I got the same, booked the courier, got up early as they said they start collecting early. Stuck all the labels on everything, assembled mirror, equipment, washed hands opened swab packet to find it didn't contain a swab! Couldn't cancel the courier so just sent it back with a note on the bag. Never got sent another though.
I’ve been watching Dr John Campbell’s daily video reports (utube) on the virus for months now, and glad to hear is is suggesting that we should continue to protect our old and vulnerable people this Christmas. This means no meals and get-togethers as we would like, EVEN if it is allowed in the ‘rules’.
They are opening our Nightingale hospital in Exeter now! Could be just a precaution or I think they may bring patients from other areas there. We have a steady 5 people dying every day in our locals hospitals. Not many,, but I don’t want to be there.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
What's allowed and what's sensible to protect more vulnerable people seem to be quite different things. I think the Christmas bubble rule is a compromise because without it a lot of people would ignore all rules and mix with lots of family. Just because it's allowed, doesn't mean we all have to do it.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
why a courier?how much did that cost? Why the delay?
It's not part of the general testing, it's a specific study they've been doing from early on to test people at random, rather than only those putting themselves forward because they have symptoms. It's the best source of data on how widespread it really is in the population and whether it's increasing or decreasing. I think the courier is so they don't get lost - the post is definitely a bit wobbly although better now than it was in lockdown #1. It's not being paid for from the NHS clinical budgets, as far as I know but it is quite hard to find that out exactly. They aren't doing it for your benefit - if you had symptoms you should request a test like everyone else does, so the turnaround time to you isn't a key priority for them.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
It's harder to say no to relatives when you haven't got the rules to back you up.
I suppose it is. My parents normally come to us for 4 or 5 days over Christmas, so I told them if they want to come that's OK, but I think it's safer for them if they don't, and they agree (at the moment anyway, I guess they might change their minds). It's easier when no-one lives alone and there are no small children to consider, and I count myself lucky to be in that situation. I really feel for people who have more difficult choices to make than I do.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I was fretting about Christmas bubbles... have sons who live away who want to come home (so that's our bubble of three households), then I have London-based brothers who are keen to see our elderly housebound Mum (who lives next door to me, and has always been in our bubble, I am her carer). And we are now in Tier 3. Thankfully my brothers have decided to do the right thing and wait till the New Year/vaccine before coming to see Mum. Awful to say it, but I hope she lasts that long... Thank goodness for FaceTime/Zoom...
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Couldn't cancel the courier so just sent it back with a note on the bag. Never got sent another though.
We have a steady 5 people dying every day in our locals hospitals.
Not many,, but I don’t want to be there.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”