To send my child back to school without getting test results!

[Dickorydockwhatthe]

I'm on the 5th day of waiting for his results. Ds 1 tests came back negative, still waiting for ds 2 who is fine. We are all fine. I can't afford time off work, ds needs to go back to school. 119 are useless. They have finally lodged a complaint but could take 3 days from now and then it could be lost. What should I do? I'm at breaking point with it all and theres no one to complain to!!

Ds 1 was off school isolating due to confirmed case in his bubble
So for that he needs to isolate properly for the full time, due to the incubation period.
had cough and temp
So one he had symptoms you had to get tested and the result from that test will decide what happens next.
If his negative result comes in before the end of the isolation period then he still needs to isolate due to the incubation period.
If his isolation period has ended then he needs to remain at home until he gets his negative result, then he can go back to school
ds 2 then had developed a slight new cough that evening.
If it was a new persistent cough then you were right to get him tested.
So based on ds1 circumstances I obviously decided to test both children. Ds1 is negative so likely ds2 is too!!
Not necessarily. One child has been in contact with a positive case, the other hasn't. They are two separate humans. It could be that one DS has been in contact with a confirmed positive case and tests negative, and the other has been in contact with an asymptomatic carrier without anyone realizing and they test positive.

Just follow the rules because people doing their own thing will quickly see schools having partial closures etc and then they'll be whinging about more than a few extra days isolating.

Is there a reason you cannot leave a 16yo and 11/12yo home si while you work? Having tested now you have to until the result comes through but not initially.

@LIZS as DS2 had symptoms and is awaiting a test result the whole household has to isolate. So OP cannot go to work until the result comes back negative.

@Dickorydockwhatthe

I have followed the rules and its but me in the ass. I should have just got ds 2 tested and waited to k see how ds 2 developed. But he did develop a cough just not as bad as his brothers. I had to drive an hour to a test site there an back so made sense to test both. Ds 2 just seems to have recovered fine. Ds1 incubation is now over last day was yesterday, results from Tuesday were negative. I've wrote to my MPs I've rang 119 who else can I go to?? I was saying exactly the same and have played by the rules and judged those who didn't. But I don't have the luxary of working from home or paying for a priviate test, taking leave etc. And yes I am bringing other families into because there probably people who are worse off then me and waiting 5 days or more for test rwsu3is unacceptable. I'm panicking because they said it could be another 3 days and after that it could be lost. That's 2 weeks!! 2 weeks with no results or no way of knowing!!!

If you've only been waiting 5 days for DS2's results and your DS1's 14 day incubation period ended yesterday then it sounds like DS2's symptoms began 9 days after his brother was exposed.

Surely then you, and DS1, should be isolating for 14 days since the start of DS2's symptoms?

Or until DS2's test result comes back.

You can't send DS1 back to school

I agree OP it’s unacceptable and untenable and you won’t be the only one in this situation.

If it was a case of me not being able to pay my rent or buy food I know what I’d do. Unpopular opinion I know...

lyralalala you're better with keeping up with the days and time frames than me. You're right.

Are there not fines for failure to isolate?

If uyour child test comes back and its + they will find out through t&t

@Wowthisisreal, assuming the timeline is correct there was a period before ds1symptoms started , while ds2 was not required to isolate, when op could work. Now a test result is pending she cannot unless it is negative. If positive they are all si for 14 days. Presumably that will go into half term. Are you due to be working then op? Are you a lone parent?

This is frustrating, but you can't wish for luck and send him back. It's going to make it even worse in the worst case scenario.

If he goes back and he was positive. He pass it on to someone he is close contact to. That person gets sick and tested positive. Another isolation for your ds......

How long has your elder son been isolating? I'm confused. Unless it's 14 days he can't go back. You need to tell your manager that . And you certainly can't send your other child back.

there was a doctor on BBC this morning who for once explained the process very well including the incubation period.

the way I read it is if a child just has symptoms but no known contact then if they get a negative test it is different to someone who is known to have contact with someone who actually has it .

He explained when figures start to rise then the full affect in the hospitals wont show for 4 weeks .

And we are definitely not the only country seeing this second wave - it is actually halting manufacture in some countries . Not because of lockdown but because they have so many off sick or isolating.

I

We wouldn't let you through the door! I know it's frustration and annoying but I have 250 children, not to mention parents, carers and relatives , that I'm responsible for. If you are awaiting test results, then you wait. Sorry.

the way I read it is if a child just has symptoms but no known contact then if they get a negative test it is different to someone who is known to have contact with someone who actually has it
You're right.

If child A has to isolate due to a case in their school bubble then nobody else in the household has to isolate, unless A develops symptoms.

If anyone in a household develops symptoms then the household has to isolate until a negative test result, or in the event of a positive test the end of the required isolation period.

Can you get him retested? I wonder a second test would come back quicker. I imagine something has gone wrong with the first test if you’re still waiting for results after 5 days - that seems very long

@Dickorydockwhatthe

I have followed the rules and its but me in the ass. I should have just got ds 2 tested and waited to k see how ds 2 developed. But he did develop a cough just not as bad as his brothers. I had to drive an hour to a test site there an back so made sense to test both. Ds 2 just seems to have recovered fine. Ds1 incubation is now over last day was yesterday, results from Tuesday were negative. I've wrote to my MPs I've rang 119 who else can I go to?? I was saying exactly the same and have played by the rules and judged those who didn't. But I don't have the luxary of working from home or paying for a priviate test, taking leave etc. And yes I am bringing other families into because there probably people who are worse off then me and waiting 5 days or more for test rwsu3is unacceptable. I'm panicking because they said it could be another 3 days and after that it could be lost. That's 2 weeks!! 2 weeks with no results or no way of knowing!!!

It may have bit you in the ass, but you haven't been responsible for someone else being ill, hospitalised or worse.

It's tough, but it's the way it has to be atm.

I know someone whose child's school has had to close temporarily because so many teachers had to self-isolate or were ill, you don't want to risk that on top of keeping your children off for 2 weeks.

Don't know what kind of dream land some of these MNers are living in but you're right OP, some of us can't afford this and will be penalised for it.

@0gfhty

Can you get him retested? I wonder a second test would come back quicker. I imagine something has gone wrong with the first test if you’re still waiting for results after 5 days - that seems very long

We had to wait 17 bloody days back at the beginning of July (hoping things have improved a bit since then!)

borntohula
You do realise that if whole bubbles will keep being sent home if people insist on ignoring isolation requirements?

If the financial hit is stressful for a few extra days isolating then it's going to be catastrophic if covid starts increasing in schools with bubbles regularly having 2 weeks off because some parents were sending their symptomatic children into school rather than wait for the results.

Would the OP seriously be happy taking another 2 weeks off in future if it turns out another parent said "I just can't keep my child off"? Then a few weeks later the same happens with her other child's bubble?

It's not living in a dream land to think that there'll be more issues with bubbles popping if parents decide their child doesn't count when it comes to the rules.

@LolaSmiles

lyralalala you're better with keeping up with the days and time frames than me. You're right.

It happened to us, that’s the only reason I’ve clocked it

@Dickorydockwhatthe DS1’s exposure is now irrelevant to your household as he’s had a negative test.

You all much isolate for 14 days since DS2’s symptoms began. He must isolate for 10 days. Or until you get his results back.

You cannot send them back to school without knowing his results. Especially when your DS2 didn’t have to isolate between DS1’s exposure and DS2’s symptoms starting. He could have picked it up between those two dates.

It’s a shambles OP

You won’t be given the moral clear to send him back on here but I promise you there are thousands of working parents unable to lose income (won’t be able to make rent or pay bills if take time off) who are shrugging off mild temperatures and concealing kids coughs wherever possible.

It’s all well and good to take the moral high ground when you aren’t in danger of homelessness or poverty but many DO NOT HAVE THAT LUXURY and all those taking the moral high ground aren’t going to pay your overdue bills!

(I could afford to be off with DC, but I have endless empathy for those who don’t. I grew up on the poverty line).

Middle class MN: It’s a bloody nightmare, if people would just stick to the rules and abide all the guidance we’d be out of danger in 3 months and maybe start getting back to normal! I dread to think how long it’ll be before we can summer in Italy again.

Real people: My kids had 4 coughs this months, the only test available is 200 miles drive away and work will fire me if I go off again. Even if they don’t it doesn’t matter, I’m 1/2 short of the rent and still behind after lockdown.

Ds 1 was sent home from school last Thursday bubble closed. School said whole year group isolate until yesterday. Ds1 only had to isolate a week due to I guess a delay of other person getting tested or first onset of symptoms! Ds 2 and rest of household carried on as normal work, school.

Then Sunday Ds 1 developed 2 symptoms 3 days into his isolation. Followed by ds2 but he only had mild cough compared to ds 1.Both got tested. Ds 1 results came back negative he continued to isolate until yesterday as advised by school. 119 have said he can now go back unless ds2 is positive. In which case he will have to isolate. So myself, dh and ds2 still have to isolate ds 1 doesn't 🙄. I have rang 119 they can't track ds result, check if its been done or anything. I could potentially be off for 2 weeks. Ds could take another but doesn't have any symptoms now what so ever. People have taken tests yesterday and have results back today how then hell does that even work? Why can't I trace his test? People can't live like this.

I will take the moral high ground thanks . Someone sending a child back before a result increases the chance of my child becoming ill and directly impacting my life. Are you really saying the OP can put others at risk?