School sent DS home for sore eyes

[flamands]

As title says, I'm isolating due to a close contact but DS was nowhere near the positive case and I don't have symptoms, he's also staying at his dad's.

My ex called me just after lunchtime and said that the school called him to pick DS up. When he got there he was confused as DS was fine but a first aid lady came and told him DS has sore eyes and told him to keep an eye on him and if he still feels unwell in a few days then to get him a covid test. DS has told ex he feels fine but a teacher asked him if he was ok and he said no as his eyes were sore and then the teacher called first aid and he was asked if he suffers from hay fever and he said no so they said they were going to phone his dad.

I'm very confused about this! I didn't think sore eyes were a symptom?

Actually, the lady didn't tell him DS had sore eyes, she just told my ex to keep an eye on him and mentioned covid and said if he's still unwell to get him tested.

To be fair, our school excludes for conjunctivitis until 24hrs after drops started as it is viciously infectious. I would expect to have to collect a child with sore eyes, but not for Covid...

What did she mean by 'unwell' if she didn't mention the sore eyes?

I was told that conjunctivitis is a sign of Covid. I’ve never actually read up about it as wasn’t relevant to me but might be worth a google.

I had very sore eyes when I had covid.

However, its not a main symptom. Think the school is being too cautious.

Ffs. Schools do seem to be sending kids home for everything at the moment.

Just because your child may be unaware of it doesn't mean that he hasn't now got hay-fever. Apparently it is a particularly nasty strain this year and many previously unaffected adults and children are getting it.
Mine started when I was young, it is now considerably better than it used to be but I am nearly 60. Sorry.

She didn't mention conjunctivitis apparently!

The woman on the phone told him to pick DS up was he felt unwell so he did and then she mentioned covid. DS mentioned to my ex after that he'd told them his eyes were sore (and apparently under his eyes are a bit red but not his actual eye).

Just getting over covid here and sore eyes was a problem for 3 of us (adult and child)

Sore eyes was one of my son’s main Covid symptoms and the same for quite a few of his friends. They’re just being cautious.

Don't be cross with the school. It is very difficult to get it right at the moment. If we send them home, we're over-zealous. If we keep them in school, we're making them suffer. I'm sure they weren't trying to piss you off, just do the right thing and exercise some caution.

I didn't think it was a symptom, and I'm still shocked that he got sent home for it as he doesn't have any of the main symptoms.

This was my son's eye two days before he was hospitalised with Covid image removed by MNHQ at OP's request

@fourminutestosavetheworld

Don't be cross with the school. It is very difficult to get it right at the moment. If we send them home, we're over-zealous. If we keep them in school, we're making them suffer. I'm sure they weren't trying to piss you off, just do the right thing and exercise some caution.

I'm not cross with the school. I'm just confused as I didn't think it was listed as a covid symptom. His dad will be keeping an eye on him though.

It doesn't really matter if something is a covid symptom, it it is making a child noticeably unwell at school then surely they are better at home. I dont understand the problem. Poorly children have always been sent home from school. DD knew if she wanted to go home she only had to clutch her stomach and ask for the sick bowl...

@MoiraNotRuby

It doesn't really matter if something is a covid symptom, it it is making a child noticeably unwell at school then surely they are better at home. I dont understand the problem. Poorly children have always been sent home from school. DD knew if she wanted to go home she only had to clutch her stomach and ask for the sick bowl...

There's no a problem. I was just confused.

His school rarely sends kids home unless they are actually sick so I was shocked that he was sent home.

Both of my primary school aged children tested positive for Covid last week and sore eyes was one of the first symptoms they both complained with.
It was also on the list of Covid symptoms that the test and trace caller asked me about.

Another one whose primary school aged child just had sore eyes and tested positive. Speaking to friends another 3 of them also had sore eyes but not much else and have tested positive.
Eyes looked entirely normal, I did a lateral flow to reassure myself and it was positive, hence we the did the PCR.
Hope he is ok

I’ve got Covid and have had hayfever like sore eyes and runny nose. Apparent there is a lot of crossover between hayfever and the delta variant. I would book a test if possible.