Mum at school has positive LFT and has sent the kids in?

[Florencenotflo]

Am I wrong in thinking she needs a negative PCR before sending the kids in?

I've googled and looked at the gov.uk website. But it's not clear. So school mum has positive lft this morning, is waiting for a home PCR test. In the meantime she has sent the kids into school.

From the gov.uk website I can see that if she is positive on the PCR it is advised to get the kids a PCR as well, but it's not clear what she has to do before the PCR has been done.

I'm worried as 2 of the kids (twins) are in DD's class. I'm visiting my grandad twice a week as he's end of life (having to test each time before I enter the hospice) and I can't afford to not be there for him or my Nan when I need to be.

If the kids haven't tested positive on LFT then yes they can go to school, it is only the person who tested positive that needs to isolate. Whether it's the right thing to do morally is another subject but legally she is correct.

She is supposed to send the kids in, not even compulsory to test them only advisory.

According to the rules (in England) that's fine. Even if she tests positive they can go to school as long as they don't have symptoms or a positive test.

Presuming you are in England sorry, I know the rules are different in Scotland.

She's following current government advice, the kids don't have symptoms and havent had a positive LFT therefore are not required to isolate. In fact they are expected to be in school legally.

Ok thank you. It really doesn't seem right? I wonder where I stand on taking Dd out? Am I over reacting?

No, children under 18y6m do not need to isolate if a household member is positive unless they also develop symptoms or they get a positive test. They would be advised but not forced to get a PCR because they are a close contact of someone positive, if the mother's PCR is positive. The mother does have to isolate pending her PCR result.

Feels very odd but that's the current guidelines.

As pp have said, the kids are supposed to be in school until they get a positive test result.

The school should record your dc's absence as unauthorised if you keep them off.

It would be unauthorised absence if kids don't go in.
We have siblings here with it but have to send our other kids.
It's been the policy since the summer.

She’s completely in the right.
Yes. Sorry OP. I think you are. Don’t pull your dd’s out of school for this. That is an over reaction
However. I do get your reasons for being OTT over this. I’m sorry about your Grandad.

It felt very strange to send ds in when his three sisters were covid positive.
I called the school to advise and they said he had to go in. Another child in his class had both parents positive and school said if no one could get their dd in someone would come get her and drop her home!
According to a letter from our school the government are now counting covid isolation as sickness absence and no longer using a special code.

That's from the Gov website. Kids can go to school when a parent is covid positive. I'd imagine the issue is if the parent has no one else to bring them?

@Florencenotflo try talking to the school they may be able to put some mitigation measures in place for your dd or may even agree to your dd being off on compassionate grounds but it depends a bit on the school, the head's views, the age etc but talk to them and see what they suggest.

My daughter has covid. My husband and I are both double jabbed and keep getting negative LF's so are free to come and go as we please. My other 2 children are under 18.6 and as long as they keep getting negative LF's they must go to school, would be classed as unauthorised absence otherwise

@Florencenotflo it is correct but bonkers and doesn’t make sense. Do what you need to do with your daughter and your family. Sadly this will be happening every day and there will likely be someone in her class with a positive at home family member at the moment

I think it's bonkers but she's following guidelines.

It’s going round schools all the time. It’s just that you know about this case. The risk isn’t really any greater than last week or the week before.

You’re not allowed to take her out of school and there’s be little point- are you going to just stay in?

I can totally see your worry witu regards to your situation but depends how often she could potentially be taken out of school over the next months or even years and i think this testing is lulling a sense of false security.

My friends son had covid so they all went and got a PCR, all came back negative for her amd 2 other DC but she kept them off anyway but they became possible like 5 and 8 days later but zero symptoms as she continued to LFT test them.

I'm currently laid up with Covid. I rang the school and they insisted that my child still goes in. It feels so wrong!. I'm doing daily LFT on her. Doesn't feel right at all

I would work on the assumption that DD could bring home Covid and pass it to you any day, and make a contingency plan for your grandparents. Even if she doesn’t get it from either of these children, it’s still likely to be a matter of time thing rather than something you can avoid altogether.

In Wales, the children need a negative PCR before going back to school

COVID is basically now endemic in the UK. Isolating lots of people is sort of pointless now surely when you are in the same room as people with it every day without knowing

@Mrbob

COVID is basically now endemic in the UK. Isolating lots of people is sort of pointless now surely when you are in the same room as people with it every day without knowing

Completely. You wouldn't normally keep a whole family off for usual contagious nasty illnesses like flu and norovirus.

All the constant testing and isolations do is prolong how long it takes for children to develop exposure and immunity. Primary age children are behind and peaking now because their ecposure was heavily limited until adults had the opportunity to be double vaccinated, but it's cost them a lot in schooling and general opportunities.

Last week about ⅓ of DS's class were off with basically a cold if that. One had already missed 10 days through the practicality of the rest of her family being positive the previous month. We can't keep denying children access to regular schooling into a third school year.
One third of a class off is not that unusual when sick bugs go round and spread easily.

If I test positive and my children are clear, they will go to school. We live near enough that I can let them walk on their own. They are not missing another day more than is necessary after wasting 6.5 months on supposed "home learning". They need school and their peers.

Yes, they are right. I currently have Covid and my child is able to go to school. He also doesn't need any sort of testing, but we have done and he was negative.

Don't blame the school or the parent, blame the government!