre yet can't be arsed to do it themselves at home. Selfish
THELORDRODWELL
Striker
Should charge the buggers if they don’t return it
Shandy drinker
Striker
World class that
Wdbj
B
becs
Guest
Some of the tests were just sent randomly to people. They just selected names from the NHS patient list and sent them a test.
GlosMackem
Central Defender
Assuming its the swab? Cant imagine many people doing it correctly, you have to go uncomfortably far deep with it. Wonder how many home testing kits were inconclusive.
Simple Simon
Goalkeeper
Testing is yet another area where this government has been sorely lacking.
One of the main problems with this virus is that its direct effects on most of the population are relatively minor, but on older people it appears to be devastating. This has led to most of the population being affected out od all proportion to the danger to them as individuals.
The other huge problem is that the virus is present in a relatively small (you could now even say tiny) proportion of the population, but many of us are now conditioned to treat everyone as if they are infectious. This has had a huge impact on all of us.
There appears to be a capacity to test a large number of people, but this doesn't seem to me to be being used to any great effect.
I think there should be a massive effort to test large numbers randomly. If 100,000 random tests were carried out daily, then on current estimates it would produce maybe 50 to 100 positive tests from the general population. (This is based on the ONS pilot survey. The last published results on 2 July reported 12 positive tests from a sample of 23,203, so the estimate was that 1 in 2,200 are infected.) The next survey is due out today or tomorrow. Fingers crossed it's going in the right direction.
The daily results could be published (maybe 2 or 3 days later, but still quite recent) and we could all have some sort of confidence in how we are progressing. We could all make a more reasoned assessment of the risk to us and others.
With those reasonably small numbers of positive tests, a concerted effort could me made to isolate those tested, and to encourage (or even force) their family and contacts to isolate and be tested themselves. Over the space of 10 days you would be eliminating 500 or more people from the chain of transmission, and of course by doing so stopping any further transmissions flowing from them. After 6 weeks you could have caught maybe 2,000 potential carriers and many more who would have been infected by them.
The numbers of tests are huge, but there is the capacity. Remember that 750,000 people volunteered to help months ago. Testing could be done door to door or in mobile centres in village halls, community centres, on the high street or in supermarket car parks. There could be a requirement for everybody to carry with them their relevant details and for them to submit to a test unless they have a reasonable excuse. There has been a huge rate of compliance with other restrictions, even on the illogical rules about contact with family members.
There are 650 parliamentary constituencies in the UK. 200 tests a day in each would amount to 130,000. I think 100,000 could be exceeded.
This testing would be in addition to testing for clinical need, but could be analysed separately to show the extent of the virus in the population.
One major benefit could be a boost to people's confidence in getting on with their daily lives, and putting the whole thing in perspective.
The testing could go on for years and be a part of daily life. As far as I'm concerned, it would be better than what we have now.
I'm happy for holes to be picked in this. I'm sure there would be some problems, but I do think it would be worth considering.
One of the main problems with this virus is that its direct effects on most of the population are relatively minor, but on older people it appears to be devastating. This has led to most of the population being affected out od all proportion to the danger to them as individuals.
The other huge problem is that the virus is present in a relatively small (you could now even say tiny) proportion of the population, but many of us are now conditioned to treat everyone as if they are infectious. This has had a huge impact on all of us.
There appears to be a capacity to test a large number of people, but this doesn't seem to me to be being used to any great effect.
I think there should be a massive effort to test large numbers randomly. If 100,000 random tests were carried out daily, then on current estimates it would produce maybe 50 to 100 positive tests from the general population. (This is based on the ONS pilot survey. The last published results on 2 July reported 12 positive tests from a sample of 23,203, so the estimate was that 1 in 2,200 are infected.) The next survey is due out today or tomorrow. Fingers crossed it's going in the right direction.
The daily results could be published (maybe 2 or 3 days later, but still quite recent) and we could all have some sort of confidence in how we are progressing. We could all make a more reasoned assessment of the risk to us and others.
With those reasonably small numbers of positive tests, a concerted effort could me made to isolate those tested, and to encourage (or even force) their family and contacts to isolate and be tested themselves. Over the space of 10 days you would be eliminating 500 or more people from the chain of transmission, and of course by doing so stopping any further transmissions flowing from them. After 6 weeks you could have caught maybe 2,000 potential carriers and many more who would have been infected by them.
The numbers of tests are huge, but there is the capacity. Remember that 750,000 people volunteered to help months ago. Testing could be done door to door or in mobile centres in village halls, community centres, on the high street or in supermarket car parks. There could be a requirement for everybody to carry with them their relevant details and for them to submit to a test unless they have a reasonable excuse. There has been a huge rate of compliance with other restrictions, even on the illogical rules about contact with family members.
There are 650 parliamentary constituencies in the UK. 200 tests a day in each would amount to 130,000. I think 100,000 could be exceeded.
This testing would be in addition to testing for clinical need, but could be analysed separately to show the extent of the virus in the population.
One major benefit could be a boost to people's confidence in getting on with their daily lives, and putting the whole thing in perspective.
The testing could go on for years and be a part of daily life. As far as I'm concerned, it would be better than what we have now.
I'm happy for holes to be picked in this. I'm sure there would be some problems, but I do think it would be worth considering.
maghater
Striker
So how much does a test cost, and how many have not been returned.
Have heard from a friend who works in a pharmacy that they sometimes get black bin bags full of unused drugs returned, which all has to be junked, some folks will just take anything as long as its not costing them anything.
ontap
Striker
Wife's test kit arrived today, after reading the instruction guide she was on the point of throwing it all in the bin but we eventually between us have decided to use it. I can see why a lot of older generation would certainly struggle with it. You have to go online and order a courier. On top of that the actual process of massaging your tonsils with a "bud" for 15 secs then sticking it up each nostril for another 10 is certainly off-putting.
