To send my kids to school with coughs if they’ve tested negative for coronavirus?

[DragonLegs]

They tested negative on Tuesday for coronavirus but still have active coughs. They are perfectly well in themselves though, haven’t had any fevers just mild coughs. Is this okay? I’m not sure what’s meant to happen, as potentially they could have a cough for weeks!

@Itisbetter

I’d prefer people to stay home with their lurgies. I think it’s utterly antisocial to spread it through your schools and workplaces.

Schools and workplaces need to be onboard to not penalise people for staying at home in this scenario though.

I think we all need to be “on board” @Kaktus to be honest I think we’d end up with a vastly more productive country if we prioritised health more. Kids can distance learn now, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility for wfh and school from home to be more flexible for lots of people.

@Itisbetter

I think we all need to be “on board” *@Kaktus* to be honest I think we’d end up with a vastly more productive country if we prioritised health more. Kids can distance learn now, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility for wfh and school from home to be more flexible for lots of people.

I agree. My mum works for the NHS. She has been told that if she has cold symptoms and a negative Covid test then she must go to work, otherwise normal sickness procedures (and sanctions) apply.

Personally I wouldn't because as soon as another kid catches it they've got to stay off and wait for their negative test and it's not really fair on others to have their education disrupted for the sake of your kid waiting a few days.

My DC were off school on Friday, tested on Friday, negative result on Saturday. Kept them off on Monday as per school guidance, but I needn’t have bothered as then the school issued letter @WouldBeGood posted.

You only stay off with a negative result if you have been in contact with a known positive case. My DC haven’t so they are back at school.

Just because you had a negative test on Tuesday doesn't mean you don't have it - I have heard advice that regardless of whether the test was negative or not you should act as much as possible as if it was, if you have symptoms

This really is a nonsense. There is zero point testing if nobody is going to accept the results.

Personally I wouldn't because as soon as another kid catches it they've got to stay off and wait for their negative test and it's not really fair on others to have their education disrupted for the sake of your kid waiting a few days

Two weeks?

I’m in Scotland and our guidance is children should return when they’ve been symptom free for 48 hours. Which is going to be fun as my child always gets a cough that lingers for months! I’m sure they’ll have to review this going forward!

You know a negative result isn’t magical?
That it’s to isolate for 14 days for a reason. Countries are test people at day 0,5 and 14 on admission as it can take that long for people to test positive. Phone the school and ask, as they don’t want 30 angry parents saying “sammy came home saying Lottie was coughing at school”.

Of course there are other colds and viruses around, you don’t know what’s what until you’re recovered. How many people at schools have vulnerable parents that will like not do well.

My dc has negative results back this morning and they’re back at school today. They’d never be at school if had to keep them off for 2 weeks every time they got a cough

@Namechangeymcnamechange11

Send them unless they're unwell in themselves. Print a copy of the negative test results for the school.

That.

I know everyone is going to be touchy around coughs now but, let's face it, there are usually plenty of coughs at the best of times.

@Shantotto

If you have had a Covid test and it is negative you can go back immediately unless they are not fit to do so (i.e. still running a temp then you have to wait 48 hours )

If they have non-Covid symptoms e.g. running nose, sneezing etc they can go to school as long as they are well enough to do so. If they have a heavy cold, feeling v unwell clearly you keep them off till they feel fit enough to go to school.

At least that's what our letter said

And in Scotland schools have said you have to email Covid test results to them before child can go back

I sent my eldest in this morning with a cold that has turned into a cough and negative covid test. It hadn't occurred to me to keep her home or check with the school. She was starting year 7 and they need the orientation . Whilst I am aware of the massively huge number of false negatives, I think starting to keep them home with just coughs and colds is a slippery slope, especially when they start a school or nursery and are introduced to new bugs. Coming into winter you would have more children out then in.

What has amazed me is how she got the cold, we have been incredibly sensible, social distancing, fastidious hand washing, masks and not really going out.

When you get your results (NHS England) it says you can go back to work as long as your fever has gone and that you no longer need to self isolate.

@Itisbetter

If everyone keeps their kids home when they have coughs the a continuous stream of autumn/winter coughs and colds will be a thing of the past. I’d keep them home because everyone that catches your non-COVID-19 cough will have to take time off and be tested. So much wasted money and time so that one parent doesn’t have to miss work and one sick child can drag himself through a school day. Time for a new way of thinking about things.

This

I found this on the government website but I can't find anything anywhere about what you do if your test is negative. I'm sure it used to say you could stop isolation. The NHS website says you can (see below)
Gov.uk
Ending self-isolation
If you have had symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test, then you may end your self-isolation after 10 days and return to your normal routine if you do not have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell or taste. If you still have a high temperature, keep self-isolating until your temperature returns to normal and seek medical advice.

After 10 days, if you just have a cough or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), you do not need to continue to self-isolate. This is because a cough or anosmia can last for several weeks once the infection has gone. The 10-day period starts from the day when you first became ill.

If you continue to feel unwell and have not already sought medical advice, you should use the NHS 111 online COVID-19 service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.
NHS
Negative test result
A negative result means the test did not find coronavirus.

You do not need to self-isolate if your test is negative, as long as:

everyone you live with who has symptoms tests negative
everyone in your support bubble who has symptoms tests negative
you were not told to self-isolate for 14 days by NHS Test and Trace – if you were, see what to do if you've been told you've been in contact with someone who has coronavirus
you feel well – if you feel unwell, stay at home until you’re feeling better
If you have diarrhoea or you’re being sick, stay at home until 48 hours after they've stopped.

We’ve got a shocking cold, tested negative. Going back to school this week, I think that there will be loads of bugs going around as children start to mix again.

I think this is crazy. My kids have got snotty noses and a post nasal drip causing a slight cough. No temperature. I have googled all the symptoms and it says covid does not cause snotty noses.
Also Scotland recieved information to say if your child has a normal cold then to go to school as normal if they feel well enough. They only need a test if they have the 3 symptoms : continuos cough /temperature /no smell or taste. Mine don't have any of these so I won't be happy if I have to take them for tests! If every child has to stay off for a cold there will be noone there!

Why not follow the government guidance on ending self isolation after a negative test instead of asking MN?

If you have taken a test for COVID-19 and received a negative result you do not need to self-isolate as long as:
• everyone you live with who has symptoms tests negative
• everyone in your support bubble who has symptoms tests negative
• you were not told to self-isolate for 14 days by NHS Test and Trace
• you feel well

Bloody hell - if everyone with a mild cough has to isolate for 14 days even with a negative test, no children will be in school at all. Some people are bonkers.

@IwishIwasyoda have they? I’m in Scotland and advised school on Friday we were getting tests. DC went back to school yesterday and school haven’t asked for any evidence at all. They don’t even know the results of the tests! (They were negative).

@JaggySplinter

No, you really can't send them in. Test results are very unreliable on children so a single negative test results is essentially meaningless. If everyone takes this type of approach then we are going to see another spike in cases.

It's inconvenient, but the isolation rules are there for a reason.

Oh stop it. Isolating even with a negative result

Of course send them in, they have a negative test.

To the people saying “don’t send a child to school if they have a cough” I wonder if they have young children and realise that kids have coughs on and off during autumn and winter, if you kept them home each time then they would potentially miss months of school, not great when they have already missed 6 months of their education.

Yes otherwise kids will never be in school