What to do next!!

[Megabear2]

Good news, I'm feeling much better, bad news I'm still testing positive.  Now comes the next step and its confusing!  My technical 10 days isolation ends on 26th but my Auntie's isn't until 29th.  I have only 2 LFT tests left in the house, she has none.  The NHS website appears to have shut up shop with regard to available tests to send and my brother has asked locally to Auntie in chemist shops and they have none either.  So basically we can't test her - she apparently is gambling around the garden like a Spring lamb after completing her anti viral so only worry is getting a test!

 

Remembering Molecrochip's advice back when we first tested positive I've not gone back to P&O to inform them of our problem, waiting instead for the health protocol questionnaire to arrive and refuse us boarding. However we clearly have a problem.  I cannot find anywhere on P&O website their stance on passengers who have recovered recently from Covid.  If there is one could someone please direct me to it?

 

Second problem is Auntie's insurance does not cover Covid in the 14 days before travel so we are going to have to book something else with the FCC we hopefully are entitled to for unavoidable cancellation.  At 83 she's feeling a bit vulnerable and wants to crack on!  It has to be from Southampton and she's adamant it will not be to Norway as apparently the cold would chill her bones after "this turn out"!

 

Cost wise things are looking a bit bleak so I've narrowed it down to 3 May 12 nights on Britannia to the Canaries, 7 May 14 nights on Ventura as the only options this side of August.  I understand it's quite likely we may continue to test positive until these dates hence my looking for recovery certificate information. Any help much appreciated on that one.

 

June and July are out due to two more weddings (yikes!!!) and already booked holidays for me so next available options are 21 August on Britannia and then moving into October and November. There are a couple of Britannia and Iona cruises on 2nd and 8th October but to get on budget for her on Iona it would need to be a Saver fare. Am I better to ignore balconies for that one and look at insides?

 

I've never sailed Ventura or Iona. Personally love Britannia but am conscious if there's bad weather it can be a bit of a disaster with no under cover pool area so if sailing full gets crowded.  Auntie has never sailed on anything bigger than Arcadia with P&O so these might be a shock all round.  Any views on what these sailings/ships might offer a more stately (for want of not wanting to insinuate elderly) lady who enjoys meeting people and getting involved could offer would be very welcome!  Otherwise I might have to break the bank and subsidise her on Aurora if I can find one with space and that's very very limited.

 

Thanks as ever to all.

[thornegirl]

We have been on Iona in an outside cabin, really nice spacious cabin (they are 215sq ft) on deck 5 not too far from the lifts.  Good location and very quiet cabin.  Normally the outside cabins are quite a bit cheaper than the balcony.  We did saver fare on that cruise as the outside cabins are only on deck 4 or 5, and you could choose mid or mid aft cabin grade.

[Harry Peterson]

I don’t know Iona, but I do know Ventura pretty well, and there have always been plenty of older people onboard, all of whom seemed quite happy with the ship. Some of them were regulars, and one guy in his 90s told us he more or less lived on it.
 

Real character - arrived at dinner with a massive, friendly “Hello, children” and entertained the whole table. 
 

I’d happily do the Canaries on Ventura again, and I can’t see why age would be an issue. I’m pretty sure Auntie would find plenty of friends.

[Stokie33]

Hi I’m in Swindon with a spare box of lfts that I can post to wherever they are needed if it helps 

[Waju]

I've just looked and LFT tests can still be ordered on the Gov site.

[yorkshirephil]

I have just ordered a pack

[Megabear2]

Thank you. Unfortunately we are not so lucky. This is what we get for past 5 days.

 

 

Sorry, there are no home delivery slots for these tests right now - Coronavirus Home Testing - GOV.UK.PDF

[Megabear2]

12 hours ago, Stokie33 said:

Hi I’m in Swindon with a spare box of lfts that I can post to wherever they are needed if it helps 

Thank you very much. Will try a few more times with NHS website as others say they are managing to obtain them and don't want to deplete your supply if we can help it. Very much appreciate your kind offer.

[Pink-belle]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you. Unfortunately we are not so lucky. This is what we get for past 5 days.

 

 

Sorry, there are no home delivery slots for these tests right now - Coronavirus Home Testing - GOV.UK.PDF 30.12 kB · 1 download

Try at different times during the day, we got the not available at breakfast and lunch time, then just before dinner were able to order.   

[Megabear2]

16 minutes ago, Pink-belle said:

Try at different times during the day, we got the not available at breakfast and lunch time, then just before dinner were able to order.   

Thanks. My husband and brother have been trying hourly for 5 days! The former is concerned due to living with me because he has a serious heart condition.  We are trying our best to keep apart now I'm up and about the past two days. My last test showed still positive and I have one test left which I'll use on 26th as its my 10 days since positive.

 

I'm told by Boots on 1 April they will start selling tests at £2.50 each or £17 for a pack of 4.

[Astrajet]

17 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I'm told by Boots on 1 April they will start selling tests at £2.50 each or £17 for a pack of 4.

I ordered a couple Flowflex Antigen Rapid Test Lateral Flow Self-Testing Kit 5 Tests from Boots last week to take on the cruise.  I had previously received this same make via the Gov site.  The cost was £9.80 for a box of 5 tests (nasal only).  It was a click & collect order came through in a couple of days. 

[davecttr]

28 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Thanks. My husband and brother have been trying hourly for 5 days! The former is concerned due to living with me because he has a serious heart condition.  We are trying our best to keep apart now I'm up and about the past two days. My last test showed still positive and I have one test left which I'll use on 26th as its my 10 days since positive.

 

I'm told by Boots on 1 April they will start selling tests at £2.50 each or £17 for a pack of 4.

April fool joke!

 

Just buy 4 separate kits and save £7 😵

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, davecttr said:

April fool joke!

 

Just buy 4 separate kits and save £7 😵

It was a typo, should have read 5 but like everything else connected with this it changes like the wind. Astrajet has actually ordered and got them online at a different price quoted to my brother over the telephone so make of it what you will. Meantime I'm going to infect half of Wiltshire for the lack of knowing.

Edited March 24, 2022 by Megabear2

[Stokie33]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you very much. Will try a few more times with NHS website as others say they are managing to obtain them and don't want to deplete your supply if we can help it. Very much appreciate your kind offer.

Do you know anyone who works for the nhs or is a key worker I was able to order a box last night.

[Megabear2]

Thanks everyone. I've purchased two boxes of 5 from Lloyd's online for £9.85 each, one to each house.  When they've gone there will be no more testing to do I hope!  

[Cathygh]

Our local pharmacy have been told they are not allowed to order any more lfts. How anyone who has symptoms is supposed to get tested I have no idea!

[Dinglebert]

Do find this an odd situation.  As NHS staff and a vaccinator we are told that if we have covid we do not have to do tests for 90 days after.  They can still give false positives for extended periods of time after covid.

[jh1809]

13 hours ago, Waju said:

I've just looked and LFT tests can still be ordered on the Gov site.

I believe they are supposed to be available for free up till 1st April. So there's probably a big rush ATM of people trying to stock up before then. Hence the shortage of supplies.

[Megabear2]

24 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

Our local pharmacy have been told they are not allowed to order any more lfts. How anyone who has symptoms is supposed to get tested I have no idea!

My chemist is the same. When I asked the question yesterday on the telephone I was told the whole point is the government doesn't want us to test anymore as its living with Covid. We are to use our discretion apparently and if worried buy a private test.

[jeanlyon]

None in our local chemist either.

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

My chemist is the same. When I asked the question yesterday on the telephone I was told the whole point is the government doesn't want us to test anymore as its living with Covid. We are to use our discretion apparently and if worried buy a private test.

More tests = higher numbers of positive cases. And we don’t want that, do we, for something that’s being airbrushed out of existence, Russian-style.

[zap99]

7 hours ago, Pink-belle said:

Try at different times during the day, we got the not available at breakfast and lunch time, then just before dinner were able to order.   

I ordered a pack last night. It went through ok, but didn't earlier.

[Megabear2]

I've had enough!!!! I'm being hounded by NHS track and trace to report tests on an app that no one's using and where I can't get any tests to report anyway.  I am getting an hourly text and so far had 3 emails.  I'm having a bad day with my cough back, tired and a headache and this is the last thing I need.

 

Also just been told my brother in law moved his money from cancelled cruise to his northern lights December one yet I've got to book a new one or lose my money.  The rest of my mob have unilaterally booked on 18 April Britannia which I cant travel on leaving me to sort out the 83 year old lady who wants a family cruise rather than go with me at a different time. P&O have stated they won't separate us ... I'm now actually about to cry!

[howmuch!]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

I ordered a pack last night. It went through ok, but didn't earlier.

Just tried now and thought it was going OK, asked for address etc, then said none available for posting!

[Megabear2]

They're having maintenance at present  that helps!