Media confusion COVID testing

[Bayum]

Not sure about anyone else, but who feels confident with the mixed messages flying around on when a test for coronavirus should be sought?
I’ve been under (correctly I believe) the belief that if you have any single new symptom of temperature, non-productive cough or changes to smell and taste then a test should be sought.
Was reading through a DailyFail post this morning that seemed to give the impression that even with a new cough, fever, anosmia or parosmia a blocked nose was more likely to be something else in an attempt to dissuade parents to get their children tested, completely ignoring the fact that you can be infected with multiple infections, not just one.
There was then a quote later that mentioned a parent on Mumsnet with a child with a cough, but also a blocked nose etc and attempting to get a test for her son, implying this was incorrect.

What do we think?
Daily Mail Article

 

[birchesgreen]

The government were encouraging people to get tests, until the testing system collapsed now they are rowing back their guidance as much as they can.

 

[BJames]

Hancock said a while back that if you are in any doubt at all then you should get a test.
This morning on the news (can't remember which interview this was but possibly Sky?) he said he meant "if you are in any doubt about your symptoms". But that's definitely not what he originally meant. And that doesn't even make any sense anyway. He's definitely at least partly responsible for the confusion. As above he's trying to row back to stop hoardes of people trying to get a test even if they probably need one.

My best understanding is that if you have any symptoms (symptoms according to government website) you should get a test. If you have come into contact with someone with symptoms but have not yet developed them yourself, you should self-isolate for 14 days and only go for a test if/when you develop symptoms.

I want to say there's no way the government could have overlooked the fact that more students going back to school would likely mean more testing capacity is needed but it seems they have done just that.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I want to say there's no way the government could have overlooked the fact that more students going back to school would likely mean more testing capacity is needed but it seems they have done just that.

Exactly the same happened in Scotland 3 weeks earlier. Kids were getting sent home from school for having the sniffles and not getting back until a negative test could be confirmed. Alas the Tories didn't take notice, and a replica happened in England.

 

[adc82140]

A test should be sought for a cough only if it is dry in nature, and not associated with a runny nose or sneezing. It must also be continuous. One coughing fit to shift a bit of phlegm doesn't count.

 

[Bayum]

A test should be sought for a cough only if it is dry in nature, and not associated with a runny nose or sneezing. It must also be continuous. One coughing fit to shift a bit of phlegm doesn't count.

Can you provide a source for this please? I’ve never heard of only booking a test as long as you don’t have a runny nose.

 

[adc82140]

I'll see if I can find it. It was on the Facebook page of a local pharmacy.

 

[Scrotnig]

In Leicester, we were told to get a test "even if you don't have symptoms".
Now we're being told off for getting tests when we didn't have symptoms.

I am sick and tired of hearing the government's carping on this matter and am no longer interested in anything they have to say.

 

[MDB1images]

The NHS have a website that details of when to get a test they say ......

Anyone with coronavirus symptoms can get a test.

Coronavirus symptoms are:

a high temperature
a new, continuous cough
a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

COVID-19 testing

Find out about COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests, including who can get them for free on the NHS, how to do the test, and what your result means.

www.nhs.uk

 

[adc82140]

Also on the NHS website, a better description of the cough :

COVID-19 symptoms and what to do

Find out about the symptoms of COVID-19, what to do if you or your child has them and when to get medical help.

www.nhs.uk

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Someone should show this to that headteacher that sent a kid to get a test when they coughed just once. This also describes what I'd consider to be a severe cough, not just one associated with a cold.