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Covid

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Original poster

Child has cold - do we test/isolate

50 replies

Snakes666 · 08/08/2020 09:31

2.5 yo son. Came down with a cold yesterday, bit of a runny nose, dry sounding throat.

I've ordered test kits to be on the safe side - they are coming today, but I am due to start a brand new job on Monday and my husband has an important day on Monday too. The original plan was for grandparents to take DS on Monday. He also has nursery Tuesday.

I'm guessing we need to cancel all work commitments until we get test results back? I'm fairly certain DS just has a cold but trying to be cautious.

Advice please?

OP posts:

Nowthereistwo · 08/08/2020 10:46

Our dd both went to holiday club and got a cold (snotty nose for 24hrs and feeling tired), no temp or cough and the club were happy to keep them. We didn't get tested and we haven't developed any covid symptoms.

YoBeaches · 08/08/2020 10:53

If you want to test then go for a drive through today and you'll have the results tomorrow. Phone 119, they will book you in and off you pop. It's straightforward but not easy to get samples from the kids and you have to do it yourself in the car.

Currently awaiting results from 1 yr old dd test yesterday.

TrindleGin · 08/08/2020 11:48

[quote ThatDamnScientist]@TrindleGin
We were told by nursery a few colds going around and unless they had a temp the all fine

That is really bad advice. Not everyone has a fever with covid![/quote]
I agree and they said if he has no taste and smell how would he know that at 2!

TrindleGin · 08/08/2020 11:49

Go to a drive through I won't lie it is not nice but puts mind at rest

chocolateoranges33 · 08/08/2020 12:00

My 2 year old was the same. Cold (runny nose no temperature) on the Sunday. Woke up with a cough on the Monday. Booked in for a drive through test 2 hours after he woke up and got the negative result 12 hours after the test that same Monday. We all isolated at home until result known. As he was well in himself he went back to nursery as usual that week (I informed them he was being tested and emailed them his negative result too) and we went back to work etc too. Book a drive through test now as you should get result by Monday. Nursery wont let him back with symptoms, however minor, if he is unwell with them and/or cant prove he is negative.

jblue2018 · 08/08/2020 12:49

The variety of responses here is very interesting. I would personally take the viewpoint that clearly, there are people who have cold like symptoms of Covid without any of the 3 main symptoms but these are rare. Otherwise they would be listed on the government campaign. I feel that the government only wants us to test if we show one of the 3 main symptoms, as the risk of letting a few cases slip through the net is preferable from an economic perspective than having hundreds of thousands of workers off for colds... 🤷🏼‍♀️ Honestly, based on what I’ve heard on the news and seen online I’m in the camp that it wouldn’t even occur to me to test my DD for a cold. Obviously if her nursery policy takes it out of my hands then fair enough, she’s not started yet so I’m not sure.

Nevertheless I think the government need to confirm before winter cold season!

Original poster

Snakes666 · 08/08/2020 13:10

We've all been tested! I had to use home kit as our nearest test centre is a fair drive. Hopefully we'll get the results back quickly.

OP posts:

pinkpanther84 · 08/08/2020 14:27

I hope you get your results quickly. My dd6 was tested at a drive through centre yesterday evening at 7.45pm and we got a negative result back at 2pm this afternoon. She also had a cold and a temperature so temperature was the only thing that required testing for and I knew it was most likely just a cold

OpheliasCrayon · 08/08/2020 14:29

I wouldnt have tested with just cold symptoms to be honest.
My kids have just had colds. They had a sore throat and runny nose and I wasn't intending to test based on that alone as it was blatently just a cold. Then one got a fever so I tested her. But had there been no fevers I wouldn't have

ineedaholidaynow · 08/08/2020 14:31

What was the result @OpheliasCrayon?

OpheliasCrayon · 08/08/2020 14:32

@ineedaholidaynow

What was the result *@OpheliasCrayon*?

Negative

letsmaketea · 08/08/2020 14:34

If he doesn’t have a temperature, continuous cough or changes to senses of taste or smell then he shouldn’t need a test.

This!

HathorX · 08/08/2020 14:46

Our DS picked up a runny nose at nursery. Slight cough clearly due to sniffing mucus. Still happily playing , eating etc so obviously not unwell.

The way I read NHS advice this does not require a covid test. Nursery said fine for him to carry on attending.

Can't assume every time you sneeze you need to isolate for 2 weeks. Mad.

YellowWave · 08/08/2020 14:50

I'm a nanny and two children that I mind came down with colds. Sore throats, sore ears, runny nose, coughs. Not continuous, heavy hacking coughs but coughs none the less. The parents refused to test because to them its just a little cold. They refused to isolate themselves as a family and continued to have me in work even though the mother verbally told me back in March what will happen if they display respiratory symptoms. They said they will notify me and I won't be required to come into work. They lied. Hopefully it's just colds and not covid but it still doesn't insil me much confidence. One parents went to work. The other worked from home and had half days and then went out on Thursday and Friday afternoon golfing. They could have at least tried to minimise risk and cut any sort of exposure short for me by not going golfing. Greed and selfishness of the highest order. They should know what to do by the way. One of them is a medical professional by the way. The family are still continuing to go out and they have a dinner party planned for tonight. Hopefully it's just colds and it's not covid because half the town will be put at risk because of their greed and ignorance for a good time. I will go down the compo route if its covid19.

fant · 08/08/2020 20:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Tholeonagain · 08/08/2020 21:30

We tested my 11 year old because he had what I was almost certain was a slight cold - snotty nose and small cough, no temp. We did it because I didn’t want to be responsible for spreading anything nasty, particularly to grandparents who we are due to see. We got the results - from a drive in centre- within 24 hours and he is negative, so all good and we can carry on with our plans without worrying!

minnieok · 08/08/2020 21:32

Results are usually under 24 hours, hope you are all clear

YellowWave · 09/08/2020 09:15

The family that I work, 2 of the children have colds including sore throats, ear aches and cough and they have refused to test to rule out coronavirus because the symptoms are from the children. They don't want to test the children. They are continuing on as normal too as if all is great. They have refused to restrict their movements and continued to have many people come and go into their house including
Me (nanny)
Housekeeper
Home school teacher
Home hairdresser
Weekend babysitter

My understanding is that covid19 can present itself as a cold to people, am I wrong in that or what?

What are they waiting for? For the parents to go and get sick before they realise that maybe it's more than a cold? Are they hoping for the best that it's just colds?
You're talking about a load of people from different households being exposed to the possibility of this being virus and the family don't care about anyone but themselves.

Disfordarkchocolate · 09/08/2020 09:17

My test result came back in 24 hours. To be honest I would have put up with a fair drive instead of waiting for a postal kit in your situation. Hope its all clear.

whatsleep · 09/08/2020 18:44

@YellowWave it’s people like your boss that make my blood boil. Selfishness of the highest degree, they clearly see themselves as far to important to pause their lives and ensure they aren’t putting others at risk 😡 if they have developed a new cough they need testing. I bet you are livid (and quite rightly so).

YellowWave · 09/08/2020 22:21

Whatsleep

I'm furious, shocked and horrified. They should have informed me and isolated as a family. Instead they brought me into their home to continue working as normal putting me at risk of a possible exposure. What's worse is that the father was working from home half day and went to golf in the afternoon. They have a teenage daughter who could have helped with the younger kids and the father could have stayed at home, reducing my risk and the possibility of the cold being covid.

I can't maintain social distancing in my job for when the young kids need my help like with toileting. I don't have any PPE to protect myself. One of the children has asd and doesn't understand the cough and hygiene etiquette and isolating in the bedroom is not possible. I'm completely vulnerable in that job. I should be in a good position working in a private capacity but I'm not.

I've been walking around sick to my stomach all weekend with fear and worry that this could be more than a cold and what of its covid. I'm putting my family at risk. I will also have to avoid my partner for the next 14 days. We don't live together so I won't be able to see home in case I have the virus and I'm infectious and I don't know about it. Unless if I meet up with me and we just don't kiss or get into each others breathing space.

I don't know how easy it will be to find a new job in the middle of a pandemic. I'm not fussy what I will do from now. I would like factory work. I never want to work in nannying again.

CamDram · 09/08/2020 22:26

Just get a test- it’s quick, easy and results are generally back within24 hours.

It’s the responsible thing to do.

tootyfruitypickle · 09/08/2020 22:26

I’d be interested to know the test result, I hope it’s clear. I’ve had a mild cold all week but no symptoms of Covid so have carried on as usual. I had a test earlier in lockdown for a very bad sore throat but not going to test for every sniffle unless the science advises to.

QueenBarb · 09/08/2020 22:30

My covid test results (had a sore throat two days running reported on the Zoe app) came back less than 12 hours after I went through a drive through - hope you get results soon (mine was negative).

YellowWave · 09/08/2020 22:34

I'm not feeling sick. I don't have any cold or flu symptoms. If I was exposed to covid19, it was a few days ago - there's an incubation period of up to 14 days. It's too early for me for a test.

The family didn't test on Friday. I don't know if things have changed over the weekend.

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