I have been doing static site and home covid19 swabbing with the @AmbulanceNAS for the past few months (we don't do testing the fantastic lab staff do that)

As the swabbing in houses and children has increased I thought I would do a thread about how I go about swabbing children

**like most of my thread's this is not hard hitting or a scientific post, I will leave that to @casetomuch18 and @marietcasey @NICU_doc_salone and the many other experts on here ***

1- so when I see that a child is on my list I understand that having your child swabed is unsettling and we will make it as fun and quick as possible.

2- If your #GP has booked you and/or your child in for a home swab we will make contact with you on a phone call.

3- On arrival of the response car please open the hall door so we are not touching any extra surfaces.

4- if you have a child of school going age I might ask their teachers name before I arrive.

5- on arrival of your house I will have a mask on and all the paperwork sorted and the rest of the PPE that I will put on in your hallway/lobby ext ect.

6- I usually at this point tell your child that their teacher rang me this morning and told me that they are the best boy/girl and that I was asked by the teacher to come and look after them...... They usually love that I know their teachers name.

7- I will put all on the PPE... As I do this I usaully tell the child that the mask makes me look like a duck(FP2 mask) and the gown is like a clown outfit, I also tell the children that the visor I put on is so my big nose stays in the mask( I really do have a big nose)

8- I then tell them that my gloves are sometimes naughty and snap my hand like a cocrodle and I snap the glove and say to the child will you tell the gloves to be good and then they will stop snapping my hands.... This usually has the children laughing.

9-I will explain the process to you both and show you both the swab(s).

10-if they are very young I will see if they will sit on your lap and ask you to wrap one arm around their arms and hold their head with the other hand (like when the GP is taking their temperature)

11-after I complete the test I will see if the child will give me a hi five or fist pumb (while still in full PPE)

12- in general you will get the result within 48-72 hours

13- you will receive a text message if covid19 is not detected and a phone call if it is detected.

14- I will take off all the PPE at the door and will leave while waving to the child.