Good morning I have been ordering Covid home test kits for along time and for the last week the NHS web site has said that the tests are not available currently, which I have experienced when the new strains were around. So this morning I have contacted my local chemist who is giving the 4th jabs and I asked have they got any home test kits, they said yes but I would have to pay for them, albeit I am in the extremely vulnerable category.
Has anyone else come across this?
1 Like
Hi @Russell thank you for starting this thread! Lateral flow tests are still free for everyone at the moment.
You could email the pharmacy this gov webpage as it explains âFrom 1 April, the Government will no longer provide free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England.â
They also say that there will be âlimited symptomatic testing available for a small number of at-risk groups,â.
We are pressing the government for more information about who will have access to free tests and how they will access them.
In the meantime, you can still order free lateral flow tests when you need them.
You could try this link as it tells you where LFTs are available, but probably worth also giving the pharmacy a call before hand just to check - Find where to get rapid lateral flow tests - NHS (test-and-trace.nhs.uk)
1 Like
@Russell
To book the LFTâs online, for delivery, you have to be persistent
I can try many times a day, each time they say there are none available, but then, magically, it goes through
Not sure if they open slots up during the day, but I rarely find I can order them at the first three to four attempts - on one occasion, it took me 10 attempts, finally getting one ordered at 10.30pm.
Just keep on going, you will âstrike luckyâ eventually.
As for paying, I hope not - maybe they can do them on prescription.
2 Likes
Hi @Russell I have been lucky ordering at soon after 8am from the NHS site, but as @heatherthomas says you have to be persistent which is frustrating. Good luck and look after yourself
1 Like
For now, follow @LFT_alert on Twitter as it lets you know availability - in England, you still have to be quick! Luckily, I have been ordering a set every 3 days for weeks easily, but I am in Wales and itâs a different situation!
3 Likes
My university were giving them out free but 3 or 4 weeks ago we were told we couldnât any longer as the government had revoked our license to distribute them. Weâve got a whole cabinet full of them in the Library and they look like theyâre going to stay there and be wastedâŚ
1 Like
I have been struggling to order lateral flow tests online for over a week. The chemists are all saying they canât get any and I must order online! Today I read that from April they are going to cost ÂŁ20-ÂŁ30 a box and Boots are already selling them at ÂŁ5.99 per test. I canât see anywhere they are definitely going to be free for the Extremely clinically vulnerable or how we get access to them. Its a bit worrying as we are only a week from April.
1 Like
Hi @summer123 I will copy your post to @BloodCancerUK for you, I have found just after 8am is the best time to get the Covid test kits from the Gov site.
Look after yourself
Thanks @Erica, my husband unfortunately tested positive this morning. We did the PCR test that was sent to us and sent it off. Spoke to our Consultants office and was told the covid medicine delivery unit will contact him with 24 hours of test result ( hope they work weekends). And hoping the system works and he gets Antivirals. We are running short of Lfts ( I am negative but keep testing) but had offers from relatives for spare boxes so should be ok for a while.
1 Like
Hi @summer123 if your husband has problems with getting antivirals please call the Blood Cancer UK support line, but between 10-1 at weekends.
Let us know how you get on, please, and take care of yourselves
1 Like
Thanks @Erica Thats really helpful. I will do. You really are such a wonderful help to people even though you have your own problems.
2 Likes
Hi @summer123 - try now! Iâve been trying all night too & finally got my order through!
1 Like
Hi @Chapsticks just tried none available, but Thank you. Will try again at 8am.
1 Like
Went on NHS site at exactly 8am and have now ordered 2 boxes of tests. Husband just had email from NHS to say PCR test is positive and CMDU will contact within 24 hours if not contact 111. So so far so good in getting the Antivirals. Fingers crossed
4 Likes
Hi @summer123 the forum is here so please let us know how you get on.
How is your husband feeling and I expect both your emotions are all over the place.
Look after yourselves
Hello @summer123, how are you getting on? Any news from the CMDU? As @Erica mentioned, I am here over the weekend 10am to 1pm and outside of this 111 will be the best escalation if you donât here anything. Wishing your husband better. Take care Gemma
1 Like
Hello @summer123, we have been assured by the Government that lateral flows will be free for the clinically vulnerable but as yet we do not know how this will work practically, as ever we are pressing the government about this and will update the community as soon as we know.
Here is are the other issues, that we along with 17 other charities, we are very passionate about: 5 tests for the Governmentâs plan for Living with COVID-19: the support required for people at high-risk | Multiple Sclerosis Society UK
We have found that, for now, in England ordering LFTâs later at night or very early in the morning leads to increased success.
Do take care
Gemma
3 Likes
Update on getting Anti Virals.At 10am this morning (about 28 hours from PCR result) had a call from CMDU, oddly it seems they donât have access to Husbands medical records. Had to give details of all medication Husbands is on and dates and types of different chemo drugs he was last given ( he is on a break at the moment until his blood counts go up). She seemed to spend quite a while checking any interactionâs with antivirals. She then said he is a candidate for antivirals and we will be contacted by local hospital within 24 hours. She is also sending us an Oxymeter to monitor oxygen levels. Seem a long winded system, so another day waiting by the phone.
2 Likes
Hello @summer123, glad to hear that there has been some progress, please call/message us tomorrow @Alice_BloodCancerUK is here and if you have any further issues we can help. Gemma
2 Likes
I was trying to order lateral flow tests kit today - Iâve had quite a few attempts hadnât worked, but just ordered one now , 20.05, so keep trying
1 Like