Drive - through test centres

Is he off work sick?

He could apply for a home test (courier delivered)

Still only if he is actually sick

Otherwise its pointless.

It is to test people who are off work sick so they dont have to stay off the full 7 days if they feel better sooner

Some pharmacies will be testing soon. Key workers a priority I'm assuming.

No, I thought key workers, NHS staff etc could request a test?

If theyre off sick!

Otherwise, why?

I understood it was only if you or a member of your household has symptoms.

Its to get people back to work!

If you have a non covid temperature you have to stay off a whole 7 days even if you feel better on day 3. If youre tested you can go back yo work.

There is no other reason to test

Similarly if your partner has a temperature you can get a test so you dont need to be off 14 days for no reason

The tests only work in the early days of being symptomatic.

It doesnt mean you havent had it or you wont get it

You have to have cells in your airway with altered RNA for a positive.

You can have it and have a negative test

Testing well people this way would be pointless. It gives no useful information outside of the early symptom window

I can have a test if it's within three days of the start of symptoms, and if I can go in a car. So...

Sorry , obviously only if he has symptoms , not otherwise !

It’s the ‘ drive-through ‘ I was questioning - hence asking if he would be able to walk through .

If he knew which test centre he would be going to, presumably they would have details online?
It all seems very patchy information about tests, though.

He can have a home test but they are less likely to be accurate.

If you dont gag the test didnt go down far enough or rough enough to get enough cells.

Its hard to make yourself gag.

So more likely to be a false negative if you do it on yourself

Its like a pap/smear test. It needs to dislodge positive cells from the right place or else it'll give a false negative

Thank you MawB .