Yesterday I booked in and ventured off to a local covid testing site which was a weird experience, so I'm now at home waiting the results, feeling rough as anything really wishing I could just sleep all day for a few days and not have to adult! I thought I'd share how the test went in case any of you need one and find it a worrying prospect like I did.
The test was easy to book and I was able to go at 7.30pm, which was helpful with having kids. Once on the site I can only describe it as clinical and like a wipe clean murder scene, very odd! They lightened the mood with butterfly stickers, but yep it still definitely looked like a white sheeted crazy tunnel from a murder film.
Once in, I was led to a small room off a corridor with a hospital type curtain, with the test bag, a bin, a chair, desk and mirror. Posters on the wall show the process of taking the test and it was all pretty straightforward. I was feeling really poorly and super tired, so reading through it all made my head spin a bit so I asked for help to make sure I did it right first time. It's strange but completely understandable that the staff look terrified when you move near them!
In the kit there's bags, a swab, a tube with liquid in and some tissue. It's a bit weird to do but easy and not as bad as expected. All you have to do is:
- Blow your nose to get rid of anything in the way
- Put the swab up your nose as far as it will go, it's tickly but doesn't hurt!
- Wipe it round for ten seconds
- Wipe the swab on your tonsil area for ten seconds, makes you gag a bit but not too bad.
- Snap off the top part of the swab and put the rest into the liquid bottle and seal.
- Put in bag with soft pad and seal
If you need a test or need one in the future, it's really not as bad as you think, you can order one by post or go to a site and it's really quick, clean and safe. I dreaded having to do one on the kids, but now I've done one I don't think it would be any issue getting the kids to do one too at any point.
Wish me luck!