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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

School and no tests

31 replies

2020isajokex · 12/09/2020 06:43

So fed up! DD started back at school. Completed 5 days with a weekend in between.

Her best friend was starting with a cold Monday. His mum sent him in and then he went swimming that night. Tuesday he's in school again, snotty and she said he was coughing a little that morning. Wednesday he's snotty again. DD begins to get snotty Wednesday. Along with their other friend.

Thursday morning. My child's been sneezing all night. Sniffing all night. Saying she feels rubbish. No fever or cough. But she looked tired, lake and watery eyed. I do what I feel is right. I contact the school and say it's a normal cold, none on the symptoms but because it's heavy today and she's had a rough night, I'll keep her off. She needed Calpol too. I said she'd return tomorrow if she's no worse.

That evening I get a phone call. It's the head. A few have gone off with colds. She said we are sure that's all it is but we had to ring public health. They've advised the kids with colds isolate for two weeks and get a test. She gave me a big speech about our local leisure centre doing tests this week and home kits were available too. 48 hours later apart from a testing center 2 hours away there's been absolutely nothing! No kits available anywhere. I can't justify a 4 hour drive in total. My youngest also has a cold. He gets travel sick within half an hour. We really needed somewhere within an hour. But there's literally nothing. Even the ridiculous location has gone.

My DD needs testing by Sunday or it's too late. Still nothing this morning! So it's looking like we will be isolating for two weeks! That's her missing out on two weeks of settling into a new class.

I'm really annoyed because the other child who's had a cold all week has been in school with it and that's ok? Runny noses are not a symptom. My child's going to be picking up colds alot and she's so young still.

I am really unhappy with this system. No tests available so now a child's missing a huge chunk of learning! If she has got covid, the only place she's been is the school. So if they don't have an answer either way are they going to shut her class? Because I can't confirm either way!

OP posts:
2020isajokex · 12/09/2020 06:44

Pale not lake

OP posts:
Rachierach11 · 12/09/2020 07:01

Can't offer anything helpful but that really sucks. This is why it's so difficult to get a test at the moment. People are having tests inappropriately and then the people who have actual covid symptoms are going without. I feel for you and hope you manage to get a test. Apparently 8am and 8pm are the best times to get one online. Good luck x

VashtaNerada · 12/09/2020 07:05

That’s ridiculous. Why on earth are they advising people with colds to miss school and get tests? Tests are meant to be for people with Covid symptoms only. Most schools have colds going round at the moment, it’s completely normal for September.

Ontheroadtorecovery · 12/09/2020 07:06

My ds has been off some of this week with a cold but yesterday am started coughing a lot... I cannot get him a test at all it just says no sites available. Tried most of yesterday, during the night and this morning. I am going to be so mad if we ha e to stay home for 2 weeks because I can't get him tested absolute shambles this is. I cannot do my job from home with a 3 and 5 Yr old about so what then.

BooseysMom · 12/09/2020 07:08

I'm really annoyed because the other child who's had a cold all week has been in school with it and that's ok? Runny noses are not a symptom.

Exactly right..runny noses are not a symptom.
Apparently it's ok for them to be in school as long as they don't have any of the actual Covid symptoms. DS had a cold last week and had 1 day off. They were fine with him being back.
The school have sent guidance to say it is ok for kids to be at school if it's a cold. So it's official from PHE that a cold is not Covid. People need to get a grip and save the tests for those with symptoms.

2020isajokex · 12/09/2020 07:14

I'm really cross. I've been completely accepting of the request until I realised there are none available. I think I will ask the school tomorrow why my child's friend has been in school with a cold all week and he's not been sent home. He does get milder versions but why should that matter? If I sent her in like that she would have been sent home.

If she gets another at the end of September or October time will that be another two weeks?

I'm really annoyed. She's been off school for ages and now she's being made to miss out on friendships and the catch up weeks. The first two weeks were about settling them back in.

OP posts:
Friolero · 12/09/2020 07:15

I thought the government had specifically said children don't need to stay home or be tested for a cold. There are bound to be loads of colds going round as soon as the children start mixing again after so long apart.

Unless your child has one of the Covid symptoms I would take this up with the school further. No wonder people are struggling to get tests if schools are encouraging children to get tested for a common cold!

2020isajokex · 12/09/2020 07:17

Not to mention the fact I need blood tests and things myself. So now I can't go out or sort anything I need for 2 weeks. Not even allowed a walk for two weeks. Really irritating when we have no symptoms.

OP posts:
flowerycurtain · 12/09/2020 07:17

This really needs some government clarification pronto.

My kids have got what I'd describe as a light cold. Pre corona id have sent them in

After a discussion with the head yesterday I did send them in as just cold symptoms. Overnight ds has developed what I'd describe as a light mucous cough probably cold related.

I can't get a test for love nor money.

Dh moves into our caravan last night as we cannot have him self isolating for 2 weeks for a cold.

In an ideal world I'd use my judgement and if she's still coughing Monday I'd keep her off for a couple of days. Thing is with no test and for a cough it should be 10 days. I'll do it if I have to but Angry

This system needs sorting fast. It's an absolute fuck up.

Dotinthecity · 12/09/2020 07:18

Out school are also advising that children with colds can be sent in but I know of more than one family who are repeatedly having tests at the slightest hint of a sore throat or sniffle. The "worried well" are clogging up the test centres and making it difficult for people who need tests to get them. It's hardly surprising though as the government scared most of the population into a hysterical mess.

duckme · 12/09/2020 07:33

In fairness to the school, the guidance given to your child's friend on Monday would probably have changed by the Wednesday. We've sent out a different set of guidelines each day for three days this week.

Ontheroadtorecovery · 12/09/2020 07:36

Have just remembered I have an appointment myself for a scan that I will now have to miss. Also dds birthday next week. Does anyone know about paying to get tested?

AmyandPhilipfan · 12/09/2020 07:38

I would be politely insisting that no one medical has ever said children with colds need to self isolate and that my child will be attending school. My two older boys have had colds this week and I’ve sent them in. Surely schools are going to relax about this soon, otherwise they’re going to be virtually empty until next spring! All kids get colds. We are getting into cold/flu season. Kids can’t miss school for two weeks every time they get a runny nose!

MyFeetHurt1 · 12/09/2020 07:41

That is ridiculous. My daughter also has the sneeze and snotty nose virus. No temperature or cough. School were fine. They cannot just tell people to get tests for colds like that. They should be following government advice and those are not symptoms!

I would be fucked at work if my daughter's school took that approach - I'm a teacher too!

Sunnyjac · 12/09/2020 07:43

Agree it’s ridiculous but just keep trying to get a test and hopefully you’ll be able to get one early in the week and your DD can be back at school before the week is out.

Momo2403 · 12/09/2020 07:45

It is impossible to get a test via the website. Even when it says slots are available it crashes. We turned up at a local walk in centre and got tested without an appointment/code. The test centre was empty, the actual labs are struggling with capacity. Similar scenario but Covid symptoms present, cough, temp. Have absolutely no doubt it’s just a result of going back to school but had to get tested as part of the schools guidelines for staying open.

Squidsister · 12/09/2020 08:15

It’s a nightmare. It’s clear from posts on MN that school responses to regular colds seems to be based on the Head’s opinion rather than official guidelines!
I have 3 kids in 3 different schools and they all seem to be following different rules....

DD has a regular cold so I kept her off on Friday, but when I phoned the absence line I was very careful to say that she had a blocked nose but no Covid symptoms and I was just keeping her off as a precaution. I am dreading getting a call telling me to get a test or isolate because 1) i know how hard it is to get tests and 2) I don’t think a snotty nose qualifies her for a test anyway.

If every time one of the DCs gets a cold we have to isolate for 2 weeks this is going to be a long miserable winter 🙁

However our council has just set up some new walk-in testing sites so I think it will be easier to get a test now.

Also schools have been given a small number of tests - maybe ask your Head that as she is so keen for kids with colds to get tested, and as no tests are available, could the school provide them?

Squidsister · 12/09/2020 08:21

I think the Govt should provide very clear guidance to parents and schools about colds. What constitutes needing a test / isolating etc. Otherwise schools are having to make it up as they go along, and people are going for tests unnecessarily and clogging up the system. It’s winter, kids haven’t seen each other for months, colds will be going round.

2020isajokex · 12/09/2020 08:33

I spoke to the head again yesterday. Told her I'd been unable to book. She said everyone is currently on high alert and Boris claimed their were enough tests and their clearly isn't. I think she was stupid phoning the public health for snotty noses. But I do understand it's on her if they get a break out

Unfortunately tomorrow is the last day she can be tested. So I presume after that she won't be allowed back for 12 days from Monday. It's really not good. She's so needing to catch up and learn. I'm annoyed as two weeks is a long time to be out of the classroom. I feel so bad for her. She has already missed too much.

OP posts:
Ilovechocolatetoomuch · 12/09/2020 08:45

My ds has had a cold all week, I’m pretty sure he must have caught it at school.
I phoned his school on first day and explained he was very snotty but no other symptoms. They said send him in they are all going to get colds as they have been off 6 months. Every day at drop off I checked if he had been o.k and if they wanted me to keep him off and they seemed most unconcerned.
The symptoms are not having a snotty cold so they should not be wasting tests in my opinion.

Freddiefox · 12/09/2020 08:52

To be fair to the school they have done what the guidance has asked them to do. The government realised that there would be plenty of children who couldn’t/wouldn’t be tested so put in a clause regarding handing for over to public health.

WaterOffADucksCrack · 12/09/2020 09:01

Overnight ds has developed what I'd describe as a light mucous cough probably cold related. Covid is a dry, persistent cough not a mucous cough.

I think she was stupid phoning the public health for snotty noses. Why do you think she's stupid for phoning her local public health protection team when that's exactly who she should be speaking to for advice? If she hadn't you'd be whinging saying "who made her qualified to make that call".
But I do understand it's on her if they get a break out Exactly. It is her job on the line. I manage a care home and we've been told expressly we will be blamed for any outbreak despite still having no proper guidance. I would imagine she's desperately trying to keep her job!

DinoGreen · 12/09/2020 09:42

We are in the same scenario. DS started reception just over a week ago. Thursday he started with the snotty nose but no cough, so I sent him in on Friday. When we collected him, the teacher said he’d been coughing (though obviously not bad enough for them to ring us to get him early). We said we’d keep an eye on it. Last night and this morning he’s coughing a lot more, but he always does with a cold - he’s mildly asthmatic and whenever he gets a cold, he gets a cough with it which tends to linger longer than the snotty nose. No tests available whatsoever, I’ve been checking every hour since last night. I know he’s just got a cold. He’s going back in on Monday, I’m not keeping him off for 14 days because of a cold which all the kids have.

Florencex · 12/09/2020 09:47

I’m really cross. I’ve been completely accepting of the request until I realised there are none available.

And there is the issue. People being completely accepting of being told to do a test by teachers, employers, HR teams etc when it is not necessary or appropriate. And then guess what, we have run out of tests.

SomewhereEast · 12/09/2020 10:00

This is why the testing system is collapsing right now, basically. It just isn't sustainable to test everyone with a cold. To be fair to Gov - much though I dislike them - I don't think any other country in Europe would have the testing capacity either.