Peterborough parent told nearest Covid-19 test was Aberdeen airport

Staff scan the barcode on a coronavirus test through a car window at a mobile Covid-19 testing centre in Peterborough. Picture Joe Giddens/PA Wire.

The father of two who has asked to remain anonymous said he has driven his children to three different pop-up mobile testing sites in the city - advertised as places you could just turn up for testing - only to be turned away for not having a QR code.

He said he and his wife had spent hour upon hour trying to book an appointment at one of the Peterborough sites both on the recommended government website and over the phone. But despite repeated attempts the family has failed to secure tests for their children and now they must all remain in isolation for 14 days.

He said:”It has been one of the most stressful five days of my life. My son had a cough on Wednesday night and so we kept him at home from nursery and they advised us to get him tested. Our daughter was also feeling ill so we decided to get them both tested. We never realised what an ordeal that would be.

A Peterborough family were offered a Covid-19 test at Aberdeen airport.

“We took our children to a test centre in Peterborough but were refused access because we hadn’t booked. That night we made endless attempts to book testing, but there was no availability in Peterborough or anywhere even close. We tried at just after midnight, about 1.40am, 3.30am, 5.40am and at 6.20am when we were offered Aberdeen airport!

“Later that day we drove to Huntingdon because we were told we could attend any pop-up test centre and get a test without appointment. On arrival we were faced with a small sign stating “No Coronavirus testing available here”.

“My wife and I carried on trying to book tests throughout that day to no avail.

“On Saturday the only centre we could find slots at was Barnsley. A statement from someone from Peterborough City Council on social media said we could attend any pop-up centre without an appointment and get a test.

“So we attended Dogsthorpe Community Centre and were told that up to 150 people had been turned away that morning for following this same council advice. Our whole weekend was spent trying to book tests which with two young children was stressful to say the least.

“On Sunday we were made aware of someone in a similar situation who went along to the Gladstone Street mobile site without a QR code and was told to get a QR code for anywhere and they could be tested anywhere. By the time we found that out the test centre was closed

“So we tried this today and we were turned away. A man on the gate asked where our code was for, he completed my sentence as I said “Aberdeen Airport” like he’d heard it dozens of times already and said that without a QR code for the specific test centre he couldn’t let us in. He said this rule had been imposed overnight and yesterday we would have been OK to be tested with that code.

“We spent the rest of Monday making multiple attempts to book a test and each time were unable to proceed past the first data entry screen because of a message stating ‘This service is currently very busy’ and ‘Do not call the helplines - you will not be able to get a test this way’.

“Sadly yesterday was our deadline. You have to be tested within five days of first showing symptoms otherwise the test doesn’t work.

“There have been no home testing kits available to us throughout this time.

“As such we are now quarantined at home, unable to leave our property unless for an emergency.

“It is an absolute shambles - our children managed three days back at school before this happened. We are so frustrated it really shouldn’t be this hard to get a test.”