Gatherings of more than 6 people to be banned

[Springal]

I needed to do a Covid PCR test the other week, in order to fly back to Dubai. My experience summed up what a shitshow this has become.

First time I logged onto the govt system to book one, I was told to travel 463 miles to Inverness.

This happened the second and third times too.

When I phoned to query this, I was told to wait till 8pm the next day and try then.

8pm the next day, there were no drive-thru slots available anywhere in the UK. At all. Not one. My only option was a walk-in centre 49 miles away, which had a couple of slots in a few days time.

This time, when I phoned to query this, I was told that slots "were now only being given to people with symptoms". As that wasn't me, I couldn't book one.

So I went back on to the system, and this time ticked the box saying that I thought I might have symptoms. Clever me, I thought.

Nope. Same result. No drive-thru test possible in the entire UK.

So I left it, before spontaneously trying again at 11pm. And suddenly, lo and behold, there are slots available at 8am the next morning at my nearest drive-thru. So I immediately book one.

When I get there, I'm one of 5 people who have managed to navigate this farce and booked the 8am – 8.30am slot. The centre has, I would guess, 40 staff and – with six lanes and the actual process taking about a minute – the capacity to handle roughly 150–180 people every half hour.

Yet it's almost impossible to book, and – at best – utterly confusing, frustrating and contradictory.

You shouldn’t be using NHS PCR tests to fly. You don’t even get a certificate just a text / email.

You should be going private to a travel clinic

 

[LamieRobertson]

The whole thing seems totally arbitrary. Meeting groups of more than 6 people in some cases literally against the law with the threat fines. Groups of more than 6 people in work, or school, or being inside commercial premises allowed without sanction. I am struggling to understand the science behind this. The last time I checked I did not see the corona virus going through the latest government guidelines to see who it was allowed to infect.

The message is confusing, it has been confusing and mixed from the start. We are now in the 9th month of this emergency situation and still the logistics of track and trace are found to be severely wanting, clearly hampering any kind of informed response to the pandemic. We are left with a government apparently making policy up on the hoof and out of control of the entire situation. All the while handing out millions of tax-payer pounds (and personal data) to their buddies with uncontested contracts for PPE and tracing systems which do not work.

A complete and utter shambles. I can only hope the fatality rate continues to stay low.

You could add that we also have an opposition leader who seems to have taken a vow of silence

 

[Bozza]

I needed to do a Covid PCR test the other week, in order to fly back to Dubai. My experience summed up what a shitshow this has become.

First time I logged onto the govt system to book one, I was told to travel 463 miles to Inverness.

This happened the second and third times too.

When I phoned to query this, I was told to wait till 8pm the next day and try then.

8pm the next day, there were no drive-thru slots available anywhere in the UK. At all. Not one. My only option was a walk-in centre 49 miles away, which had a couple of slots in a few days time.

This time, when I phoned to query this, I was told that slots "were now only being given to people with symptoms". As that wasn't me, I couldn't book one.

So I went back on to the system, and this time ticked the box saying that I thought I might have symptoms. Clever me, I thought.

Nope. Same result. No drive-thru test possible in the entire UK.

So I left it, before spontaneously trying again at 11pm. And suddenly, lo and behold, there are slots available at 8am the next morning at my nearest drive-thru. So I immediately book one.

When I get there, I'm one of 5 people who have managed to navigate this farce and booked the 8am – 8.30am slot. The centre has, I would guess, 40 staff and – with six lanes and the actual process taking about a minute – the capacity to handle roughly 150–180 people every half hour.

Yet it's almost impossible to book, and – at best – utterly confusing, frustrating and contradictory.

Whilst that's not a good tale - why on earth are you using up scarce NHS resources so you can travel? You should be paying for a private test.

 

[Mellotron]

I needed to do a Covid PCR test the other week, in order to fly back to Dubai. My experience summed up what a shitshow this has become.

First time I logged onto the govt system to book one, I was told to travel 463 miles to Inverness.

This happened the second and third times too.

When I phoned to query this, I was told to wait till 8pm the next day and try then.

8pm the next day, there were no drive-thru slots available anywhere in the UK. At all. Not one. My only option was a walk-in centre 49 miles away, which had a couple of slots in a few days time.

This time, when I phoned to query this, I was told that slots "were now only being given to people with symptoms". As that wasn't me, I couldn't book one.

So I went back on to the system, and this time ticked the box saying that I thought I might have symptoms. Clever me, I thought.

Nope. Same result. No drive-thru test possible in the entire UK.

So I left it, before spontaneously trying again at 11pm. And suddenly, lo and behold, there are slots available at 8am the next morning at my nearest drive-thru. So I immediately book one.

When I get there, I'm one of 5 people who have managed to navigate this farce and booked the 8am – 8.30am slot. The centre has, I would guess, 40 staff and – with six lanes and the actual process taking about a minute – the capacity to handle roughly 150–180 people every half hour.

Yet it's almost impossible to book, and – at best – utterly confusing, frustrating and contradictory.

I'm sure at some point we'll find out someone from the Government's cousin who once owned a PC was given millions to be in charge of the system you're struggling with.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Johnson, Hancock, Gove and Cummings ... the four ****wits of the apocalypse.


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Need any help to make that five (BJ)

 

[Guinness Boy]

This government needs to stop issuing petty rules and regulations and let us get on with our lives. For most people this virus is no worse than a bad dose of flu and yet we have shut down the economy and ruined people's lives. More people died worldwide in the 1968 Hong Kong flu epidemic than have died of Covid19, but there were no lock-downs then. Sweden is the only country to have taken a more sensible approach. Stop being so fecking scared of a flu bug!

Dearie me.

I'm quite lucky that I've not lost a loved one (others on here have) but this "flu" has certainly altered my body for the worse, possibly permanently. I have gone from a 3h 45 marathon runner to someone who can't really walk more than a couple of miles without getting tired and I had a cough for four months. And I'm lucky. just a quick look at yesterday's BBC Covid round up will show you other cases of "long covd" again with people under 50 who were training for marathons or regularly cycled or climbed. That's not normal, it's certainly not flu.

And before anyone says "you weren't saying that in February", no i wasn't and I was wrong (I am sometimes ).

And before anyone says "you're a mod" I am, and I'm calling out something factually incorrect posted by a user who appears to be a dyed-in-the-wool troll.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

You could add that we also have an opposition leader who seems to have taken a vow of silence

Unfair. This shitshow is being run exclusively by the party who have access to all the data and have set up our Covid response entirely on their own, using private meetings chaired by Dominic Cummins to make the decisions. HM loyal opposition and smaller parties are not privy to the information or the decision making process. If they start gobbing off on a daily basis about what they think should be done it would be self defeating. Starmer has spoken from time to time but it would be absurd for him to ponce around like a shadow president.

To be fair to HMG, they have made decisions in difficult circumstances. Getting the initial decisions wrong was understandable. Sort of. The problem has been the vaccilating. All you can say in criticism is that it would be better to have a plan and stick to it. Even being 'reactive' is sort of defensible. But the tories seem to be doing everything wrong, now. None of it makes sense. We don't need Starmer spouting off to point all this out. I'm happy with Starmer's stance.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Whilst that's not a good tale - why on earth are you using up scarce NHS resources so you can travel? You should be paying for a private test.

To be fair, at what time has the government announced that if you work overseas and come home to see family, if there is a need for a Covid test you will be required to pay for it privately?

If there is such a published statement, e.g. on the NHS website, I'm happy to apologise. Link?

Edit, there is nothing on the NHS website specifically, but reading between the lines you can only get a test on the NHS 'if you live in England' - see below. Take note of that, you overseas living British citizens, when you get the urge to visit family.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Unfair. This shitshow is being run exclusively by the party who have access to all the data and have set up our Covid response entirely on their own, using private meetings chaired by Dominic Cummins to make the decisions. HM loyal opposition and smaller parties are not privy to the information or the decision making process. If they start gobbing off on a daily basis about what they think should be done it would be self defeating. Starmer has spoken from time to time but it would be absurd for him to ponce around like a shadow president.

To be fair to HMG, they have made decisions in difficult circumstances. Getting the initial decisions wrong was understandable. Sort of. The problem has been the vaccilating. All you can say in criticism is that it would be better to have a plan and stick to it. Even being 'reactive' is sort of defensible. But the tories seem to be doing everything wrong, now. None of it makes sense. We don't need Starmer spouting off to point all this out. I'm happy with Starmer's stance.

Unfair is because of your political leanings Harry ...actually being heard to challenge this government is not necessarily gobbing off as you call it..and they dont have to do it every day...but really they could say a lot more...the cynical in me is thinking KS is keeping quiet so as not to spoil his chances in the next GE.

Re this government ....at the beginning i had a lot of sympathy and thought they were doing their best...but as the months have gone by thats all gone down the plug hole

Just my opinion Harry ...you wont be putting me on ignore will u now

Ps I agree entirely with your second sentence

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Dearie me.

I'm quite lucky that I've not lost a loved one (others on here have) but this "flu" has certainly altered my body for the worse, possibly permanently. I have gone from a 3h 45 marathon runner to someone who can't really walk more than a couple of miles without getting tired and I had a cough for four months. And I'm lucky. just a quick look at yesterday's BBC Covid round up will show you other cases of "long covd" again with people under 50 who were training for marathons or regularly cycled or climbed. That's not normal, it's certainly not flu.

And before anyone says "you weren't saying that in February", no i wasn't and I was wrong (I am sometimes ).

And before anyone says "you're a mod" I am, and I'm calling out something factually incorrect posted by a user who appears to be a dyed-in-the-wool troll.

I hadn’t realized you had contracted Covid. Apologies if I missed you explaining previously. More and more is being discovered about Long Covid and it must be galling for you to read posts by selfish, ****wit Covid deniers when you are suffering the long term effects. I wish you well in your recovery.

 

[A1X]

Unfair is because of your political leanings Harry ...actually being heard to challenge this government is not necessarily gobbing off as you call it..and they dont have to do it every day...but really they could say a lot more...the cynical in me is thinking KS is keeping quiet so as not to spoil his chances in the next GE.

Out of interest, what do you think Starmer should be doing & saying? He came out yesterday and told us his fears that the Track & Trace system is on the brink of collapse, a summation which the evidence seemingly backs up. What should he be doing in your opinion?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

[MENTION=11191]Pretty pink fairy[/MENTION] will be fine, I doubt he will get anywhere near the limit. And just for clarity....your right hand doesn’t count as a friend.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Funerals exempt thankfully.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Unfair is because of your political leanings Harry ...actually being heard to challenge this government is not necessarily gobbing off as you call it..and they dont have to do it every day...but really they could say a lot more...the cynical in me is thinking KS is keeping quiet so as not to spoil his chances in the next GE.

Re this government ....at the beginning i had a lot of sympathy and thought they were doing their best...but as the months have gone by thats all gone down the plug hole

Just my opinion Harry ...you wont be putting me on ignore will u now

Ps I agree entirely with your second sentence

Well, as KS can do nothing right now, and that our only hope in the long run is labour winning the GE, and if keeping fairly quiet is the best plan, I'm not going to criticise him. He can't save us from the opposition benches. Kinnock-style ranting gets you nowhere.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well, as KS can do nothing right now, and that our only hope in the long run is labour winning the GE, and if keeping fairly quiet is the best plan, I'm not going to criticise him. He can't save us from the opposition benches. Kinnock-style ranting gets you nowhere.

Lol...you know what i mean you rascal

 

[Bold Seagull]

Funerals exempt thankfully.

Is there any talk of the 30 allowed attendees being reduced further, or is it just wait and see?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Out of interest, what do you think Starmer should be doing & saying? He came out yesterday and told us his fears that the Track & Trace system is on the brink of collapse, a summation which the evidence seemingly backs up. What should he be doing in your opinion?

Exactly.

I rather like the fact that KS seems to have absolutely no instinct to grandstand.

 

[beorhthelm]

Edit, there is nothing on the NHS website specifically, but reading between the lines you can only get a test on the NHS 'if you live in England' - see below. Take note of that, you overseas living British citizens, when you get the urge to visit family.

same site says only get a test if you have symptoms.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Funerals exempt thankfully.

Very good and important point

 

[albion534]

My wife’s friend is a teacher and she can’t get a test at the moment, she was told on the phone that they’re only for NHS staff at the moment.
They’re not testing as many people so numbers don’t go as high.

This government is a shambles


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