Child has a cold, is this included in the 2 week isolation?

[Namechange880]

My toddler has caught a cold, snotty nose, phlegm on chest which he is coughing up. No temperature and perfectly happy. He is due at nursery today while I’m working. Does this mean I keep him off as he is has a cough with his cold?
I look online it just says continuous cough and temperature.
Sorry if I sound dumb I just don’t know what to do!

[jellyleg]

You could get him a test as nursery may be want that if he is coughing lots.

[Jumblebumblemess]

Go and get a test at a drive in centre and you will have the results in 24 hours. He can not attend nursery if he has symptoms and no test. They will readmit him when he has a confirmed negative test.

[Pizzapromotion]

Yes, he has a cough so needs a test. Household to isolate until a clear result comes back

[user1493413286]

My DD has been going with a cold although she’s not really coughing; just snotty

[Namechange880]

Ok thank you will do

[SteelyPanther]

Yes, he is ill so he needs a test.
You don’t have to have the actual symptoms, if you are ill with cold/flu like symptoms get a test.

[CaptainMerica]

Did your nursery give you an updated sickness policy? Mine says, if you have a "main" symptom (continuous cough, temp, loss of taste/smell) then stay at home and follow NHS advice in seeking a test. If you have a secondary symptom (long list, including tiredness, runny nose, aches, etc) then contact them for advice before attending.

[goingonahairbunt]

DD (3) has a bad cold and was referred yesterday for a test. The test couldn't be completed as she got so distressed so I informed nursery that we'd be self isolating for 2 weeks as per the guidance given at the test site. They contacted me last night to say we have to try and force her to have the test again otherwise they need to treat as a positive case (in the absence of proof of a negative) and they will need to remove all staff and children within the setting that may have been in contact with her which may result in the setting having to close. This is seemingly PHE advice. I feel terrible and we'll be trying the test again but surely this cannot happen anytime a child presents with cold symptoms, especially with winter coming - there'll be no point in opening any nursery/school provision as they'll be constantly having to send everyone home!

[Namechange880]

Oh my gosh goingonahairbunt your poor DD. Must be so distressing for her. Hope you manage get the test done.
I haven’t been given an updated sickness policy I will look into this.

Fully agree, my DC is relatively new to nursery so is picking up every germ going! They aren’t going to be there at all through winter at this rate! I’m not sure how this is going to work.

[Sipperskipper]

Yes you need to get her tested. Had the same with DD (3) yesterday. Results were quick though - test at 1045 and had results by 1930 (negative), so we only had to isolate for the one day.

[Sipperskipper]

I should also say at the testing centre I went to they explicitly told me NOT to swab her throat, just her nose as it would be too difficult. Seems there is a lot of variation!

[Pizzapromotion]

Interesting. Schools are no longer instructed to close the bubble, even if there is a confirmed case, they certainly won't be doing it for suspected but un-tested cases.

DH had to have a test because he was admitted to hospital. He said it was thoroughly unpleasant. It made him wonder if anyone is doing the postal test properly, he said he thinks it would be practically impossible to get the swab far enough up on yourself and in the case of a child, won't parents do their best and send it off as it is?

[MrsPworkingmummy]

@goingonahairbunt unfortunately, this is the advice all educational settings need to follow. If a child or staff member has a positive test (or assumed positive in the event of no test) everyone within that bubble must self isolate for two weeks. September is going to be interesting! Parents are going to have to be so incredibly vigilant and must not send their child/teenager in with any cold-like symptoms.

[Pizzapromotion]

[quote MrsPworkingmummy]@goingonahairbunt unfortunately, this is the advice all educational settings need to follow. If a child or staff member has a positive test (or assumed positive in the event of no test) everyone within that bubble must self isolate for two weeks. September is going to be interesting! Parents are going to have to be so incredibly vigilant and must not send their child/teenager in with any cold-like symptoms.[/quote]
That really isn't the guidance for educational settings in Sept

[MrsPworkingmummy]

@Pizzapromotion My school, as well as those within our authority, are following this guidance - from nursery up to sixth form. It's written into our risk assessment and all parents have been informed.

[Ickabog]

[quote MrsPworkingmummy]@goingonahairbunt unfortunately, this is the advice all educational settings need to follow. If a child or staff member has a positive test (or assumed positive in the event of no test) everyone within that bubble must self isolate for two weeks. September is going to be interesting! Parents are going to have to be so incredibly vigilant and must not send their child/teenager in with any cold-like symptoms.[/quote]
That's definitely not the case for our school or LA.

[Silvercatowner]

Within our authority is not all educational settings though.

[Pizzapromotion]

They've gone outside the DfE guidance then, which was issued very late in the term. My prediction is your RA will have changed by the time we go back.

Response to any infection:
7) engage with the NHS Test and Trace process

8) manage confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) amongst the school community

9) contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice

Numbers 7 to 9 must be followed in every case where they are relevant.

[Chocolate4me]

I was wondering about this scenario, it's going to be a nightmare in September. I have 4 children, I can see us all constantly having 1 day off to get testing done when they come down with a runny nose from the usual colds...

[SquigglePigs]

Different areas must have different policies. DD has had a cold for the lunch week and nursery have been perfectly happy to have her. I mentioned her having a bit of a cold when I dropped her off one morning and the response was "yes, I think we all do at the moment". It didn't really occur to me to get her tested when it's obviously a cold, one of many she's had since starting nursery!

[goingonahairbunt]

I have no issue not sending her in, it just seems that as soon as I told them she had a cold and high temp it's kicked off this chain of events. All that will end up happening is people will lie about why their child is off poorly! I feel awful at the thought that they might need to close the setting but at the same time we shouldn't be made to feel like the pressure is on a 3 year old to comply with an awful procedure! As an aside we were initially told to do nose and throat swabs, when that didn't work they said I'd been given the wrong advice and it was nasal swabs only. At no point has anyone via 111, 119 or the test centre asked us about where we've been or who we've been in contact with so I can't see how track and trace will work?

[Drivingdownthe101]

@goingonahairbunt

I have no issue not sending her in, it just seems that as soon as I told them she had a cold and high temp it's kicked off this chain of events. All that will end up happening is people will lie about why their child is off poorly! I feel awful at the thought that they might need to close the setting but at the same time we shouldn't be made to feel like the pressure is on a 3 year old to comply with an awful procedure! As an aside we were initially told to do nose and throat swabs, when that didn't work they said I'd been given the wrong advice and it was nasal swabs only. At no point has anyone via 111, 119 or the test centre asked us about where we've been or who we've been in contact with so I can't see how track and trace will work?

Track and trace only get involved with a confirmed positive test.