I'm not. 

I assume NI no could also be matched with Payslip and Gateway, also Gateway sends security code to mobile user related to its no.

That crossed my mind too , DEW - especially as I have just finished reading "Blueprint" by Robert Plonin. To be able to sequence DNA from one of them [they are genetically identical] to compare with other unrelated cases might be revealing.

Plonin is not everyone's cup of tea, but it is always entertaining to read a "fundamentalist" scientist in full " Genetic determinism" hysteria mode, so have a look at this  piece in Nature 2018:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-06784-5

Plonin refutes such criticism in his notes in the paperback edition.

Roger

I thought you had tried to get a self test?

Re. Checks, I assume you read the relevant section of the user guide? Page 28 onwards shows the process for home self tests and states (without specifics) ”If we are not able to confirm critical worker details, we will need to complete a short verification through the TransUnion Service.” (Presumably the credit check will be used to help verify some information).

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/881043/covid-19-testing-self-referral-portal-user-guide.pdf 

How they carry out any checks is not clear but the suggestion there are none seems a bit misleading.

This test is a bit like sex. You know when you have not had it, you know when you have had it, but not having it does not mean that you will have it again, or that you won't have it again. You only know you are having it again when you have it again! Make sense?
R

Yes! 

It is why the current test is only for people who have symptoms. Being told you don’t have Covid-19 when you have no symptoms is not overly helpful unless you get tested on (at least) a weekly basis and even then it is of limited worth and even less practicable.

But it still won’t know if you’re a key worker, will it?  That either requires a specific flag, which almost certainly won’t be there (unless someone was incredibly far-sighted when the system was designed) or someone has to interpret from the information, which is time-consuming and prone to error.

But in that case how do you find out how many a symptomatic cases there might be? Isn’t that one of the objectives of widest testing? The 

Hancock did set the target himself you know. I just want the policies to be right so that we can get through this incredibly serious situation with the fewest deaths and economic damage possible. You putting silly comments on the end of your posts won't stop me from putting my thoughts down

I think that is almost a side objective to the main one of ensuring key workers can keep working when they are able to do so. In a wider and longer picture I think what you say is true but not the key motivation in this specific issue.

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze
 

I'm not. 

I thought you had tried to get a self test?

Re. Checks, I assume you read the relevant section of the user guide? Page 28 onwards shows the process for home self tests and states (without specifics) ”If we are not able to confirm critical worker details, we will need to complete a short verification through the TransUnion Service.” (Presumably the credit check will be used to help verify some information).

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/881043/covid-19-testing-self-referral-portal-user-guide.pdf 

How they carry out any checks is not clear but the suggestion there are none seems a bit misleading.

Originally Posted by: doctormog 

Why on earth would I want a COVID-19 antigen test at the present time? If I did I would readily stump up the £150 to get one done privately. My intention was to check out the government website and the processes it implements. My view is the government is generally incompetent when it comes to IT services. The simple fact is there was no availability and so it was impossible to draw any conclusions other than question whether capacity limitations have been resolved.

That is probably the problem Peter Gateway does know a lot about you your home address where you work your tax in fact I paid some tax through it after being sent a demand a few years back.

It may have been the “Just tried to get a self test.“ statement you made Brian that gave me that impression...

I pay my tax every 6 months through the Government Gateway. There is no way it would be possible to determine whether or not I am a key worker. If an attempt was made to map back to Companies House (which would be impossible without changes to the systems which would require significant time and investment) and my business you would then be faced with a list of company descriptions totally out of date for the times in which we live. At the end of the day they understandably prioritise getting the money owed to them and all the other data about occupation description and business type is secondary. 

Fair enough Brian it was only a thought btw safest way to pay tax  demand also guaranteed that they had received it which I worried about if using the post

quote=Brian Gaze;1208984]

I pay my tax every 6 months through the Government Gateway. There is no way it would be possible to determine whether or not I am a key worker. If an attempt was made to map back to Companies House (which would be impossible without changes to the systems which would require significant time and investment) and my business you would then be faced with a list of company descriptions totally out of date for the times in which we live. At the end of the day they understandably prioritise getting the money owed to them and all the other data about occupation description and business type is secondary.