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!

Who did the covid swab?

My dc got sent home from nursery last week for coughing, as did a few other kids in her bubble. Negative result received at the weekend and they’ve let them go back this week, they’ve said themselves that kids coughs can last for ages. My daughter had a cough for months last year!

Even if it isn’t Covid, if it’s a normal cough which they pass on to half the class and they all end up getting it that is a lot of other kids that need to take time off school and get tested (possibly their whole families as well). I would keep them off until the symptoms have subsided.

[quote canigooutyet]If it's just a cough no need to isolate.
If there is a temp regardless of other symptoms, stay at home (unless you need medical assistance) for 48 hours after you last had a raised temp.

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/infections/how-long-is-someone-infectious-after-a-viral-infection/[/quote]
That’s interesting we’ve always been told to still send them in, maybe calpol them up, but pack them off.

@Rhayader

Even if it isn’t Covid, if it’s a normal cough which they pass on to half the class and they all end up getting it that is a lot of other kids that need to take time off school and get tested (possibly their whole families as well). I would keep them off until the symptoms have subsided.

But coughs can last for weeks - where do you draw the line?

@coronafiona
YABU. Symptoms = do not go in. Yes they were free of CV when they were tested, but they could've contracted it in between testing and getting results, and coughing will spread it.

Sorry it's not what you want to hear.
It certainly isn't as it is absolutely and totally wrong
Who made you boss. That is not following the guidelines and is a load of rubbish. Kids need to be in school, spreading germs and viruses - it's what children do and it's how they build their immune system.

That’s interesting we’ve always been told to still send them in, maybe calpol them up, but pack them off. I think this helps no one

Kids need to be in school, spreading germs and viruses - it's what children do and it's how they build their immune system. is this really what you think school is for??

@EvilPea
Yup many schools and workplaces say similar, go in. Then they complain because people are in and out with these bugs.

I've always made it the school/companies problem. If they didn't penalise people for being ill and doing their job correctly, we wouldn't be having this chat.

My headteacher would not be impressed if I stayed home with a cold or a cough. Coughs can linger for weeks.

And I also have hayfever which can appear suspicious.

Viruses are like fire they need fuel to burn. If one child/employee attend a setting depending on the good ol R number multiple cases could snowball across a class/office/school. If you remove the fuel/host then most viruses simply burn out.

I would send in but I would expect school to want to see evidence of negative test.
That said a friend’s school is insistent that you have to stay at home for a week if you get a negative test!

YABU. Symptoms = do not go in. Yes they were free of CV when they were tested, but they could've contracted it in between testing and getting results, and coughing will spread it

This is just such nonsense! God I need to hide these threads. People making up their own rules and regulations as they go along.

Somebody tell the NHS to stop testing because randomers on MN have decided that the tests are basically useless. Apparently negative doesn't mean negative, and, not only that, you might have picked it up 30 seconds after your test. Do you just keep driving around the testing centre in an endless loop getting test after test? Have people totally lost the ability to think for themselves?

Yes masks should be frequently changed. The time depends on the type of mask.
However, they have to be changed when they get damp.

For proper infection control they should also be changed between classes/shops/transport etc. Many people walk into multiple places wearing the same mask. If this was adequate protection, nhs would save themselves a fortune and not change them between patients, between wards etc.

And for those making them at home, you need several layers. These also need to be changed more frequently. Various disease control centres globally have lots of info including the fabric types to avoid

@RegularHumanBartender

YABU. Symptoms = do not go in. Yes they were free of CV when they were tested, but they could've contracted it in between testing and getting results, and coughing will spread it

This is just such nonsense! God I need to hide these threads. People making up their own rules and regulations as they go along.

Somebody tell the NHS to stop testing because randomers on MN have decided that the tests are basically useless. Apparently negative doesn't mean negative, and, not only that, you might have picked it up 30 seconds after your test. Do you just keep driving around the testing centre in an endless loop getting test after test? Have people totally lost the ability to think for themselves?

Threads like this remind me how little people test for anything in the UK. Surprised some people managed to procreate in the first place

Coughs can linger for weeks. If the test was negative I should imagine they can go in. Sent copies of the test results!

This is why I'm dreading winter. Every time DC get a cold they get awful chesty coughs. Going to be a long winter!

The key part of 'continuous cough' is continuous. The definition of 'continuous' is:

"Coughing for longer than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual." www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/

If your child has symptoms, they isolate for 10 days (and the family for 14 days) until such times as:

1. They have a negative test or
2. Their 10 days is up.

Keep self-isolating if you have any of these symptoms after 10 days:

a high temperature or feeling hot and shivery
a runny nose or sneezing
feeling or being sick
diarrhoea

This is all from the NHS site.

This is adding to the confused message about negative tests.
Essex Cc guidance from DfE

If a contact who has been asked to self-isolate, goes on to display symptoms, accesses a test but it is negative – they still cannot return to school until they have completed their 14 days isolation period (this is because they still might go on to become positive during the 14 days).

Is that refering to someone who has been in contact with someone who has had a positive test and therefore been asked to self isolate ? @AdelaidePlace

Somebody tell the NHS to stop testing because randomers on MN have decided that the tests are basically useless. Apparently negative doesn't mean negative, and, not only that, you might have picked it up 30 seconds after your test. Do you just keep driving around the testing centre in an endless loop getting test after test? Have people totally lost the ability to think for themselves?

Sorry but I really laughed at this

Yes, a 'contact' isn't the person with the symptoms, a 'contact' has been in 'contact' with a positively tested person/child. ....🤪😆🤔

I can see how confusing the guidance is and how mixed messages arise.

Don't send them in if they have a cough. A cough spreads germs.

Day 1: develop cough, get tested
Day 2: result is negative for COVID because cough is unrelated.
Day 3: catch COVID and are symptomless. But you still have pre-existing cough so are coughing COVID germs around the place.

@contrmary

Don't send them in if they have a cough. A cough spreads germs.

Day 1: develop cough, get tested
Day 2: result is negative for COVID because cough is unrelated.
Day 3: catch COVID and are symptomless. But you still have pre-existing cough so are coughing COVID germs around the place.

What's the point in being tested then?

our primary school have said not to send children in with coughs and cold even if a covid test comes back negative. not sure what i’ll do with my son who every year has persistent coughs and colds from october until about march.

@contrmary

Don't send them in if they have a cough. A cough spreads germs.

Day 1: develop cough, get tested
Day 2: result is negative for COVID because cough is unrelated.
Day 3: catch COVID and are symptomless. But you still have pre-existing cough so are coughing COVID germs around the place.

So what do you do with kids who cough from September to March?