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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is ridiculous (School & PCR)

114 replies

ffscovid · 12/12/2021 09:48

So I've woken this morning to an email from school saying that due to the current situation, they'd like every child to take a PCR test and will only be allowed back to school this week if negative.
Even if we all rushed to the test centre this morning (450+ kids in the school!), it's bordering on unlikely that the results would be back before school tomorrow, meaning most families will now have to take short-notice leave as it's a primary school so childcare will be an issue if we can't send the kids in.
We're actually away for the weekend which makes this more complicated as I need to find a test centre near to where I'm staying and probably mess up our plans for the day (or do one when we're home which would be tomorrow now as we're not due back until late, delaying our likely return to school as it will probably be Tuesday before the results would come back).
Are school even allowed to do this?

OP posts:
shouldistop · 12/12/2021 09:50

I don't think they're allowed to ask this. They could have at least asked on Friday to give people a bit of time.

girlmom21 · 12/12/2021 09:51

They probably are allowed to ask if they cite it as a public health risk.

Our nursery did it for one group when someone tested positive, although that's obviously quite a big difference in numbers

Annabelll · 12/12/2021 09:54

My children’s school did this as advised by PHE.

16 children out of 30 in my son’s class tested positive.

I am very glad they did it - it broke the cycle and now there are no cases in the school (for now!).

Houseplantmad · 12/12/2021 10:00

They will have been advised to do this. It could save a load of families having their Christmas plans ruined so I'd do it.

Original poster
ffscovid · 12/12/2021 10:01

Yes I suppose if PHE have asked that would be different but to the best of my knowledge, this is just school's say-so.
Yes, if they'd asked on Friday or even yesterday that would've been more helpful.
I doubt there'll be anyone in school tomorrow. Everyone on the parent WhatsApp is moaning that the nearest test centre with spaces is 40 mins away. Several parents can't drive or don't have access to family car today, so will have to wait for postal kits to arrive and be returned and processed which will mean at least 3 days off school (we live very rurally so public transport to walk in isn't an option either).

OP posts:
Original poster
ffscovid · 12/12/2021 10:04

It's also not foolproof. If someone tests negative today but was in close contact with a pupil who has it on Friday, it doesn't mean that they're not incubating it. It just takes a few days to develop so they could be spreading it themselves by Tuesday!

OP posts:
starrynight19 · 12/12/2021 10:05

Wow schools can’t win. It’s likely that a lot of positive cases have been reported over the weekend so they have been advised by public health to do this.
How on earth do you expect schools to do this at a convenient time ?

We are currently a class closed and four members of staff off with covid after an outbreak in our small primary school.
We were advised to do this , I have been for numerous pcr tests over the last two weeks and yes it is inconvenient but it’s trying to keep staff , children and their family’s safe.

PurpleDaisies · 12/12/2021 10:06

This sounds like something that’s likely to have come from local public health advice due to an outbreak somewhere.

shouldistop · 12/12/2021 10:06

I wonder whether they meant a lateral flow test instead of pcr. Surely they realise that they're effectively closing the school for a couple of days by asking for PCRs

shouldistop · 12/12/2021 10:06

If it's been advised by public health then would the school not be better to make this clear in their communication?

Curioushorse · 12/12/2021 10:10

Hullo! Yes, they'll have been advised by public health (not England, but the local council). There will have been enough of a outbreak at the school that all kids could reasonably be classified as close contacts. Do it. If it's anything like what happened when my kids' school did it you'll be shocked by the results.

It's not compulsory, so you don't have to. But in our case one father insisted in just doing lateral flows, sent his kids in.....and two days later they got Covid, AFTER the other parents in the class had kept their kids off to do the PCRs. So, because of his selfishness they were all close contacts again.

sheiselectric · 12/12/2021 10:11

I wish my school would do this. We have so many children off with covid. The parents were asked to do a LFT to check. Most of them did not bother. Of those that did...most tested positive and had no symptoms. The last thing anyone wants is to be sick over the holidays.

GoodPrincessWenceslas · 12/12/2021 10:17

Write back saying the result is highly unlikely to be back, if they refuse to allow your child back into school it will be an illegal exclusion and if they don't withdraw this threat you'll have to take it further.

GoodPrincessWenceslas · 12/12/2021 10:18

@Curioushorse

Hullo! Yes, they'll have been advised by public health (not England, but the local council). There will have been enough of a outbreak at the school that all kids could reasonably be classified as close contacts. Do it. If it's anything like what happened when my kids' school did it you'll be shocked by the results.

It's not compulsory, so you don't have to. But in our case one father insisted in just doing lateral flows, sent his kids in.....and two days later they got Covid, AFTER the other parents in the class had kept their kids off to do the PCRs. So, because of his selfishness they were all close contacts again.

I would be prepared to bet that if this was on Public Health advice the school would have said so.
Original poster
ffscovid · 12/12/2021 10:19

@shouldistop

I wonder whether they meant a lateral flow test instead of pcr. Surely they realise that they're effectively closing the school for a couple of days by asking for PCRs
Yes this is my issue. Not that they've asked us to test as such, but the timescales for PCR tests mean that hardly any kids will now be in school tomorrow and possibly not Tuesday either. When the tests are 100% going to pick up everyone, it seems a massive step to take.
OP posts:
Original poster
ffscovid · 12/12/2021 10:20

@shouldistop

If it's been advised by public health then would the school not be better to make this clear in their communication?
There was no mention of PHE in the letter. Sounds like it was a panic letter from the head taking matters into his own hands.
OP posts:
MolkosTeenageAngst · 12/12/2021 10:26

My guess is they don’t have enough staff in school for tomorrow and this is their way to ensure 90% of the kids won’t be in.

Chloemol · 12/12/2021 10:31

Just do it. It will then, hopefully break the cycle

Do you want your kids to get it?

ZoBo123 · 12/12/2021 10:32

I have done 4 PCRs with my children over the last week due to symptoms and all have come back within 24hours. If you get to somewhere local to where you are you may get the result in time. I guess if you get the result at lunchtime they will be able to make the second half of the day.

Original poster
ffscovid · 12/12/2021 10:33

@GoodPrincessWenceslas

Write back saying the result is highly unlikely to be back, if they refuse to allow your child back into school it will be an illegal exclusion and if they don't withdraw this threat you'll have to take it further.
Alas, the school uses a 'do not reply' email address to message parents. They only accept phone call messages (but not today obvs Angry).
OP posts:
Beseen22 · 12/12/2021 10:41

If the kids are all asymptomatic and its for outbreak control/public health request would all the children need to isolate until the results? We have an outbreak on our ward and all staff have been tested but we just tested on shift and then only isolated if positive.

BrideofAberdeen · 12/12/2021 11:07

I would just do it. My 5 year old son has Covid at the moment so we have to take 10 days off work between us. I would have loved school to do this sooner so my son may not have caught it!!

CovidFreeChristmas · 12/12/2021 11:14

We had to do this in Sept when there was an outbreak in kids school. It's what PHE advise if there are too many cases in a class, but as you've said whole school I'm guessing there are too many cases across the school.

I would definitely be following advice. If cases are that high and you send your child in tomorrow you are risking spending Christmas isolating.

BarefootHippieChick · 12/12/2021 11:39

No wonder results are taking so bloody long to come back for those who actually need them, when tons of people are doing them who don't need them 🙄

Banani · 12/12/2021 11:43

I know of a couple of local schools that requested this at the end of last week due to PHE advice off the back of lots of cases. Seems a good idea in that context, but the timing in this case is really unhelpful