We are actually going to be testing our kids all the time aren't we

[yukka]

Dd (1yr) got sent home from nursery with 'a bit of a temp' yesterday, it just about reached 38. She had the MMR jab on Wednesday. She was poorly Wednesday, better Thursday and fine Friday am hence sent her in on Friday. By 1:30 her temp was up.

We had to go for a covid test as she's not allowed back until we confirm it's not that.

Thankfully the process was straightforward but it really made me realise how often we will have to do this over the next year.

Because she had a temp on Wednesday (surely from mmr) you have 5 days from first symptoms to get a test. if the test is inconclusive we can try another one tonight/ tomorrow or we have to assume she has it and isolate.

It's really hard to get a stick down to your 1 yr olds tonsils for 10 seconds... I have a gut feeling we will be isolating. And gutted as she only started nursery on Monday having being delayed due to covid and was doing really well.

On the flip side, of course hoping she doesn't have it and mmr is masking symptoms. We've followed all the rules throughout this pandemic it would be a shame if her first week of normality led her to be sick.

Schools are supposed to be having a stock of tests but I think they’ll run down quickly.

Our local drive through is 60 miles away so have to test on the days the army ones come nearer or home tests.

@NeurotrashWarrior

The answer is getting low infection rate in the community generally so that schools aren't negatively impacted.

If cases do start to rise and children are testing positive there will have to be quick action across all settings as schools will be chaotic and will
Struggle to remain open.

Unfortunately in England there is no effort being put in to do this.

I agree we need community cases low, but the government really isn't doing what is needed.

Yes, we probably will sadly. It's the only way through this.

@tappitytaptap

And this will affect parents so much more than non parents when we become unreliable employees. As if it is not hard enough being a working parent and trying to do your job to the best of your ability.

Yes to this, massive issue for parents.

My workplace is clearly worried about this,how different people will be impacted differently.

I've already told ds's school and social worker that we will not be able to test him without outside help. Ds is severely disabled with challenging behaviour. The last time he was seen by a doctor it needed 3 people to hold him down whilst he was examined and that was a few years ago. The alternative of 10 days of not leaving the house will also be unsafe as it will no doubt create very aggressive and self injurious behaviour and everyone will get hurt. I'm dreading it.

@Barnardcastleeyetest just so many difficult scenarios ahead for people

That’s my hope for my rural area of Scotland, our cases are very low and have been throughout, hopefully that means the chances of it actually being Covid would be incredibly slim

@labyrinthloafer I can see that promotion on the horizon that I’ve worked my ass off for slipping away when I can’t be the model employee I need to be. Fingers crossed for as little disruption as possible!! My kids nursery has been great so far. Oldest starting reception and mixing with more people though.

I work for the NHS and can’t see them being too understanding if I need to be off for 14 days potentially every couple of weeks as my children get every cold going

If the NHS isn’t going to follow the guidelines then there is no fucking hope, is there?

@Howaboutanewname

I work for the NHS and can’t see them being too understanding if I need to be off for 14 days potentially every couple of weeks as my children get every cold going

If the NHS isn’t going to follow the guidelines then there is no fucking hope, is there?

Exactly this, the government should be protecting workers who do the right thing ffs.

Well results are back and it's negative. It's fab that the turn around was quick, but this is only the case for as long as the number of people being tested, or symptomatic, is low. There was 1 other car at the drive through yesterday, this won't be the case in the winter.

I'm also grateful that even with the minimal swabbing of a 1 yr old they had enough to complete the test.

There was an 'assisted testing' lane but I'm not sure what gets you into that lane as I don't recall being asked whether my child needed additional support or anything like that when we registered.

I think there needs to be some form of supported testing for individuals like those mentioned in this thread and not just leave it to the parents.

Had to test my 2 children yesterday not an experience I want to do again they were very distressed anyone with it something shoved up their nose

Results were negative too

Can you imagine how busy the testing centres are going to be when all the flu and cold bugs are about? I’m dreading it. I’m hoping they can make simpler, cheaper, quicker tests come autumn. The only way I can see it working is if we all test once a week, otherwise we’re all going to be off every 5 minutes.

We were advised to shield ds but if he gets symptoms we probably won't be able to test to see if it is covid.

Can you imagine the alternative? If we couldn't test people quickly? If we ran out of tests?

That could lead to a massive second wave with awful implications.

I refuse to hold her down to do it against her will so not sure what we will do.

I think you will need to assume she has Covid and self isolate? Although the probability is small, she could well have the virus and pass it on unknowingly.

@Barnardcastleeyetest could you possibly swab his nose while he is asleep?

I had to take 1 year old DD and didn’t do the throat swab as it recommended not to on a young child. I got the swab in her nose for seconds because she wouldn’t stay still and it definitely didn’t go very far it. Result came back fine.

@Rachel247

But what's the alternative? Imagine a child does have Covid and unknowningly passes it on to 30 other children who then pass it on to their family who then pass it on etc etc!

Lots of testing is the only solution imo.

I don't disagree, bit then I don't have to keep telling my boss I'm having two weeks off every other month cos some 5 yo got a snotty nose.

The only way schools will be open is if they are clear about what's a flaggable symptom - temp over x, loss of sense and smell, persistent new cough, not every sniffle and runny nose

@labyrinthloafer I’m pretty sure most work places aren’t going to pay staff for not working for a fortnight every couple of weeks??

[quote AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii]@labyrinthloafer I’m pretty sure most work places aren’t going to pay staff for not working for a fortnight every couple of weeks??[/quote]
I more meant risk of losing job.

As this will exceed normal parental leave rights, I think?

@labyrinthloafer absolutely, I’m entitled to 5 parental days per year. That’s why I feel testing is the way to sort this out, then people are only off for 14 days when they really need to be, not just for a runny nose or a cough caused by the common cold

I would imagine that employers will be slightly more understanding if you are having to isolate due to an actual positive test in your family rather than just having to isolate whether it is covid or not

But you don’t need to test for every standard cold. Only if they get a temp or persistent cough (or loss if taste/smell). A snotty nose is not a symptom. And the turnaround time of tests is rapid. I had same day result for a drive through test. Postal tests are about 4 days from order to result.

We were also told if it’s too hard with young kids just to get the nasal swab and not to do the throat swab.