To think many parents aren't aware that you are now supposed to send child to school even when household member has Covid?

[Babamamananarama]

Just that really.
I've brought this up with 3 separate people this week none of whom was aware.

Under new covid rules, if one child (or a parent/household member) has Covid, the other children can be sent to school as long as they aren't symptomatic. Schools are otherwise supposed to treat as unauthorised absence.

YANBU = wow I had no idea, WTF?
YABU = yes everyone knows this

There is a huge outbreak at my kids school I think party fuelled by this. I decided to keep both mine off when one got it. 2nd child pcr now positive and completely asymptomatic so it’s just as well really. I can’t keep my kids 2m apart and if you can’t I don’t think it’s wise to send in.

Meantime double vaccinated me is absolutely floored with covid. So it’s all very well doing away with isolating but it means that there so much covid around it’ll come into your house and then you’ll be isolating anyway.

We are back at herd immunity.

It's all well and good parents knowing, but do the schools because a lot are still saying children shouldn't be sent in

That’s how my sister caught it. It’s absurd.

A child in her class had positive parents (Scotland), then caught it, so did a few other children and the supply teacher.

It makes no sense to me. If that one child had isolated, all of the others and my sister would likely have been fine and wouldn’t have had two weeks of disruption.

Mine would be staying off.

It was in the email they sent out to welcome children back. I do know that some people either don't or can't read the emails.

*then she caught it, sorry

Our school has said that if a household member has COVID then the children need to take a PCR test and stay home until they have the results which seems sensible

Yes, I knew this. This is why we have gone from 1-2k cases per day in Scotland to 6-7k. Children here do need a negative pcr if they are in a household with someone who has covid before they return to school

I wasn’t aware but then in our area people don’t seem to even be testing anymore. What’s the point in testing unless someone has severe symptoms and you need to know what it is for treatment purposes? It’s all gone mad.

I say that as someone who was in the clinically extremely vulnerable group.

@Jemand

I don't think all schools are aware either. A friend had quite an argument with her child's school about this, even when she could show that the child had tested negative on a lateral flow test.

That’s because the advice is for close contacts to get a PCR test. They’re not required to isolate while waiting for the results though.

LFTs are pretty useless, no idea why people feel safe after taking them.
A teacher friend got pretty ill, LFT was negative, felt worse, LFT was negative. School insisted she should go in as it was negative. Thankfully she didn’t and did a PCR - positive, LFT still negative. The same day she was hospitalised with breathing difficulties the LFT still said negative. She’s been in hospital 3 days now.

That’s because the advice is for close contacts to get a PCR test. They’re not required to isolate while waiting for the results though.

Yes, my friend had arranged that also, but the school still didn't want her child to come in.

I’m in Scotland and yes, this is the fact.
Absolutely bonkers.
Spreading like fire currently.

I'm really apprehensive about the other impact of this. If one of my children tests positive I have zero childcare for them to get the other in/out. Will I face consequences for unauthorised absences?

Everyone I've spoken to is aware but most agree it is a daft rule and they would isolate the household regardless

I knew this but most people don't and I felt slightly guilty sending mine in when two in the household were positive. We chose to test every day (nobody told us to) and they have stayed negative.

It was announced weeks ago as part of the roadmap. It's been on the news, on here, other sm sites and the gov site. Same with they are no longer required to wear masks.

I would keep mine off if one of the household tests positive, I would not want to be responsible for the disruption of the rest of the class, their families and the teachers if we spread it.

I did know the new rule so in answer to your question YABU - but YANBU to think it's insane. One thing not to have to isolate after a one-off contact eg playdate with a friend who later tests positive - but another entirely when the child's home environment is full of Covid and they're dipping back in there for a virus top up every evening.
Plus how are Covid+ parents supposed to get their child to school if they're not allowed to leave the house? As a fellow mum, I would not be keen on giving that child a lift even if it was a close friend.

We're not back yet. But it's been clear on the guidance.

When my youngest got a positive LFT we (being me and my other kids) made the decision to isolate and cancelled everything. Just as well as 2 days later symptoms started showing and they all have covid now. If they'd gone to their planned meet ups there would be a lot of other people who could have caught it off them. If they were at school that would be a whole load more. I'm glad they are sensible kids and decided to isolate even though it meant missing out on nights out with friends.

@FrenchBoule

I’m in Scotland and yes, this is the fact. Absolutely bonkers. Spreading like fire currently.

It is everywhere just now - we work with schools and are getting so many warn and informs it's nuts. Kids going down with it constantly. And I agree with PP re LFTs, we've had about a high proportion showing negative alongside positive PCR.

I'm not convinced about the not isolating household members tbh. Fair enough, closing whole bubbles was causing chaos for kids but most people seem to contract it from their own household.

Some school friends- mum caught covid (probably when they were on holiday in Cornwall). Kids and husband testing negative so carried on with work and life. Slowly they've all gone down with it and the test and trace is horrific- husband's work (2 days in smallish office but still 20 people), THREE different schools, 2 sports clubs (one indoor gymnastics) plus the dad went to a parent information evening for youngest's high school and (apparently) didn't even wear a mask) the day before his positive pcr test. One family could end up causing a mass super spreader event and all while following the rules. My DD sat next to her DD all Friday and I'm seething. I'm CEV and my mum is having chemo and now DD and I are having to test daily and I'm not risking seeing my mum.

I’m aware of it. It’s in keeping with the unstated government plan to allow covid to circulate unchecked in school children. I fully expect my children to catch covid this autumn/winter and by extension I expect to get it too (I’m vaccinated but protection obviously isn’t perfect). Long term I expect almost the entire population to at least be exposed to it if not infected. I’m not saying I like that prospect but I think it’s inevitable.

@takingmytimeonmyride

When my youngest got a positive LFT we (being me and my other kids) made the decision to isolate and cancelled everything. Just as well as 2 days later symptoms started showing and they all have covid now. If they'd gone to their planned meet ups there would be a lot of other people who could have caught it off them. If they were at school that would be a whole load more. I'm glad they are sensible kids and decided to isolate even though it meant missing out on nights out with friends.

That's exactly what the family in my previous post should have done. Thank you for being sensible and thoughtful

We have one dd off as a close contact. Dh asked the head teacher about the other three, "it's ok, it takes a few days to pass on anyway so unless anyone gets symptoms, it doesn't matter".