Booked a testing slot [yesterday] for the youngest [off school after two days back, b/c she had a temperature yesterday]. Went to the testing centre tonight with her. Slightly dystopian set up in the giant tent with all the screens, but understandably so, and everybody was [1/5 ]

... dystopianly friendly and helpful. However, no clinical support for administering tests onsite, so parents have to do it for their children. 'Have you ever done anything like this before?' we were asked hopefully by the man who steered us into our booth. [2/5 ]

'No.' I said. 'Oh well! Never mind!' he said cheerfully. I didn't mind, but I also wasn't very good at it, and a clinician would have been better able to gauge how firm to be, and how far to press the issue. I think I could have done a decent job of swabbing *myself* but [3/5 ]

... if this is now the typical set-up, I wonder about the extra testing that's being done so that children can get the all clear to go back to school. What will a negative result mean? She was happy that I did it, but it's a task where all the feedback is re: discomfort .. [4/5]

.. rather than success, so it's not that easy for a total novice to do for someone else. Presumably there are some places where someone else does the test, as there are for adults? If not, it might be wise to think about that .. [5/5]