Woman’s doctors convinced she had Covid-19 despite two negative test results

Stephen Hanly from Ballymena said his 22-year-old daughter Jessica became ill in the middle of June, just a month after starting a new job as a receptionist at Crumlin-based Randox Laboratories, which manufactures a Covid-19 test.

Due to her sickness absence, he claimed Jessica ending up losing her job at the diagnostics firm. When contacted by the News Letter, a Randox spokesperson said it had “no comment” to make on the issue.

Mr Hanly, 53, who works in television production, has kept a log of Jessica’s illness, which started with her feeling very tired, then becoming really unwell one day at work.

“She felt hot to touch and was sent home with a high temperature. Her manager asked her to go for a Covid-19 test and she booked online for the Ballymena drive-through centre. She continued to not feel well and was anxious.

“I drove her to the test centre and we followed instructions carefully to complete our tests. It’s not a pleasant thing to do, but it was done.”

The family, the rest of whom had no symptoms, started self-isolating and Mr Hanly said at this stage Jessica thought she was losing her sense of taste.

“Jessica was very weak and struggling to breathe normally. She described it like trying to breathe through a blanket.”

He said the test results came back negative and the text told him they could go back to work unless anyone had symptoms.

However, he said Jessica continued to feel unwell and rang her GP.

“She had a high temperature, fatigue, dizziness, night sweats and breathlessness.

“She also complained of pain in her chest and told the doctor about the negative result from the Covid-19 test.

“The doctor responded by saying she ‘would put money on the fact that you have got Covid-19’.”

Mr Hanly added: “The doctor said that the test is not accurate and we should self-isolate as a family for 14 days.

“She prescribed an antibiotic and steroids for a chest infection as a precaution.”

Mr Hanly said Jessica phoned her employer and told them her doctor said she was Covid positive despite the negative test result.

“The company insisted that Jessica went for another test,” he said.

“We now began to learn that the test can fail for a number of reasons. For example, incorrect swabbing or the fact that the virus may not be present in the throat.”

He and his daughter went for a second test.

The results once again came back negative, but Mr Hanly said Jessica continued to ‘‘deteriorate”.

“She had much stronger chest pains. Jessica felt nauseous in addition to her other symptoms. She could not sleep due to breathing problems and a sore chest.”

Mr Hanly said his wife Michelle spent most of the night with Jessica trying to keep her comfortable, then took her to the doctor-on-call at Dalraida the following morning.

“She was then ushered in by two nurses in full PPE and I waited in the car. Inside, the nurse tested her oxygen level, blood pressure and took her temperature. She said everything was normal and told her the Covid tests are not certain.”

Mr Hanly said Jessica was then seen by a doctor who listened to her chest.

“He agreed that her symptoms were Covid but prescribed a different antibiotic for a chest infection. He explained that she would have to go to hospital for any blood tests or X-Rays. Jessica came home feeling exhausted and really struggling to breathe.

“She followed her employer’s procedure and self-certified her absence from work for the first four days and obtained a doctor’s sick line for the following week which stated ‘she is not fit to work’. No mention of Covid.”

In the subsequent days, Mr Hanly said Jessica continued to feel unwell with aching joints and a rash on her chest.

“After speaking to another doctor, she was told to treat her condition as Covid and there was nothing they could do for her.

“The GP was not prepared to write that it was Covid but gave another sick line stating a chest infection.”

At this point Mr Hanly said her employer terminated her contract.

“They wanted a positive test result and didn’t seem to get it. She was on a probation period so there is no appeal process. She was very upset and her mental health has definitely suffered.”

Mr Hanly said Jessica is now feeling a lot better, but said the family want to remind everyone not to rely on the test result.

“Drive-through tests are not accurate and therefore having any of the Covid-19 symptoms means self-isolating.

“Apparently, the tests are evolving all the time but when can doctors trust these results completely?”

Mr Hanly also questioned why it was so hard to get an antibody blood test, which would prove if someone had had the virus.

“I would have thought the Covid-19 Centre in Ballymena could do another test such as a blood test but why is this not the case?.”

He added: “The doctors obviously won’t commit to diagnosing Covid-19 without a positive test result. On record, she had a chest infection for a month, not Covid-19. It seems to have got her sacked.

“Surely doctors should commit any obvious signs of Covid-19 to writing?

“Would a positive test result have meant Jess would still be employed? Or perhaps be on Statutory Sick Pay?’’

Mr Hanly feels his daughter’s case has “slipped through the net”.

“Is Jessica’s illness included in the statistics that we see every day? Is anyone officially counting Jessica? If not, how many others are in our situation?” In response to the effectiveness of testing, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Testing is reliable and effective, and NHS Test and Trace has already helped isolate more than a quarter of a million cases.

“More than 15 million tests have now been carried out with the overwhelming majority of people reporting no issues with the process.

“All antigen tests have been assessed as performing to the manufacturer’s specifications before being used.

“Like any diagnostic test however, there is always the small possibility of a false negative or a false positive result.”

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Alistair Bushe