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People across the country have shared their struggles to get tested for COVID-19.
Key workers and parents of young children have told Sky News that they have been asked to travel hundreds of miles to get tested, or have been forced to stay home due to a lack of testability.
Centers across the UK have turned people away after a delay in labs led to tests stop.
Dr. Claire Sillitoe was forced to stay home yesterday after struggling to get tested.
GP had to “trick the system into seeing patients again”
Dr Claire Sillitoe, a GP working in South West London, had to cancel face-to-face appointments with patients on Monday after failing to take a test over the weekend.
Her husband, who is also a family doctor, was forced to do the same.
Claire was only able to do remote inquiries and also had to cancel visits.
She told Sky News she tried “day and night” to get tested after her 11-year-old daughter fell ill with a fever on Saturday.
In the end, he had to “cheat the system” by using a Scottish postal code to get an appointment in Aberdeen and then bring the QR code he generated to his nearest center.
She said: “The most frustrating thing is that yesterday the NHS told GPs that we were lazing around and we weren’t seeing enough patients face-to-face. However, I was desperate to see patients but was not allowed to do so due to my daughter.
“I was not willing to put my patients at risk, so I was stuck in a really difficult position.”
Fortunately, the test returned within 24 hours, allowing the family to return to work and school on Tuesday.
But Claire fears what will happen when we get to the winter months.
She added: “The ministers have had all summer to prepare for everyone to return to schools and universities.
“Not having really increased testing capacity is very shortsighted.”
Amy Ferguson from Southampton had trouble booking a test for her husband
“Everything is a complete lottery”
Amy Ferguson, a Southampton official, spent 24 hours over the weekend trying to test her husband, who is a police officer.
She called the process an “absolute disaster.”
The 39-year-old added: “I would refresh the page every 10 minutes, and I even tried overnight.
“I had a key police worker verification code, but this made no difference.
“Finally the option of a postal proof came up and this came yesterday.
“It would be incredibly difficult for a sick person to understand and make himself.”
Amy fears that even if the result is negative, her four- and seven-year-old children could miss more than a week of school.
She added: “My friend managed to get tested in Portsmouth.
“Everything seems to be a complete lottery.”
Caregiver Linda Shipley told Sky News that testing results for staff had been delayed
“This has been a great failure”
Custodial worker Linda Shipley told Sky News that test results for staff at the home where she works had been delayed, raising safety concerns.
The 57-year-old from Malton in North Yorkshire said: “We test once a week, but I’ve been waiting for my results since last Tuesday and still haven’t gotten them. I have another test this week.”
“We want the best to protect ourselves and our residents.
“This has been a massive failure. It is a systematic failure of the government.”
Hasina Miah wants her kids to go back to school
“I dislike the system”
Self-employed Hasina Miah, 33, of Bolton, has been trying to take tests for her six-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter since Sunday night.
She said: “I have tried every 30 minutes. There is nothing available.
“I’m from Bolton. I’ve entered zip codes for Bolton, Manchester, Wigan, Leigh, Bury, and Chester, but no evidence is available anywhere.
“Your school has informed me that I am not allowed to send you both back until you have been tested for COVID.
“My two sons are fine and recovered. But there are rules for the safety of other classmates and teachers.
“They will have to isolate for 14 days if this test is not done.
“My kids are missing an education because of these useless tests!
“I dislike this system, it is an absolute joke.”
Offered a test 546 miles away
Khilen Rughani, 36, from Hatch End, northwest London, was forced to shell out £ 110 on a private test for her five-year-old son who developed a cough over the weekend.
The physical therapist, who is a key worker, has been stuck at home unable to go to work and care for patients while waiting for the test result.
He said he contacted NHS 111 and was told there was no evidence available.
After numerous attempts, she was told she could take her son to a testing center in Aberdeen, more than 546 miles away.
He said: “The school’s policy is that you cannot send them unless they have a negative COVID test.
“The problem is, this is the season when young children have coughs and colds.
“They told us we could go to a testing center in Aberdeen. But the rules say you shouldn’t leave home, let alone travel to Scotland with a five-year-old.”
“I paid £ 110 to get tested privately, but it’s unique. It’s not fair to have to pay.
“If my son gets sick again, I can’t keep doing it. It’s not even the winter season. What’s going to happen in December?
“Children cannot miss school for two weeks every time they contract a cough.”
“I’m still waiting for a result”
Dundee’s Lee Mason told Sky News that he became ill on Friday night and that on Sunday morning his temperature was 38.5 ° C.
He said: “I called the COVID helpline and tried to book a test online and they said there were only home tests available, then once I completed the online application, it came to the end and I was like ‘sorry it’s not there. available’.
“I spoke to the COVID team on the phone and booked a test.
“But after being tested on Sunday morning at 10 am, I am still waiting for the result.”
