Thursday 26 November 2020

My experience of ordering a home test kit for my dad.

 Coronavirus has been out there since the beginning of this year but up until recently I felt pretty safe thinking I was doing everything I could to keep my family safe. Then the 2nd wave hit and it seems to have hit North Lincolnshire a lot harder than earlier in the year. It was only a matter of time before someone I knew was worried about having Coronavirus.

Covid test

My dad started with the virus symptoms on Wednesday the 4th of November over the next couple of days he felt worse and worse, he had all the symptoms and by Saturday he agreed to let me order him a Coronavirus home test.

Ordering the Coronavirus (COVID-19) home test was actually a lot more straightforward than I thought it would be. Simply fill in a form online and wait for it to be delivered.

Great, I ordered it to be sent to his house, obviously and we waited. I could see the tracking and then on Monday it said it been delivered at 3.29pm. I assumed it had been delivered late on in the day, my dad was late in checking the post and was going to wait and test himself the next day so he could catch the post collection without having to rush.

My dad rang me first thing on Tuesday morning asking where the test was. He had checked his post box and his partner did and it was nowhere to be found. He still wasn't feeling great and thinking the test had gone missing he asked me to book him into the drive through test centre. (He was in no fit state to drive over the weekend when I ordered the home kit). He wasn't much better on Tuesday but drove himself there, had the test and drove himself back home.

 In hindsight I wish I had took a screenshot of the tracking because it had said it had been delivered on Monday 9th when I looked. I went to start writing this blog post on the 10th, that Tuesday to take the screenshot and to complain about test going missing only to see that the date on the tracking had been changed!! I am not mistaken. I also don't understand how it was out for over 24 hours for delivery and not delivered.

Home covid test tracking

The test had been delivered at 2.34pm on Tuesday but it was too late then as my dad had already been for the drive through test. 

In hindsight it is a good thing that my dad could drive himself to a test centre but it annoys me that he was messed around with the home test. It makes me feel even more anxious that if myself, Stu or the girls were to get ill we would have to make do with a home test as we obviously couldn't get a lift or public transport and risk infecting people. 

My dad tested positive for Coronavirus and is thankfully on the road to recovery now.

Who we can't praise enough is the NHS Test and Trace woman who rang my dad to check who he'd had contact with. My dad isn't the greatest with his mobile phone and as he was so ill hadn't seen the text message from the Test and Trace people. He spoke on the phone to her and she said that he should speak to a doctor as he was sounding really chesty and his cough should have been a bit better than it was. She said in her opinion he had a chest infection on top of Covid. After a call to the doctor and he was given antibiotics. As well as giving him health advice she spoke to his partner and gave her plenty of advice and phone numbers of people who can help deliver shopping and essentials. The Test and Trace people are so much more than people who just tell you to isolate.

My dad has said when he is feeling 100% fit again he will be complaining about the test being delivered late and I don't doubt he will. It will obviously be my word against theirs but I am sure it will give him something to occupy his mind. hehehe

Have you had to order yourself a home test? How did it go?

2 comments :

  1. It's quite scary that you can't get a test when you need it. I know many people who wouldn't be able to go to a drive in centre. I'm glad your Dad is on the mend now though. I hope he manages to rest up for a good while longer though, I've heard it can really drain you. I hope his partner is okay too. xx

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  2. This is really helpful. I am glad your dad is getting better X

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