Source
r/CoronavirusDownunder•
spacepeanut47

They lost my result...

Personal Opinion / Discussion

Has anyone else ever had this happen to them?

My family were among the returning travellers from NSW into VIC in January 1. We all were able to do the tests on January 2 within the 24 hours - and were very fortunate to be able to do so. My wife and children received negative results within 48 hours and I just received a msg saying I needed to get tested as they have not received any results for me.

Called the hotline, the guy couldn’t explain what happened, but said I’d need to take another test if I didn’t get results back tomorrow. So they lost my result, clearly. Not looking forward to having that swab up my nose again! Fortunately he said I wouldn’t need to restart my quarantine. Would love to know if anyone else has a similar story!

Posted Jan 5, 2021, 9:16 AM UTC

513
kitkatkimba•

Hey! I used to work at a pathology lab - sometimes samples get lost and taken to the wrong lab by the couriers - or sent to the wrong department and that department hasn't processed their specimens yet, unfortunately these things happen

15
spacepeanut47OP•

On hold to DHHS and also have the hotline number for the Pathology lab that did the testing. Can definitely sympathise, the amount of tests being done would be crazy. Just annoyed cos my wife and kids are all negative and we’ve been quarantined so hoped they’d say don’t worry about it

1
SneakyHomunculu5•

Not lost but they didn't attach my number to the details even after asking me to confirm everything was correct. So wife and kid got negative but I got crickets.

This was a private lab, so of course for profit which meant no one to call on a weekend to follow up. I had to wait till Monday and chased them up to find out about the data entry error.

I'd also point out that when I went to the drive through, I waited, yelled out hello, no one came, ended up having to drive back, stop some dude who came over to my car window without ppe and ask what was going on.

They told me that because not many tests in Qld at the time they had sent most staff back to the lab and he would go get someone. Obv again to save profits.

Someone finally comes down and puts on PPE.

So this is all well and good till you can't deliver the primary objective of the service safely.

Medlab. Disgraceful.

6
spacepeanut47OP•

Sounds like it could be very similar to my situation. The guy taking my details put a 9 instead of an 8 in my phone number. I corrected him, it looked fine, but possible the next person misread. Think this was a private place too. Thankfully all wearing PPE! Will be calling tomorrow that’s for sure.

1
ZotBattleheroNSW•

Maybe it went to a different lab, I’m hearing vic were swamped, which is a little odd I know. I’d suggest if you don’t get a result by say midday tomorrow then get another test. Stay safe and isolate obviously until a negative result

5
spacepeanut47OP•

Yeah been at home since getting back into VIC. Have to isolate regardless of result. They all got smashed those first few days, 60000 returning, just hope I don’t have to sit in the queue again because someone messed up. Doesn’t make sense that my wife received her results and she was in the car with me, and did the test after me as well

3
Locomorto•

I got tested yesterday at Monday 6:30 pm and had a result by 4:30 pm the next day, so I think they're doing ok now

5
spacepeanut47OP•

Yeah my wife and kids all had results back within 48 hours. Seems to be just me lol

1
dallas19374•

I’ve seen a few posts on here saying this has happened to them. Not sure where in VIC you are but testing sites are definitely not as busy as previously round my area. Hopefully they can find it and you won’t have to do it again. But if so maybe ask if you can do priority testing so you don’t have to wait.

2
how_much_2•

Sounds like a negative experience could be good? jks

2
thesillyoldgoatVIC•

My wife and I were tested during the postcode testing blitz, my wife had her result the next morning and I never heard a thing. I didn't bother chasing it up, neither of us had any symptoms so I figured that if my wife was negative then so was I, in a human system there will always be glitches and mistakes. Get tested again if it bothers you, but if the rest of your family is negative, you don't have symptoms and you haven't been in a hot area the chances of you being positive are close to zero. Unless it's a legal requirement of course, in which case it sucks but you'll need to get tested again.

2
spacepeanut47OP•

Yeah that’s the conclusion we’d like to come to (we tick all those boxes) but I can’t risk getting fined so if they don’t find my test then I guess I’m doing it again

1
JMDStow•

Yep. Just go get another test. Human error is a real thing

0