Quick opinion re covid test.

[Crunchymum]

DD6 has a cold, with her it almost always turns into a cough and last night, after she went to bed I heard her coughing. Ordered a test and then nowt.

Not a single splutter. She was in with me and has woken up fine. Just a runny nose / bit bunged up.

As I've ordered a home test, shall I keep them all off? It would mean 8yo staying home too and 3yo missing a medical appointment?

Will ordering the test and not doing it flag up to school?

I'm not sure what to do?

Didn't post in the coronavirus topic as I know they tend to err on side of "extra" caution.

I would carry on as normal - coughing for a little bit at night does not sound like covid. And honestly I'd be amazed if ordering a tests flags anything to anyone as we couldn't even manage competent test and trace for confirmed cases when it could have helped.

Managed to unearth a LFT which was negative. Will grab some more going forwards.

I did tell the school and asked them if she could come in, they said yes (and didn't need any proof of the negative LFT )

We had to input our dcs school name when we ordered a home test so maybe? I'm really surprised that they're saying your dd can go in, at my dcs school once the test is ordered then they need evidence of a negative result.

You shouldn’t use lateral flow tests if you’ve got symptoms.

Just do the pcr test you’ve ordered.

Also op, we have just done a test (home test) this week and the turnaround was really quick, we ordered the test on Tuesday and we got the result this morning in time for school.

I would do a PCR test (lateral flow are not suitable for symptoms).
Fingers crossed!

A LFT is not as sensitive as PCR so it will miss some early-stage infections

Which is exactly why if you have symptoms, you need a PCR test!!

*This will not help you for today, but for next time: Pick up some lateral flow tests from a pharmacy. That way if you again see symptoms that look-like-COVID-but-not quite, you will the kit on hand have can get results within 30 min instead of waiting for a day or three.

A LFT is not as sensitive as PCR so it will miss some early-stage infections, but it has an excellent chance to show a positive result in the most infectious individuals, so it does really help to slow transmission*

No this is incorrect!!
Lateral flow tests are not too be used for people with covid symptoms! They are for picking up asymptomatic people!
They are not to be kept in the house just incase’!

Ok, to several PPs, thanks for correcting me. I will report my own post and ask for it to be removed!

LFT's are also not validated in 6 year olds, there is absolutely no idea how accurate they are. Please don't waste them and worse rely on negative results.

Not that the child had any symptoms and needed a test here anyway, but the LFT adds nothing, and the encouragement may have people using them on primary aged children instead of getting a PCR test.

Thanks for the input.

Eventually I've ordered the test on the assumption that my DD would spend the whole night coughing (and she didn't cough once beyond 9.30 nor at all between 6am - 8.30am). I gave the school all this info.

Explains why they weren't bothered about the LFT, I didn't realise they weren't valid on 6yo. I used it as (barring approx an hour) she doesn't have any of the main symptoms.

I'm really not trying to take the piss. She's has x2 tests since March (cough both times!) and we've all self isolated pending the result. DC3 is/was on ECV list.

She just hadn't coughed in almost 12 hours by the time she went to school.

Sorry my post isn't clear.

I've essentially ordered the test rather over zealously.

She didn't cough overnight in her sleep or when she woke today and school were to call me of she coughs in class.

I know it sounds like I'm trying to bend the rule. If I'd waited until this morning then I'd have not ordered a test. I just did it assuming she had a continuous cough and it wasn't?

Maybe best to keep them off and do the PCR test?

This is what a continuous cough is according to the NHS:
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual

Was it that? If yes, pcr test and isolate. If not, carry on as normal.