Covid test not easy for a child – Hayley Matthews

After Hayley Matthews’ son tests negative for coronavirus, she has been worrying about whether she did it properly.

A young child is tested for Covid-19 (Picture: AP)

We’re corona-free! Last week I mentioned how we had to get my eldest son tested out at Cockenzie power station as he’d developed a cough, runny nose and sore throat. Basically, he had all the corona symptoms apart from a temperature. The school wouldn’t let us back in until we had a negative test so I’m delighted that we’ve got one now.

However, I have been questioning myself over and over and wondering if I did it properly. Anyone who has a child will know that negotiating a cotton swab up their nose and getting it in far enough, whilst they sit still, is as impossible as getting Bojo to brush his hair before a press call.

As we sat in the car mid-est, my eldest son (who was clearly very anxious) kept asking me how much it would hurt, how long it would take and how far up the cotton bud had to go.

All I had to answer this barrage of questions was “it’s fine just sit still and it won’t hurt”. I tried my best to get that swab all the way round his tonsil buds and right up into that nostril so I’m hoping I did it right. If the shoe was on the other foot and he was doing it to me, I’d be wriggling about and gagging too!

So if you are having to get your kids tested (and there’s been a lot of that since the schools returned), my advice is this: invest in a straightjacket! You don’t want to have to do that twice, and especially not now there are rumours of Covid tests being “rationed”.

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