What are the rules around covid and school now?

[Sumerian]

Dd has just tested positive on an lft. She's oddly keen to go back to school asap, and is now having a delightful teenage strop because I've said she'll definitely be off tomorrow.

But what are the actual rules (I've had a google and every website is saying something different)

😂 at 'rules'

I think when the NHS updated its guidelines re isolation in Jan 2022 it said it said 3 days for children and 5 for adults. My school has never changed its policy but as I said, no one is testing so it’s moot point really! I’m always shocked when I see the Covid code for children now!

If mine felt well enough they'd be off to school, same as I have to go to work (frontline NHS). It's better not to test as then you don't have to endure the moral dilemma!

It depends on the school.

DD4’s school say “please treat as you would chicken pox / other contagious illness and stay home”. They are a SEN school who lost a pupil to covid and the HT is still asking staff to stay away from pupils and other staff if positive (and getting shit from the LA for it) and finding them other things to do.

DD3s school have said basically “if you can keep them home that’s what we’d prefer but we can’t make you”

DS2’s Ht basically said it was all a big unnecessary drama for the flu and it doesn’t exist anymore

To be honest, if I had those symptoms I'd have avoided seeing a relative who was about to go into hospital whether it was covid or not.

We've got a horrible virus in our house at the moment. I sort of suspect flu because DD1 is fine and she's the only vaccinated one. DD2 is on her fifth day of no appetite and general misery, and DH and I can barely haul ourselves out of bed. I'm not going to test and think "oh good, it's not covid, I'm fine to see whoever I like". A test wouldn't change our behaviour, or our view that we shouldn't spread this bug around.

I phoned the school this morning. Their official guidance is there is no guidance, there is no need to test, and they encourage children to come into school if they have a mild cold.

But, unofficially they would like her to stay off till at least Monday, longer if shes still symptomatic...

Most don’t test so it’s just if the dc feel well enough or not

I do.

Ive had horrible horrible long Covid from this ‘cold’ if l catch it again I’m knackered.

Dh tests every day. So does anyone who comes to our house.

i understand it’s not a cold. But despite having to shield I now need to get on with my life. Fully vaccinated so should be able to do that. If my kids are really sick they won’t go to school. But I won’t keep them off for cold type symptoms.

My year 9 dd tested positive this morning, she wanted to go in as is assessment week.

But as she was coughing and spluttering all over the place didn’t think she was well enough. Had a couple of tests still lying around so decided to test her.

Have informed the school and they said they will see her back when she has a negative result.

CrispsandCheeseSandwich
Id be the same and actually had to stay away from mum the year before covid due to a bad cold, but Covid or something definite stops people saying’ah just pop over for a while, it’ll be fine!!’ Great name by the way!!

There are no rules. I don't know why anyone would test. if she's that ill, stay at home. If not, get on with life

I'm a teacher. If you test and it's positive, it's 5 days off.

Didn’t know people were still testing tbh. There are no rules anymore.

Not for staff too surely? We haven't done that for well over a year!

Yes it's as per the government guidance above. You're not supposed to test but if you do it's 5 days adults and 3 days pupils.

It's crazy if school have the time off policies as it differs from other statutory workers. I am a Social Worker in an older adults team. The policy for us, colleagues in health, care homes and home carers is to continue as normal: don't test, if too unwell to work then call in sick ; if cold/ cough symptoms but well enough to work then do so. And still see vulnerable clients.

It isn't different. The message is don't test, but once you have...

Schools seems to be different. If you've got cold symptoms and well enough to go into school, then you should go. If you've chosen to test, five days off unless you test negative in the meantime.

Oldchinajug, yep it's 5 days for staff and 3 days for students.

Wow. We've been told only to stay off if we're too unwell to go in! That was last Jan/the one before - I can't remember which!

To the people who don’t test surely if you’re actually sick then you test to rule it out?

I don't think so. I get the impression that people only test if they happen to still have a few leftover tests lying around. We don't. If you have a really nasty cold/virus, surely you'd avoid vulnerable or very elderly relatives anyway, covid or not?

Yes.... Its some impressive mental gymnastics, isn't it.

Dont test. But if you do then..... It kind of depends on what the school say when you phone them.

The actual rules are probably very far removed from what you should do. Covid is still a major threat to everyone and if positive you’re should stay if until testing negative and without symptoms. I think the school rules state 3-5 days with a confirmed covid infection.

Why they don’t clean the air in schools, I’ll never understand - the only reason I can think of is that the plan is to infect children to make it milder / pursue some sort of unicorn herd immunity. But that would be madness with a SARS virus and have no basis in science so I’m sure that’s not the case..