AIBU to refuse to do a PCR test on 3 year old with no symptoms for nursery

[Annoyedandirritated]

Nursery keep having to close due to Covid, it’s a small nursery so staff are generally in contact with all the separate rooms.

They have emailed saying all kids/babies need PCR tests before returning and we need to email the results to the nursery manager.

My little one has now been off nursery for 2 weeks and is due to return on Monday.

I’m happy to do lateral flow tests as I can do them
When she’s sleeping, but aibu to refuse to do a PCR on an asymptomatic baby which will be traumatic for her? Can they legally enforce this?

The PCR test is the same as the lateral flow testfor children? Swab up nose.

I dont get why you can do lft but not pcr

The process for pcr is exactly the same a lft?

Aside from that, it's a ridiculous policy and I wouldn't have thought enforceable, no.

I'd do it if it gave them a chance of staying open more than 2 days before they shut again. You can buy postal ones from boots.

Who’s going to pay for the PCR? Surely you can’t have an NHS one if she’s asymptomatic.

There's no difference between doing a LFT or a PCR? You do the PCR yourself on young children

Taking the sample is exactly the same for both tests. I’d just do it if you want her back. Sounds like they are trying their hardest to avoid closing again which is great. I’d be doing all I could to help.

She's 3 - she's not a baby.

Same swabbing for both so why can't you do it?

Are you in an area where they've said people need to do PCR tests? Otherwise I thought you only did a PCR. If a LFT was positive (or you had symptoms).

Who’s going to pay for the PCR? Surely you can’t have an NHS one if she’s asymptomatic.

You can now get an NHS PCR for close contacts

There's no difference between the two. She's 3 not a baby. Didn't be daft.

@Sciurus83

Who’s going to pay for the PCR? Surely you can’t have an NHS one if she’s asymptomatic.

You can now get an NHS PCR for close contacts

That's a point. Just get a free test and get her back into nursery. I don't see why you'll do an LFT but not a PCR.

If you snap the swab first it helps you control it better

Do it or don’t send her to nursery.

Your choice

But you will still have to pay your notice

They can't force you to do the test. You can't force them to take your child without the test.

They can't insist you test your child, but I think they can refuse to have her back unless the whole family isolate for 10 days first. Although, tbh, I think it's good enough that the child herself has already been isolating for 2 weeks.

Are you even allowed to book a pcr test without any symptoms?

I understand the lfd vs pcr thing. My 4yo will fairly calmly let me do a lfd test on her at home. But she'll scream blue murder if I try to test her in the car at a test centre- I think it's just sensory overload, lots of strangers peering into the car, just sends her into fight or flight mode.

Sounds like they are doing something sensible to try to reduce the risk of them having to shut again as soon as they have opened

It's exactly the same process and your child is 3, not a baby.

If they're really insisting on pcr, and you're actually entitled to one (bearing in mind she has no symptoms and she's not actually a close contact at this momeny in time) then I would order a home test for minimum stress.

She is hardly a baby at 3 years old for goodness sake. Just order a home CPR test and do it in the same way as you do a lateral flow.

The nursery is not being unreasonable the current guidance is to get a CPR if a contact and there is a section when booking a test to say that you have been asked as a contact to get one.

It is of course your choice, you can always not test and keep her at home indefinitely or find a new nursery that does not have this requirement.

Also, to all the unkind pp, don't forget that age 3 this child might very well have as yet undiagnosed sensory/asd issues that make testing more traumatic than for other kids. The OP stated very clearly that she can only do the lateral flow when the child is asleep.

The reason I don’t want to do it is she’s had to have one before and we had to pin her down and physically restrain her to do it. She found it tray upsetting, and it seems a bit barbaric to do it for no reason when I can do the LF test WHEN SHES SLEEPING, so it’s less upsetting for all involved

But they're the same?!
Just get a postal PCR and do it WHEN SHE'S SLEEPING

You can also do a PCR while shes sleeping, its the same test on the person, just different processing.

Didn’t know I could get a postal PCR, I will order one now

But why can’t you do the PCR while she’s sleeping? It’s the same process and you can have ones to do at home.