‘I’ve been waiting five days for a test’

AS CORONAVIRUS continues to spread across the UK and the number of cases continues to rise, more people are wondering if they should be tested.

A major shift in the process was announced on Thursday, and Public Health Wales confirmed that it will not be testing those with mild symptoms.

One woman in Swansea, who has recently returned from Italy and said she had some symptoms of the virus, said she has not yet been tested.

The 27-year-old said: “On February 20 I came back from Italy, but my symptoms really hit on Monday. I called 111 and they said ‘you are likely to have the virus’.

“This was 6am on Monday. They said ‘don’t go anywhere and they will have a test out within 24 hours’.”

The woman, who does not want to be named, said she then called 111 a number of times throughout the week, and was promised a test.

Yesterday, she said, she spent 40 minutes on hold calling 111.

The woman said: “I don’t know if I have it.

“I have heard nothing. This is my fifth day of waiting now.”

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething said he was aware of teething problems within the 111 service, but said that staff are working really hard in difficult circumstances.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that testing of mild cases would end that day.

Before this, worried people were referred to a test centre after calling the NHS on 111.

If they were suspected of having the virus they would be told to either go to a drive-thru testing site or they would be tested at home.

The NHS website now tells people to stay at home for seven days if they have either a high temperature or a “new, continuous cough”.