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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School turning child away due to mild cold even with negative test?

161 replies

Justneedadvice636465 · 04/01/2021 10:20

My sister has 2 dc and one has a cough. It's clearly a cold she has a runny nose and just sounds snotty and phlegmy. She of course got her tested and it was negative twice three days apart (her partner works for a testing site and she is also a keyworker) she informed the school that she has a mild cold snotty nose and a little cough if she's running around a lot etc she told them she has tested negative the last one being just yesterday and the one before Thurs when she first got symptoms but the school have said that she can't attend school for the 10 day isolation period which means she also cannot work. She feels the school are being unreasonable as she has tested negative so doesn't understand why she can't go in as prior to this a mild cold wouldn't stop them going school?

Who is being unreasonable?

OP posts:
buddy79 · 04/01/2021 10:41

What is the bloody point of testing AT ALL if a negative test does not then mean you treat as you would a normal cold and if symptoms not too bad, go to school?

dementedpixie · 04/01/2021 10:42

@Tillsforthrills

Common sense is don’t spread it to other families who will then need to get tested and cause further disruption.

Cough = stay home.

Rubbish Even nhs says that if you have had covid and had the cough then it can last for weeks afterwards even when you aren't contagious
NailsNeedDoing · 04/01/2021 10:42

Problem is that if the harmless cold is passed on to the adults in the classroom and they develop symptoms, the bubble will have to close temporarily even if they get tested and turn out to be negative. Some of the symptoms of colds and covid are the same so it’s not worth the risk of the whole class having to be closed when the problem would be solved by just one child staying away.

Original poster
Justneedadvice636465 · 04/01/2021 10:43

Should have added everyone has tested negative. I do think that the school are bu to flat out say no but I do think that she should keep her home as if others get sick they will need to stay off and get tested

OP posts:
emilyfrost · 04/01/2021 10:44

A negative test is irrelevant; she still needs to self isolate. Your sister is BVU.

Tillsforthrills · 04/01/2021 10:44

@TorringtonDeanexactly

Too much ambiguity and confusion going on.

justanotherneighinparadise · 04/01/2021 10:46

The school don’t want children in with obvious cold symptoms like you describe. We had an email to the effect last year which I have to say was pretty new advice, but I assumed it was due to covid.

dementedpixie · 04/01/2021 10:46

@emilyfrost

A negative test is irrelevant; she still needs to self isolate. Your sister is BVU.
Why exactly does she need to isolate? She is the one with symptoms with no contact with a positive case so a negative test releases her from isolation
MaryShelley1818 · 04/01/2021 10:46

School are being very unreasonable.

Original poster
Justneedadvice636465 · 04/01/2021 10:47

@Ladylimpet

I know she's had tests to say she's negative, but for everyone's info, I wouldn't pass off anything as 'clearly' a cold. I've had covid and I got typical cold like symptoms (as did my colleagues). Still do have a runny nose etc. So can't dismiss covid. Although I see you have in this case! I've heard about schools doing this type of thing. I think they're just being careful. If kids started coughing left right and centre, there'd be more people off who need to self isolate etc.
She has had two tests both were negative and they were done days apart. The whole family have also tested negative.
OP posts:
mummy2oli · 04/01/2021 10:49

A primary school near mine had said they are remaining open however in order to do so, any kids who is ill regardless of reason they are asking to be kept off. They have said it is that or the alternative is the school closes for everyone apart from key workers. I agree it’s not ideal, however in the big scheme of things would rather that then everyone not be at school

MrsMiaWallis · 04/01/2021 10:49

@buddy79

What is the bloody point of testing AT ALL if a negative test does not then mean you treat as you would a normal cold and if symptoms not too bad, go to school?
Exactly. People have lost their marbles.
BlairCorneliaWaldorf · 04/01/2021 10:52

@emilyfrost

A negative test is irrelevant; she still needs to self isolate. Your sister is BVU.
Wtf? No she doesn’t. Whether school will take her back is a different matter but she does not need to isolate.
Ladylimpet · 04/01/2021 10:54

I know she's had tests op.. that's why I said in her case it's different. But to say it's obviously just a cold because of runny nose is wrong. I was just pointing it out. Because unless you are tested, you don't know what it is. And I suppose that's the schools stance on things. The girl goes into school, spreads it around, and everyone with a cough will have to stay off and isolate including families. So, you know where it stemmed from, but it's controlling the whole aftermath.
Frustrating

nicky7654 · 04/01/2021 10:54

The school is being ridiculous. The child hasn't covid and has a perfectly normal cold which all children get frequently and it builds up their immune system for adult life.

MrsMiaWallis · 04/01/2021 10:55

@emilyfrost

A negative test is irrelevant; she still needs to self isolate. Your sister is BVU.
People who don't have Covid don't have to self isolate. That would be very silly
pimlicopubber · 04/01/2021 10:58

"prior to this a mild cold wouldn't stop them going school?"

Spreading a cold is bad. People should do their best to prevent spreading even a mild case of cold.
I lived in Hong Kong pre-covid post-SARS and I really liked that one was expected to wear a mask in public places if sick.
I had a bad (aircon-induced, non-infections) cough for months and did not find the hygienic restrictions limiting at all, given the potential benefit of having a much lower risk of catching cold on the tube or at work.
Hoping this will be one of the few positive outcomes of this whole terrible period.

Scolha · 04/01/2021 11:02

Don’t get how it was ever acceptable in the first place to send kids to school coughing and spluttering everywhere?
Everyone who she infects with her “cold” is going to have to get a test, then everyone they infect, and so on. Huge waste of resources and massive disruption to everyone.
I swear people have no common sense anymore. Or are they just too selfish they don’t care?

Original poster
Justneedadvice636465 · 04/01/2021 11:02

@Ladylimpet

I know she's had tests op.. that's why I said in her case it's different. But to say it's obviously just a cold because of runny nose is wrong. I was just pointing it out. Because unless you are tested, you don't know what it is. And I suppose that's the schools stance on things. The girl goes into school, spreads it around, and everyone with a cough will have to stay off and isolate including families. So, you know where it stemmed from, but it's controlling the whole aftermath. Frustrating
O no definitely not saying its not covid due to a runny nose at all I probably could have worded it better. And that's why I understand the schools pov as even though it would be probable that it is a cold if others get sick in their bubble it's still the fact that they would have to stay off get tested etc so I do understand where they are coming from
OP posts:
Scolha · 04/01/2021 11:04

@buddy79 to monitor the spread of infection perhaps??

user1497207191 · 04/01/2021 11:06

It's crazy to send her to school and risk passing her cold to her classmates, who'll then have symptoms and need covid tests etc., potentially forcing their parents to isolate, miss work, etc. She should stay at home in normal times anyway.

Branleuse · 04/01/2021 11:09

i think now really isnt the time to send ill kids into school, even if its not covid. Let them stay home

Nonurbuisness · 04/01/2021 11:10

Absolutely shocking by the school to deny a child education for a cold

Gobbeldegook · 04/01/2021 11:12

regardless of the pandemic you shouldn't send kids to school when they are snotty and phleghmy and coughing. For one how can they learn in that state and for two your just gonna spread it around.
Pure ignorance.

annevonkleve · 04/01/2021 11:15

I can see both sides. On the one hand she's tested negative so doesn't have covid. But if she has a cold, and she gives the cold to other kids, then they have the hassle of getting tests, having to isolate until the result is known.

I don't think the school can do right for wrong here.

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