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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should DD go to school today?

63 replies

LavaSpider · 09/09/2020 07:30

DD is 13. It's her first day back in school for 6 months today.
She's woken up with a steaming cold - snot, watery eyes, sneezing plus an occasional cough. I know it's a only a cold and not Covid - nowhere in the Covid symptoms do you get a runny nose and sneezing which is her main symptom.
But it's going to make it awkward for her wearing a mask, not touching her face etc and I know everyone is going to be on ultra high alert today.
WIBU to send her in to school anyway?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 09/09/2020 08:14

Its a continuous cough, not the occasional cough to clear your throat of snot
This is why tests are in short supply for those who really need them

dementedpixie · 09/09/2020 08:16

I would however keep OPs daughter off so she's not infecting everyone with her cold

justanotherneighinparadise · 09/09/2020 08:16

@Lockdownseperation

Rules are clear self isolate and pray to the test Gods for a test if you have temperature of over 37.8c, COUGH or a loss of taste or smell.

You know what you need to do.

Pray to the rest Gods made me 🤭
justanotherneighinparadise · 09/09/2020 08:17

*test

BikeTyson · 09/09/2020 08:19

Symptoms to order a test are a new persistent cough, temperature, loss of taste/smell. Since there are currently major issues with testing capacity I don’t think people should be being advised to order tests for every child with a snotty nose (or who has coughed twice and not since).

For the reasons mentioned about finding it difficult to wear a mask with a cold (I really struggled in hay fever season for the same reason) it wouldn’t be unreasonable to keep her off but depends how she’s feeling and what she’s likely to be missing.

movingonup20 · 09/09/2020 08:20

If she's unwell keep her off, if it's just a runny nose (not green) then send her in. You can only get a test for key symptoms, unnecessary testing it's why it's hard to get a test!

Lifeisabeach09 · 09/09/2020 08:20

I wouldn't waste a test on her so no.

Definitely not a waste. As many people should be tested as possible, ideally.

Not that I think it's Covid (I don't) but sneezing and and runny nose are some of the less uncommon symptoms as PP have said.

bobbiester · 09/09/2020 08:21

Cold symptoms (e.g. runny nose) CAN be symptoms of COVID. However, in the UK the government have decided that such symptoms are not sufficient to make you eligible for a test.

And we have a "world leading" test and trace system right? So that's Ok.Hmm

dementedpixie · 09/09/2020 08:21

With the lack of testing capacity it would be a waste of a test. There is already a shortage without one being used for the cold

ChickenwingChickenwing · 09/09/2020 08:22

I know it's a only a cold and not Covid - nowhere in the Covid symptoms do you get a runny nose and sneezing which is her main symptom.

Hmm you do not know this at all. Please do not send her in. The cough may develop further and could well be covid so how about keeping her home to ensure she isn't spreading anything about the school.

Thirtyrock39 · 09/09/2020 08:33

I've kept my lad off for two days with a cold - would never do so in normal times but he is snotty, sore throat and occasional phlegm cough. It's going to be such a stressful term isn't it?
Our school has asked us to be over cautious with colds etc - annoyingly there were loads of snotty kids in last week so it'll just be the typical cold germs circulating but seems the right thing to do
We will be home schooling while off school though as he's ok in himself just croaky and bunged up

bobbiester · 09/09/2020 08:38

"I know it's a only a cold and not Covid - nowhere in the Covid symptoms do you get a runny nose and sneezing which is her main symptom."

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say different...

"Congestion or runny nose"

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

Shutupyoutart · 09/09/2020 08:40

In the same boat here kids have been back a week and a half and they all have stinking colds! So they are all off school. Gonna be a long winter!

Original poster
LavaSpider · 09/09/2020 08:44

Just to update, I haven't sent her and HAVE been on to book a test.
Unbelievably, there are no drive or walk through tests at all available in my area (which is LONDON ffs!)
Try later it says, or book a home test (which means the rest of the week off school) and all the working adults in the house having to isolate until we get that negative result back.
This government is a fucking shambles.

OP posts:
lydia7986 · 09/09/2020 08:44

I know multiple people who have had Covid (confirmed either by test at the time or by subsequent antibody test) who had a steaming cold and were massively congested.

It absolutely is one of the symptoms.

lydia7986 · 09/09/2020 08:45

The issue with testing at the moment is apparently that the labs are completely overwhelmed and can’t get through the test samples quickly enough.

unimaginativeusernamehere · 09/09/2020 08:50

She sounds unwell, it would be a horrible day for her going into school with a bad cold and wearing a mask so I'd keep her off due to being unwell.

Mindymomo · 09/09/2020 08:54

I personally would only try and get a test if they had a temperature, otherwise keep them at home.

Original poster
LavaSpider · 09/09/2020 08:55

If you request a test due to symptoms, you have to tick to say you have either a fever, a continuous dry cough or a loss of taste & smell.

OP posts:
timeforanew · 09/09/2020 08:56

I kept mine at home yesterday with similar symptoms. 111 told me to call GP, GP told me off for even thinking about getting a test (wasting resources). Criteria are temperature, CONTINUOUS cough, loss of taste/smell. An occasional cough (defined as not keeping you up at night, and not stopping you doing normal stuff) is a wasted test I got told (not that there are any available).

So mine are back today, without a test.

etopp · 09/09/2020 08:57

@MandUs

Normal cold symptoms are symptoms of Covid, just not the ones we are told to look out for.
They are also symptoms of a normal cold.
Rhumba · 09/09/2020 08:58

@Hiremee

Im in a similar situation this morning OP! Sorry to hijack - quick question - if your child coughed Loudly twice when they woke up this morning (1 hour ago) and not since, are they still ok to send? I never thought I’d have to think this hard about sending to school over 2 coughs Blush
A persistent cough is defined as 1 bout of more than 1 hour of coughing or 3 bouts of coughing in 24 hours.
BigBadVoodooHat · 09/09/2020 09:00

I know multiple people who have had Covid (confirmed either by test at the time or by subsequent antibody test) who had a steaming cold and were massively congested.

It absolutely is one of the symptoms.

Or they may have had asymptomatic Covid and a simultaneous, non-Covid cold.

Anecdata is not fact. Correlation is not causation.

starrynight19 · 09/09/2020 09:02

This is an absolute shambles.
Now we have a testing issue people are being discouraged from taking tests.
Schools are going to be overrun with cases in a couple of weeks.
So much conflicting information on symptoms in children.
Sad

Feminist10101 · 09/09/2020 09:13

Did you really not see this coming?!