To think school parents won’t get themselves or their kids tested

[Sistery]

...and will probably send in kids who should be isolating?

I did a Covid test last week (negative). It wasn’t terrible but was a faff and uncomfortable.

I just think that if so many people won’t even wear a bit of fabric over their face to protect others then they definitely won’t miss work or stick a swab in their nose/throat. Especially bearing in mind that they’ll have to do it every single time anyone in their family has a cough or temperature or can’t smell anything (all winter... ) They just won’t. People send sick kids to school a lot anyway - it’s how sick bugs and viruses fly round so easily so they’re already inclined to do this, and given the government is pushing hard at the narrative that Covid is some magical virus that children conveniently don’t spread, parents will be even more likely to send them. Especially if it’s someone else in the household that’s got symptoms

We just don’t seem to live in a country with a strong sense of social responsibility but equally we don’t enforce any so no temperature checks or mandatory PPE or anything at school.

YABU = People will isolate for 10 days if they get any Covid symptoms and their household will isolate for 14, until a throat and nasal swab shows a negative result, and they’ll repeat this every time anyone in the household gets any symptoms all winter.
YANBU: No they won’t.

@ktp100

I absolutely agree with you.

People will soon get sick of whole bubbles of kids being off due to a friend having a temperature etc and send theirs in regardless.

People do not like taking shared responsibility, unfortunately. They just think of themselves.

Yes those selfish bastard parents who have to work for a living and can't take weeks off every time someone coughs. Only thinking of themselves.

@ilikeitwhenshegoesbabababababa

I think I must be missing something... the guidance says that parents must not be asked for evidence of a negative test in order for their child to be welcomed back after a period of self isolation, if someone in their bubble has tested positive or they have been contacted by test and trace. If they are self isolating due to these reasons, they must complete the full 14 days regardless even if they test negative. The guidance screenshot by *@Appuskidu* states this clearly. They cannot come back to school early even with a negative result. So therefore there is no need to ask for proof of a negative result as they have to do the 14 days regardless. Therefore this whole thread is pointless as they cannot come back to school early. If they have been showing symptoms, the school CAN ask for proof of a negative result. The only time they can't is if they have completed the required self isolating period, as then there is no need.

There are two different sets of rules-one for self isolating when you’ve been in contact with a positive case, and another if they have symptoms.

If a child has symptoms, they can toddle off, get a negative test and provided they haven’t still got symptoms, can come back to school, without showing the negative test.

You can ask for evidence of the negative test if they have been showing symptoms.

But yes you're right they can then come straight back.

I will be asking parents to show me evidence of negative tests before they come back, and have been doing all through since March.

@ilikeitwhenshegoesbabababababa

You can ask for evidence of the negative test if they have been showing symptoms.

The guidance doesn’t say schools can ask for evidence of a negative test, no.

We also can not ask for proof of a negative test but if I have a child coughing in class, looking unwell etc I will immediately send them to first aid. If they return the next day and their condition hasn’t improved, I will again send them to first aid. I will keep doing this as the only protection I have is the ‘guidance’

This.

And they'll be sent back into school again the next day. And the next. and somebody like me will have to spend x number of hours supervising the coughing child from a distance of approximately 38 inches for 3-6 hours until the parents deign to collect them (they probably won't even answer their phone - and if they do, it'll be to shout/laugh at me for being so stupid as to think it's anything to be bothered about)

It's how I ended up struggling to breathe in March. And on antivirals shortly before that when somebody refused to deal with their child with a very obvious chickenpox/shingles infection.

You get kids practically crawling in the door in the morning where they've thrown up all night, have thrown up in the car, thrown up as the car stopped, then thrown up over the corridor and the parents have floored it to get 2 miles home by the time I've called five minutes later.

I do wonder what will happen once all the first aiders have to SI?

Totally agree op.
It's going to be be an horrific winter.. There is also immense pressure on dp to send dc when slightly unwell due to the fines.
No leniency at all.

But it also doesn't say they can't in that instance. Local authorities are making their own decisions. It's one of those areas where it doesn't explicitly state one way or the other.

Nope. Friend is a teacher and they had to close for a while during lockdown because one of the kids had it. Parents knew he had it had they’d had a positive test returned. They only found out because the teenager told a group of friends and one told the teacher. I know this won’t be the norm but it’s worrying they anyone had this attitude.

Mitz, on the other hand there is unbearable pressure to send children in, unwell because of targets and courts and threats!

The whole thing has gone to pot it really has!

The problem is that (pre covid) it's a case of go into work/send kids to school or get behind on rent/not enough money for the electricity meter/insufficient food. I don't think many posters realise what a knife edge financially many families are living on. Also employers do let staff go if they take time off to care for sick kids (happened to me)

I started coughing a lot a few weeks back and thought it was likely mild hay fever and asthma but wanted to be sure.

My test was done locally and came back negative in under 24 hours. We all isolated for that one day then were back out of the house (not me as I was still coughing and didn't want to cause panic, but the rest were). The dc were not at school but if they were, all would have stayed home and then gone back, as per school policy.

Why do you assume there will be so many people refusing to test, or needing to take 2 weeks off?

YABU - you’d have to be an utter twat not to get a test if you have symptoms.

You’d have to be an utter twat not to wear a mask during a global pandemic (unless exempt) or attend an illegal rave, or have a big family get together, or not socially distance or spit at other people, or crowd onto beaches and leave tons of litter behind or drive to Barnard Castle to test your eyesight... but yet here we are. If our collective health rides on people of the U.K. not being twats that’s not exactly reassuring.

I am so worried about this. It's one of the reasons I think there should be daily temperature checks at registration. The government also need to underwrite full sick pay for people, otherwise there are a lot of people who won't be able to afford to isolate for 2 weeks, and will send their kids into school because they have to work. Andy Burnham has been talking about this a lot lately, and he is right. I have an understanding employer and would be able to stay off if needed, but not everyone will be as lucky as me.

@minnieok When I was lower down my career ladder (with a shit employer) I was forced out of a job as my preschool kids were ill ‘too often’. They’d just started nursery so had every bug going and I followed the 48 hour exclusion rule. If I’d needed that job to survive I’d have had to send them in sick I suppose.

I took my daughter (6) for a test on Friday but she refused it and they wouldn't do it as she's under 12. Mine came back negative. I'm dreading winter as so far since March she's been ill three times. If she refuses a test I'll have to isolate her just in case. I expect she'll be out of school more than she's in it 😬

Also my results were back within 24 hours.

Don’t kill Granny ☹️

If I've read our school policy correctly, you are at home for a week (which likely has increased to 10 days) if you show symptoms of Corona, whether you test positive or negative. And siblings at home for 2 weeks, positive or negative test.

Schools do not currently have the legal power to do this, it would be an illegal exclusion, and I have heard of no suggestion of giving them the power - although it would be relatively easy and it could be possible that a local authority could even do it under their delegated powers although again I've heard of none.

If the DC is coughing or displaying other symptoms in school, it'll either be test to return (if negative) or 10 days off (positive assumed, unless tested otherwise)

^^
This. And they’ll have to prove the negative test.

@Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches

If the DC is coughing or displaying other symptoms in school, it'll either be test to return (if negative) or 10 days off (positive assumed, unless tested otherwise)

^^
This. And they’ll have to prove the negative test.

Who is saying they will have to prove the negative test?

I got tested today, two days before dc goes back to school so that already screwed her return so in my case you are wrong but I agree some people will try to ignore it. My local council have set out that all children displaying symptoms will be sent home immediately and covid tests have been sent to the schools so they can be given out as needed, which I think is good for reducing people chances of skipping out or being inconvenienced. My nearest test centre is only 25mins drive so luckily I have a car or else it is two plus hours by public transport or a few days for a postal test to be complete and sent off.

I agree op, a lot won't bother and just send the kids in.

@catsarecute has hit the nail on the head.