It's what you do now. The winter snuffles - the tingling in your throat, the slightly stuffy nose, the off colour feeling. The minor headache which has lingered that bit too long. You're not sick, but you might be getting that way.
You know. What was around the day before, the minor symptoms that made you throw an extra blanket on the bed and made you put yourself a little earlier. Yes, that feeling that you hope won't be there in the morning and the promise you make yourself that you'll go get COVID tested if you're still feeling that the next day.
That was me yesterday and today.
That's what sent me out to the testing centre this morning. Part of me feels like it's a waste of time. The other part of me knows it's a civic duty to get yourself tested even if you're slightly under the weather.
First call was made to my one up to say I was stepping out to get tested - no drama there.
Next step, to get rugged up. A thick woolly cardigan, cordouroy trousers, thick socks, Doc Martens. It's a bit cold out there and if you're going to be queuing for a bit. Also, you take the necessities. The phone, Medicare Card, earbuds. Easy. And rather than go to a drive-through clinic, the nearest one being in South Melbourne where there are numerous cases and exposure sites, there's likely to be a long wait, instead, I made my way to the Collingwood testing site - a walk-in centre. It opened at 9.15. I left home ten minutes before. When I got there I found a queue about 20 people long.
Things have vastly improved since my first test. Onboarding is easy. There's an efficent lady reminding everybody to social distance. She also hands out clean surgical masks to put on while you're in the queue.
Now there are QR codes where you can answer all the questions they need to know about you. Name, address, DOB, Medicare Card number, have you been to the exposure sites? Travelled anywhere? - that sort of stuff.
Then they make you check into the state QR system. Double handling, yes, but fine. It's what you do. I'm just glad we have the QR system, even if it is allegedly badly made. As long as it works, then all is well.
Arriving at the gate where they check you in, ask a few more questions, ask for the number the online system gave you, then give you a the swabs and a few other bits for testing.
A bit more queuing, then you get tested. The nice person who's testing you sticks the swabs down your throat and up your nose. Thankfully they're a lot less brutal than they used to be. The first time the woman appeared to be auditioning me for Deep Throat and I thought she was trying to pick out my brains when she stuck the swab up my nose. This was much gentler. It was over in a minute.
Then you done. Go home. Go straight home. Do not get out and get groceries. Isolate until you get your results.
In and out in just over 30 minutes. On a cold, wet morning, I see this as a great thing.
I'll admit to being a bit cheeky. I stopped at the Maccas drive through for a coffee on the way home. Had my mask on. Didn't leave the car. Paid by card. I didn't come into direct contact with anybody. Then home.
Another good thing about the testing regime today. The first time I got tested I waited four days for the result. The next time, it was about 24 hours. Today, I left the testing centre at five to ten. I got my results at ten to seven. Nine hours later.
Thankfully I failed my COVID test. I'm free to go to the gym tomorrow.
I'm also thankful for our Health service. Medicare needs to kept, supported and cherished.
We are so very lucky.
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