Schools / quarantine/ NHS - what happens if....

[porktangle]

So if a person in a school bubble tests positive for covid, the whole bubble has to self isolate for 14 days even if say your own child is tested and is negative.

Child at home in quarantine then requires parents / household to quarantine too - and obviously will need the childcare or 14 days.

NHS parent and NHS rules are any sniff of quarantine need and person at risk needs to be tested to release you all or confirm self isolation.

So how will it work if my NHS manager says I have to return because of negative testing protocol (which is designed to stop people self isolating all the time) but school don't have guidance that matches and says you all have to isolate for 14 days even with negative swabs galore??

So if a person in a school bubble tests positive for covid, the whole bubble has to self isolate for 14 days even if say your own child is tested and is negative.

Is this actual guidance that's in place for schools?

The school doesn't have jurisdiction over whether you go to work or not...

Because the 14 days allow for incubation period and to allow for symptoms to show. You only need to be tested with symptoms but they can take up to 14 days. It makes sense.

I don't quite understand what would happen if a child just chooses not to be tested as the bubble only has to be isolated if there's a positive test. I personally for my 5 year old won't test her and will just do the 14 days.

They also aren't testing the under 5s.

By this point in the school year, most reception children will be 5, but by no means alll

@ProseccoBubbleFantasies

We also have a nursery class at our school - none of them will be able to be tested.

Our NHS trust only tests symptomatic staff/household contacts, but equally you are only asked to self isolate if you or a household contact are symptomatic. So if someone in my child’s bubble- well 3 bubbles because they are all in different ones, tests positive then we are put into isolation for 14 days, our trust will be pissed to say the least. Oh and the school absolutely dictate if I can go to work, because I’m a lone parent and they are currently my childcare.

I've been wondering this, so if a child in DD's bubble tests positive then DD has to self isolate for 14 days.
Does everyone else (me, DP and DS) have to isolate with DD for 14 days as well even though DD might not be displaying symptoms?

I think what is tricky is that the NHS has been carrying on for the last 2 months only self isolating if you or your family are symptomatic - test and negative - back to work. I've been in an office with people who have tested positive and we don't self isolate, only if we get symptoms. So the schools advice is very different to that of the NHS.

And yes, the school will dictate if you have no one else to look after the child who keeps being sent home to isolate.

I've no idea if the whole house has to isolate though....presumably they do??

Our school has said....
if a child or member of staff test positive for COVID-19, then the bubble members are to self-isolate for fourteen days.

Household members of children in the bubble will not be required to self-isolate unless their child develops symptoms

@user1000000000000000001 if you don't get your child tested, everyone has to self isolate for 14 days. If it was negative, everyone can be released. I think if children are taking a school place there needs to be a caveat that you commit to testing where needed.

If the test is negative, all children return as normal. Only need to stay off for 14 days if the test is positive.

@porktangle our school haven't taken that stance at all. The only way we would get a swab from my DD is to sedate her so it will only be done if medically necessary.

@Tanith yes, but my point was that the other children in the bubble with a positive also have to isolate for 14 days. In the NHS this isn't the case therefore puts us in a difficult position with work and school.

In the autumn with the volume of normal seasonal symptoms around, if everyone doesn't commit to testing, we will be in constant isolation. @user1000000000000000001 have your school said that children don't have to isolate and test all if 1, such as your child, is symptomatic or in a bubble with someone who does?

This is the guidance schools will be using. If there is a child who tests positive in the bubble, the rest of the bubble has to isolate but not their household unless the child showed symptoms etc. So technically you could still work (if you had someone to care for your child)
Remember it isn't the school dictating its government guidance.

@porktangle Oh I see! Sorry - your Op said "if your own child is tested and is negative" so that was the question I answered.

To answer your other question, up to now we've been advised that the other children don't have to isolate at all. The bubble idea is a new one imported from countries like NZ. Therefore the guidance has changed. I think it's because, staying in that same small group, it's easier to identify the children most likely to have come into contact with the virus.

I wouldn't be surprised if they change the advice again before the schools go back, though.

I was looking after a patient that unexpectedly turned out to be positive. It has been completely brushed under the carpet by senior staff. I'm higher risk but still working. I want to be tested but they won't unless I get symptoms. I'm very surprised that it's been completely ignored!

@Toddlerteaplease were you wearing PPE at the time?

I think testing will have ramped up to include the symptomatic people in the bubble. If they are negative the whole bubble goes back. Given that we are supposedly moving to contact tracing all symptomatic people will have to be tested.

Even if person is NHS worked it is the symptomatic person in the family who is tested not necessarily the staff member.

DD2 will still be 4 when she’s back at school, she’s not 5 until August. So can’t get a test anyway.

I think there are tests available for under 5s, but you need to call 111 not register on web.

They’ll err on the side of caution for under 5s, I imagine, and assume they’re positive.

Basically no one can answer this because they haven't thought it through.

Only the child needs to isolate however they still need a parent to look after them so thr fact the rest of the household doesn't is immaterial.

OP I would imagine the trust will put it as carers leave for day 1 and expect you to find alternative care thereafter. Quite how people can do that I don't know. 🤷‍♀️

@thetupperwareboxofdoom yes. But only a plastic apron gloves and a surgical mask. Not the full kit.

I don’t think the onus is on the schools and childcare providers to think it through. Their only concern at the moment is the safety of the children and staff.
The businesses will be expected to prepare for staff having to self isolate for 14 days.

The whole point of testing is to prevent 14 day isolation that's all. That is how the NHS has managed to keep going for 2 months - anyone in the house symptomatic or at risk - test everyone and back to work. It will fall apart completely if children have to keep isolating and staff staying at home to look after them. Not saying it's right or wrong, just frontline services will be reduced with this level of isolation that we haven't had to deal with up to now.