Home   Herne Bay   News   Article

Coronavirus: Herne Bay family in self-isolation wait for swab results

.

A family are still waiting to find out if they have coronavirus - despite being told they would get the results two days ago.

Jessica Roe says she wants to return to reality. Picture: Jessica Roe
Jessica Roe says she wants to return to reality. Picture: Jessica Roe

Jessica Roe, 31, her two young children and her partner have been stuck in their Herne Bay home since returning eight days ago from a three-week holiday in Thailand.

"It was alright to start-off but now we have gone a bit crazy," Ms Roe told KentOnline.

"We just want the results now and we just want to get back to normality."

While on a diving trip in Thailand, the family met a teacher from England who was working in China and is now not allowed back into the UK.

The family believe it is likely any possible contamination came from them.

Ms Roe added: "The day after that I got a cold but I didn’t think anything of it.

Medics at their home last week. Picture: Jessica Roe
Medics at their home last week. Picture: Jessica Roe

"I told the girls at work, joking about it, and my boss told me I can’t come back because I work at a bank. As I’m a cashier, I can’t be handing out money."

Dad Ben Challicombe, 31, and youngest son Harrison, two, also developed cold-like symptoms.

The family returned home on Sunday, March 1, and Ms Roe phoned 111 the following day.

The coronavirus help team explained she had common cold symptoms, rather than the potentially-deadly bug.

She and her eldest son Jacob, four, who did not have any symptoms, were told they did not have to self-isolate themselves in the home - but Ben and Harrison would have to. However, they all decided not to leave the home.

Ben and Jessica's surgical masks. Picture: Jessica Roe
Ben and Jessica's surgical masks. Picture: Jessica Roe

Last Tuesday, paramedics arrived to take swabs and advised all of them to self-isolate because they had been in contact with each other.

Ms Roe, explaining what the medics do when they arrive, said: "Before they come in the house, they phone you and take your details from outside the house. They come in hazmat suits and masks.

"They take swabs from everyone, two in your throat and two in your nose.

"It does make you gag, but its fine."

But the medics had to return the following day as the swabs were "contaminated". They said the family should receive the results in 72 hours.

The family received this kind-hearted letter from a neighbour. Picture: Jessica Roe
The family received this kind-hearted letter from a neighbour. Picture: Jessica Roe

Despite this, the family are still anxiously waiting to get them.

Ms Roe added: "We just want to get back to reality.

"If we run out of things, people just leave them on the doorstep, ring the bell and run.

"The kindness of people in the town has been amazing. People have been bringing me things. Savers messaged me to ask if we needed anything.

"I have seen the compassion of people in the town which is the nicest thing to have come out of this."

Elsewhere, an Ashford a pupil has been diagnosed while a GP in Chatham has closed.

Read more: Everything you need to know about coronavirus

KMTV looks at if Kent is prepared for coronavirus

Read more: All the latest news from Herne Bay

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More