The Criminal!

“Name.” “……………………………………….”

“Date of Birth.” “……………………………..”

“National Insurance Number.” “……………..”

“Address.” “……………………………………..”

“Mobile Number.” “………………………..”

“Male or Female.” “………………….”

“Nationality.” “…………………………………..”

“What Nationality do I think I am from this list?” “………………………..”

Many other questions were asked and put into The Database.

I was angry. I tried not to be angry, when I was told that I would have to have a swab down my throat and up my noise, I told my Manager, “I have vertigo, it has just recently settled down, I can’t tilt my head back and I have a deep fear of anything shoving down my throat and up my nose.” My Manager said, “Email Toni Farty and see what she says, I’m sure she will be sympatric and you may not have to have the swab.” So, I email Miss Farty, the following day I had an email, it was from Head Office! “You have the swab, or go home without pay!” Decades of service with no days off meant nothing, I was just a number!

My Husband Paul was dead against me having the swab, he said, “There has been lots of  theories, one of them was that thousands around the world have been given the coronavirus, when they have been given the test,” Paul went on, “Do NOT take the test,” I said, “You don’t work and we have a mortgage to pay and all our bills.” I said, “I’m so angry I wish I could leave or have a day off and miss the swab day.”

Three of us Co-workers did miss the swab day, but last Thursday, Miss Farty was livid when she found out that three of us had not had it! So, Jacqueline was told, “Watch the video and then you will do Grace, Manjit and your own swabs.”

After all my details was put into the Database last Thursday, when I went back to join the others, I felt just like a criminal, I didn’t want to work, I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I wanted to go home and cry, and then cry some more. I felt helpless and that no one was on my side to help with my real fears. At the end of the day this was blackmail.

I decided to go first, to get it over and done with. Jacqueline washed her hands and put a mask on and a visor, but she could not see clearly through the visor too, so fearing for my life I said to her, “Remove the visor then,” She did.

Then with gloves on, she asked me to, “Open your mouth,” I did, she then said, “Can you tilt your head back?” I told her I couldn’t as I might start to spin with vertigo.” She still couldn’t see the back of my throat, so I suggested, “Shall I stand up?” Jacqueline said, “Yes please.” I stood and she had already told me before that, “The swab stick would have to be at the back of your throat for ten seconds.” As the swab a very long stick, if it touched the back of my throat, it would be invalid if it touches the tongue, I heaved into her face, and put my hand over my mouth to stop from vomiting, if I’d eaten recently, I would have been sick. It had only been at the back of my throat for four seconds.

Jacqueline, then used the same stick to put it up my nose, I naturally put my head away from her as she came forward a bit, it was not nice, how far did she intend to shove it up? What a horrible form of torture. I hated it; I was not in control. She asked me to “Open the small tube,” I did, and she put the swab part into the clear liquid and broke off the rest so it was just the stick inside the tube and put the screw lid on and my barcode with my details, she put on the outside, and put the tube into two clear bags and sealed them.

I felt an injustice, like a was robbed, They not just had all my personal details, they now also for the first time had my DNA.   :0(

When Manjit went up, when her nose was done, tears flowed down her face and kept flowing when I saw her when she came back to the office.

The following day, all day my throat hurt a bit where I was poked, I had to try and remove the fear that Paul had told me about, that innocent people have been infected with the coronavirus, he didn’t know if this was true or not, but he wasn’t going to take any chances and, “Would never have the swab.”

Manjit got a text today to say, “Her text was negative she did not have the virus.” I text Jacqueline to ask, “Have you had you results back?” She replied, “Yes, I have.” I was nervous now, how come; I too hadn’t got my results back.

Three hours later I got my results. Just like my two co-workers I was negative. I was so relieved.