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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think DS should not need to isolate

102 replies

lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 08:15

Been told by school that DS's class has to isolate today as a girl has a positive LFT. If the PCR comes back positive the whole class has to isolate for 10 days according to school. Surely this is not correct DS has not been within 2m of the girl not even for a moment and they all sit in forward facing seats in rows and there was no movement.

OP posts:
Redlocks28 · 19/07/2021 09:56

I dont understand the questioning here

Sorry but if you post on a chat board, people will ask questions.

A symptomatic person should not be doing lateral flow tests.

Ifyoudontlaughyouwillcry · 19/07/2021 10:02

I feel your frustration! HOWEVER this is the exact scenario we are in and two days later he was vomited and shivering. Last 8 hours and bounced back - yes he tested positive, unfortunately now I have and I’m CEV. Double jabbed so thankfully I have mild symptoms at the moment. Feels like a summer cold

tiredteacher100 · 19/07/2021 10:19

It's not the schools fault, they follow advice from PHE. Unfortunately if a school tells you you self isolate that is the law. School staff are just as fed up with it as everyone else but we have to do what we are told!

alsonotmyname · 19/07/2021 10:24

My ds has spent his last week of primary at home as their bubble shut last week, it's heartbreaking for them but so is everything to do with Covid, it's sad you are going to miss your holiday but nothing you can do

Original poster
lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 10:55

Yes but the advice from PHE has changed from today for schools so that only very close contacts are meant to isolate - the example they give is someone who has had a sleepover.

OP posts:
Iggly · 19/07/2021 10:56

@lftorpcr

Yes but the advice from PHE has changed from today for schools so that only very close contacts are meant to isolate - the example they give is someone who has had a sleepover.
Schools have been advised that “they may wish to keep the restrictions in until the end of term”.

Schools are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Some parents may prefer it this way.

Jangle33 · 19/07/2021 11:05

It is up to the local authority and they will be dictating policy and approach. There is no consistency at all but quite frankly given how much covid is around I think they are right to be making as many isolate as possible.

Original poster
lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 11:31

Speaking as someone recovering from cancer and in extremely vulnerable group, albeit vaccinated I think we are past being able to protect anyone from covid now unless they shield long term as a family and remove the kids from school. So few are actually isolating. Round here most secondaries are closed and the kids are all at each other houses and in town

OP posts:
TotorosCatBus · 19/07/2021 12:08

LFT is for over 12s with no symptoms. That is why people are asking questions. Hopefully the pcr will be negative but if not your family won't be the only ones in this situation with sadly missed events.

Original poster
lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 12:11

Yes I have no idea why a year 6 child took at LFT? Presume family were confused. I know we wont be alone if there are 1.8 million people isolating. Far more secondary school kids isolating here than at school. However many are not isolating so isolation is not going to work when the majority are ignoring it.

OP posts:
RumblyMumbly · 19/07/2021 12:18

Similar issue here OP - DS got contacted to self-isolate last night after someone in his class tested positive on lft. BUT isolation date end is 25th so contact on 15th which is more than 48 hrs before the positive lft!?

I want to know if the school will inform parents of the pcr test results (and what if they come back after school closes this week?) as a negative PCR in the 48hrs after a positive LFT cancels out the LFT result. Otherwise poor DS could be sitting in during his hols for no reason!

I really feel kids are being given the shit end of the stick yet again.

starbrightstarlight8888 · 19/07/2021 12:19

My ds year 6 bubble burst last week. I'm gutted for him. He's not had a bubble burst throughout the whole pandemic and it happens a few days from the end of year 6.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 19/07/2021 12:25

The rules around bubbles in schools doesn't apply from today does they? I've tried to post the Dfe guidance with no luck but it's easy to find

Clambering · 19/07/2021 12:29

We had a letter from our DC's secondary school to say that because responsibility for contact tracing passes to NHS Test and Trace from today, they are no longer instructing pupils to self-isolate. However they will tell children to move to remote learning from home if need be, until the end of term. But there's no obligation to self-isolate unless contacted directly by Track & Trace.

The school adds that the advice they've received is unclear. So technically, according to this advice, noone needs to stay in isolation after the end of term.

Goodness knows how T&T will know who to contact.

Original poster
lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 12:35

Clambering - the guidance issued by the government states that from today school are not responsible and all issues to be passed to track and trace. However some local authorities are choosing to tell school to ignore this advice and i think that is allowed!

Oblahdee - I will try to post a link.

OP posts:
HollaHolla · 19/07/2021 12:36

@lftorpcr

user - I agree but I was extremely vulnerable and shielding/recovering from cancer etc so obviously didnt complain at outset. Head teacher is also vulnerable and very nervous about situation which I understood and appreciated. However it has gone on far too long. It is so sad to have had no school clubs, assemblies and only allowed to work with the child either side in their row. They go outside for break and after they have eaten but whilst indoors they stay in their rows and are not allowed to go to the school hall for lunch etc. It is heartbreaking. Not a single day trip to replace their missed residential.
It does sound really tough, and very disappointing for your DS. I think there does need to be some proportionality in the situation though. I get it that it’s upsetting for these children changing school, but id be hard pushed to consider this as ‘devastating’. The school sound like they’ve been very risk averse, and the children have had a hard year; but this is the case for everyone. Many things have been cancelled/changed, and I’d say that those people who have lost loved ones, or missed funerals/weddings/births, etc are more devastating. Whilst it’s absolutely not competitive, maybe you can help your DS through it if you can encourage him to be more proportionate in his response? Can you organise some other things for later in the summer, to distract him, and give him something to look forward to? Maybe you can work with the school/PTA to organise a leaver’s picnic/outdoor event, which is more likely to be able to go ahead, and have something for them to look forward to? Just some thoughts/suggestions. Hope that you all stay well, which I’m sure is the most important thing. X
OP posts:
HummingBeeBox · 19/07/2021 12:39

When the pandemic hit last year my daughter finished primary school in March and never went back, no leavers disco, proper goodbyes, the usual stuff. I feel your pain, it's awful.

iloveredpandas · 19/07/2021 12:43

There sis a much bigger issue here!

A class has not be allowed out to play all year! Are the insane?! There are huge implications for the children's physical and mental health IMO.

Also what is their reasoning for this? If they are sending the entire class home after after a positive test anyway they what difference would it have made if they were allowed to play outside together as a class?

Are you sure this is right OP? I'm sure the DFE would have something to say about it.

wasthataburp · 19/07/2021 12:44

It's crazy. I wouldn't bother. Just keep an eye out for symptoms

Original poster
lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 12:44

Holla - After 2 years of fighting cancer and DS shielding with me during the first year of covid I think it is totally proportionate he feels devastated at missing the first chance of getting away from the house for holiday for well over 2 years. Who knows if I will be here for another chance. Am not sure a picnic with the PTA will compensate!!! Especially as the rules clearly say from today school kids should only isolate for extremely close contact (the example they give in the link above is a sleepover).

OP posts:
iloveredpandas · 19/07/2021 12:46

@Whinge

They go outside for break and after they have eaten

Wait so they do get time to play outside? I thought you said they didn't get playtime and watched movies. Confused

Oh just seen this too. Quite contradictory to what you last said!

Also means you definitely can't be sure the kids have been kept apart - all it would take it them briefly moving past each other and they may not even notice something like that.

User5827372728 · 19/07/2021 12:47

@iloveredpandas

Outside doesn’t count as contact though

Original poster
lftorpcr · 19/07/2021 12:48

I never said they havent been outside for playtime. I said they stay in class to eat lunch sitting in same forward facing rows and not allowed in school hall and have to watch tv and not turn round to speak to a friend. Yes they have far stricter rules than most schools but the head is vulnerable and I sympathized as i could shield and he continued working so wouldnt criticize it at the time.

OP posts:
blinkthreetimes · 19/07/2021 12:48

I dont believe there was any contact as they sit in rows and stay in same rows for lunch and are not allowed to turn round to speak to those behind them and DS is sat 3m apart

You’re bonkers if you think this genuinely happens all day every day

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