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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Sending child into school after a negative result.

20 replies

StepintoChristmas29 · 16/12/2020 08:55

DS 10 got a covid test yesterday morning. Come back early this morning - negative! Pleasantly surprised as last time it took 3 days. He’s not had a temperature or any severe symptoms. He’s basically just had a cold and a cough. The cough was the reason I got him tested. Cough is worse in the morning but fine during the day. Yesterday he coughed all morning and barely coughed after his covid test - typical but obviously still important 😂

So surely that means a negative test he can go back to school? His cold symptoms have gone ie no sneezing or runny nose. That started on Sunday. He still has an occasional cough but only occasional. I think he coughed twice briefly after 10 yesterday and didn’t cough at all through the night.

So I rang the school to inform them of negative result. The receptionist was rude and blunt with me and made me feel like I was lying as she questioned how I got the results so quick (I’m very happy to show her the test if she wants to see it) and made me feel like he shouldn’t be coming in anyway.

Aibu to have sent him? No sneezing or snot anymore. DS always gets a lingering cough after a cold which can last week or more. I think it can become more of a habit with him more than anything.

He’s not poorly! He’s running around, eating and very much his usual self. So surely no reason to keep him off? For a very occasional cough and a negative result?!

OP posts:

QueenieButcher · 16/12/2020 09:04

Send him in with a copy / screenshot of the result. That's what we ask for in our school.

DreadingSeason2020sFinale · 16/12/2020 09:05

The receptionist was rude and blunt with me and made me feel like I was lying as she questioned how I got the results so quick

Well unless the receptionist works directly for the testing in your area she can sod off with her opinion. DD took a test which we posted at 5pm. It was delivered to the lab at 9pm and I had the result by 1pm the following Day.

DH took a test at 4pm and his result came in before 8am.

Four more of us took a test at 11:30am and had our results by 6:30pm the very same day. That's a 7 hour turnaround!

I'd say send your son in (if you want to) and give the school a copy of his negative result

As our local schools have had a massive spike recently (including one of my DDs catching it) and most parents are keeping their healthy kids off. High school and primary.
On Monday only 11 3rd year (high school) pupils attended. There were 8 kids in my DD's primary class and 13 in my DS's class. Mine are in isolation anyway due to the positive in the house but most just don't want to take their kids back in for the last week now that school has reopened after the infections over a week ago.reducing the risk for Christmas.

Dobbyismyfavourite · 16/12/2020 09:07

Ditto. Send him back to school with a copy of the e-mail/text confirming his test is negative.

Nowaynl · 16/12/2020 09:08

Agree with PP’s, send him in with a photo of the text or email.

BeBraveAndBeKind · 16/12/2020 09:12

Our school won't accept them back until a copy of the results have been emailed in. Luckily both tests we've had to to do so far have been back within 24 hours. I didn't call them when we got the results, just sent the email, cc'd my DS so he had a copy if he needed it and sent him back in.

Original poster

StepintoChristmas29 · 16/12/2020 09:48

Hi all, I have no problem with the result being sent in (I’ve sent it by email). But it was just her bluntness that got to me!

Last time he had a test they didn’t even ask to see the negative result!

OP posts:

Plonque · 16/12/2020 10:01

I'm on the other side of this - the kid who sits next to my DD in her bubble went for a covid test the other day ... negative - but now he's back at school DD says he just sits there coughing all over her and her things. It's not good, is it?!
I've no leg to stand on cos he's waved his neg test under everyone's nose so I've just got to get on with it
Keep him at home please.

Brighterthansunflowers · 16/12/2020 10:03

Don’t take it personally. It’s the end of a long and very strange and difficult term. And shes probably seen kids being sent in to school by some selfish parents and then getting positive test results back after they’ve put everyone at risk

You’re absolutely fine to send DS back with a copy of his negative test, don’t worry about it

yellowmaoampinball · 16/12/2020 10:06

It didn't even occur to me to check with the school in similar circumstances! She was also hardly coughing at all. I assumed as the school would be alerted if she was positive that they'd happily just accept her back on our word of it being negative.

Elfieishere · 16/12/2020 10:14

@Plonque

I'm on the other side of this - the kid who sits next to my DD in her bubble went for a covid test the other day ... negative - but now he's back at school DD says he just sits there coughing all over her and her things. It's not good, is it?! I've no leg to stand on cos he's waved his neg test under everyone's nose so I've just got to get on with it

Keep him at home please.

Gets get colds. They can’t stay at home and miss school just because others will moan about it.

Elfieishere · 16/12/2020 10:14

Kids get colds*

HikeForward · 16/12/2020 10:31

I’d be wary sending him in with a cough. False negatives are very common with covid tests so if someone’s symptomatic it’s wise to treat them as positive just in case.

Soontobe60 · 16/12/2020 10:35

If we send a child home with symptoms we ask parent to get them tested and only allow them back on proof of a negative test, so they send us the email. Most of my colleagues schools do the same

Original poster

StepintoChristmas29 · 16/12/2020 10:36

His cough is minimal now. I wouldn’t send him if he was hacking all day. He coughs a little first thing but has barely coughed in the day. Thing is a cough can linger with DS for days and weeks. He always gets the same after a cold 🤨

OP posts:

Leeds3 · 16/12/2020 21:07

Schools cannot insist on seeing a copy of covid test results, just like they couldn't see your child's medical records. It's confidential information. A parent's word on this should be good enough.

Angelik · 16/12/2020 21:13

@HikeForward where did you hear that? I have not heard that before. Not even from front line NHS dh. He did say lateral flow tests give false positives but are only be used as indicator tests to get the main one done if necessary.

SnackSizeRaisin · 16/12/2020 21:31

False negatives are very common with covid tests so if someone’s symptomatic it’s wise to treat them as positive just in case.

Whilst you are right that the test misses a lot of positives, what's the point of testing at all if you are going to treat everyone as though they have it?

underneaththeash · 16/12/2020 21:38

I sent my coughing child in today. He’s year 10 and needs to be at school. His cough started Saturday, COVID test was less than 24 hours, but I kept him off 2 days anyway.
I can’t keep him off for just a cough in GCSE year.

Rosebel · 16/12/2020 22:03

If a child has a negative test then they can go to school. You can't keep them off school just for a cough.
My middle child would never be in school as she always gets winter coughs and colds (she's had quite a bit of time off already as we have to keep getting her tests)!

VenusTiger · 16/12/2020 22:37

If this doesn't highlight the fact that some ppl simply don't have manners, I don't know what will - first of all, the receptionist can F off and secondly, why can't ppl teach (and nag) their children to put their hands to their mouths when they cough!! It's really not that difficult.
I have many times in the past (pre-Covid) had to tell grown ups off for coughing on me in shops etc. it's plain rude.
Don't keep your child off for a cough/cold, only keep them at home if they're unwell or have had a positive result.
You've done nothing wrong at all OP. Your son shouldn't have to be made to feel like a leper either.

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