Why is there no PCR tests available?

What exactly are the pros/cons of a PCR?

I tested positive on antigen yesterday and have symptoms so I’m sure I have it and am isolating.

Is there a benefit or a downside to anybody if I do/don’t get PCR confirmation other than being included as an official statistic?

They did see it coming and have been blue in the face warning people about it and asking people to follow recommendations and guidelines and also to get vaccinated so as to reduce the impact as much as possible.

Most people follow the guidelines and recommendation. But plenty also thought they were special and didn't. I have any amount of sympathy for the former but none for the latter if they find themselves panicking now over having to wait for a test

What are you on about with your last sentence? Are you only realising that now? We are nearly two years into this. How were you not aware of that from the start? People on these threads were blue in the face trying to explain that it was about keeping numbers down to protect the health service etc. How many times have I seen someone post that it was the difference between asking whether you'd want a record month of rainfall spread across an entire month, or in 24 hours.

Your first sentence is completely irrelevant. I had to make a trip to a shopping centre briefly today to pick up something essential. The first time I'd been in well over a month. I just went in, picked it up, paid and left. The amount of arseholes strolling around with masks half on or under their noses was unbelievable. Just because you have a kid in school doesn't prevent you from wearing a mask properly.

That aged well. 44k yesterday

I tested positive on antigen before Christmas, went straight on site during the day and booked test for Xmas eve, got lucky I know. Results back Xmas day, positive.

Gf antigen tested positive Xmas day, went on site after midnight bit of a struggle but booked her a test by about 1230. Results back in 24 hours, positive

Ex GF and her son tested positive antigen on 29th, she just got on to me to ask how I was and told me they are positive, I chanced it after midnight that night and got 2 tests in 2 sites by 1 a.m. for them. These tests are today.

Yes, site crashed and it was frustrating but just stick at it. There were thousands of appointments after midnight, you might have to do a bit of a drive but sure what else would you be doing if you have covid?

Trying to get a GP referral and they won't as they said HSE have advised GPs to get people to book through the website and not put through any referrals.

Yep. I had an hours drive but it was necessary.

This may have been posted already, but the system seems to recycle failed/time out bookings after the midnight rush. It seems to do this on the half hour, so if you can stay up, keep checking.

For example, I tried at midnight, thousands of spots available, all gone by 12.05 and I missed about. At 12.30 on the button, hundreds more were suddenly available, but gone in seconds. At 1am a smaller, but still significant amount came onstream. At 1.30, another smaller batch appeared and I managed to get one of those.

Strangely enough, that is how I got mine.

you probably wont be alone in this situation, so i wouldnt panic, just look after yourself, wolf getting close to the door here also!

I got a test booked after much trying late Tuesday night for yesterday morning. In Finlgas as it turned out.

Site kept crashing and even got a text with validation code at one stage when it crashed again. Kept trying and eventually got through the steps and put in the already received validation code which worked. Wife also got me a PCR test the next morning by going via my GP but cancelled that once she realised I'd already got one.

At the test centre (Thursday 30th Dec, 10am), there was about 20 cubicles but only about 4 of them had testers. There was no queue outside but there seemed to be a few people showing up who didn't have appointments as there was 2 queues there and I heard one woman say she was waiting to see if it was busy and could she be fitted in- she wasn't turned away but I don't know what happened after that

The HSE has under invested in laboratory services for decades.

Chronic staff shortages, 20 yearlong pay discrepancies. A vital part of the health service behind the scenes and swept under the rug.

Cervical check wasn't a big enough wake up call, It's taken a pandemic to cast the importance of this profession into the light.

Expected to implement a national service from nothing. The equipment is huge, it requires special rooms and safety cabinets. Labs have had to set up their covid rooms in converted store rooms.

It's crushing that there are a minority of medical and laboratory scientists working 24/7 to double and triple their workload week on week and still have the public **** all over it. Burnout doesn't come close to it.

All of this equipment is not a waste. It will be used to detect a range of viruses, which will reduce turnaround times, lead to quicker diagnosis and improved patient care in the future. This is investment that was badly needed anyway. Its just about 20 years too late.

Tried to book at 12 and 12:30 as recommended. Nothing available.

I did notice that when they ask you for the date of the Antigen test you can no longer select 2021. Just 2022 in the year option. So you either lie and say you took the Covid test today or if you took the test in 2021 they clearly don't think you need to be tested anymore.

I just lied and put in 1 Jan 2022. Didn't do any good... Still no tests available

was trying to get one at 12, absolutely nothing. Why is it so difficult for them to set the website up similar to Ticketmaster whereby you enter a queuing system…. Actually I know why.

...and we could also do what ticketmaster does such as 'demand ticket pricing', that be some craic!

....are we running out of people to run the service?