A few months ago, I volunteered for a testing scheme run by the Department for National Statistics - but I never heard anything more from them, and forgot all about it. Until a couple of days ago, when I was phoned up, out of the blue, by a young man who asked if he could call round the next day!
It's a pity the weather was so grim - if he'd come the previous day it would have been very pleasant to stand on the doorstep for half an hour, which is the length of time the visit took. He wasn't allowed to come inside the house, so he handed over the testing packs, explained how they were to be used, and watched me do it.
The first test was the back of the throat and up the nose swab, which is quite awful! Apparently, when you are swabbing round your tonsils you are supposed to gag! It's supposed to be easiest if you look at a mirror, and the poor lad was quite prepared to wait on the doorstep while I disappeared to the bathroom. Fortunately, I have a mirror right beside the door, for the very old-fashioned reason that I like to check my hat is on straight before I go out!
The swab got dropped in a test tube and sealed, and then it was on to the blood test.
In my innocence, I'd imagined a tiny spot of blood coming out of my finger. But, no. The young man produced another test tube, and told me I had to fill it up to the line - about a teaspoon full of blood. The test pack also included a one-use retractable scalpel, which I had to push into the side of my finger - I chose one of my least important fingers on my non-dominant hand. The blood was soon flowing all down my finger and the one next to it, while I scooped up all I could into the test tube, while answering questions on my contacts with other people for the young man. Even so, it took some time to fill the test tube up to the line. Then a plaster was provided to cover the cut, and we were done. I should get results in the next few days.
There will be more weekly visits, for the next month, and after that postal tests until next April.
For my participation in the study, I will be getting gift vouchers that I can use in a variety of shops, which I'm quite looking forward to.
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