Can my child go to school with a sniffly nose?

[Babyfairy0923]

We haven’t had any guidelines from school?
Well in himself, no temperature, no cough but a sniffly nose & occasional sneezing.
I’m guessing we can’t keep them home for every cold they get if it’s without the Covid symptoms?

[ManiPediNow]

@Augustbreeze any cold-type symptoms, eg. Cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever.

[Blerg]

My daughter has a mild cold - sniffle and slight sore throat. I checked the guidance today from the school and the government. School has said don’t send them with any form of illness, but I needed to call and check what this meant for siblings. Her brother was fine to go.

I feel like a flow chart would be helpful!

My heart sinks slightly as we have been so briefly (1.5 days).

[Babyfairy0923]

We called the school & they said as long as he doesn’t have the 3 main symptoms they were happy to have him at school.

[qwertypie]

Call the school. That's what I did before we received national guidance (in Scotland) on this. They were perfectly happy to have my sniffly kid attend - he had none of the top 3 covid symptoms.

[Augustbreeze]

That's interesting @ManiPediNow, and how are respiratory problems defined, is it only breathing difficulties or much more than that?

[ManiPediNow]

Very different here (Singapore). Anyone with respiratory symptoms is given a 5 day legally enforced ($10,000 fine) medical certificate where you cannot leave your house without a negative swab test.

[Augustbreeze]

I think the WHO's terminology "less common" does not mean "hardly occurs at all", but just a second tier or still common symptoms.

Other countries (France, US) have had this longer list of symptoms as "officially recognised reasons to get a test" from the beginning.

See this list from the US Centres for Disease Control:

"People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea"

[Bringonspring]

SimonJT maybe if everyone didn’t send the children in when they had a cold they wouldn’t get as many colds. Chicken and an egg

[SimonJT]

@Bringonspring

I personally wouldn’t. Frankly Covid has made me re think my whole approach to illness. This whole acceptance that it’s fine to send a child to school with a cold and pass it on vs the child not going to school etc

If I kept my son off school everytime he had a cold I would be unemployed.

[rainbowunicorn]

Nobody is saying that sore throat can't be a symptom but it is certainly not one of the most common. It actually states on the WHO list that sore throat is one of the less common symtoms. If you were going to test for every single one of the less common symptoms then we all may as well stay indoors for ever more.
I had a headache today, my friend's 3 year old has conjunctivitis at the minute and a member of my staff was off with an upset stomach today, by your easoning we should all have trooped off to be tested. Don't be ridiculous. The country would grind to a halt in less than a week.
Less common symptoms: as shown on the WHO website

aches and pains.
sore throat.
diarrhoea.
conjunctivitis.
headache.
loss of taste or smell.
a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes.

[TheKeatingFive]

And is it stupid to want to stop the spread of Covid 19 by isolating / testing if you have a widely acknowledged symptom?

Well, think through how that works in a school situation.

You take child out. But child doesn’t qualify for testing, because they don’t meet the criteria. Then what? They sit at home for a fortnight because of a sniffle?

The criteria is there for a reason. Because we have to ensure availability for those most likely to have the virus, therefore most likely to need a test.

[Augustbreeze]

And is it stupid to want to stop the spread of Covid 19 by isolating / testing if you have a widely acknowledged symptom?

Remember the NHS's list of symptoms has already changed once.

[Augustbreeze]

@rainbowunicorn is it stupid to look at the World Health Organisation's list of official symptoms and compare them with the NHS's, and wonder why there are so many differences/ additional symptoms?

[rainbowunicorn]

@LittleRen

Sore throat is not on the list from school so I am unsure what to do.

How about you just follow the bloody official guidance which does not have sore throat as a reason to test or isolate.

I really do not understand the people that are willing to follow whatever garbage is spouted on here by randoms but won't take a look at the official information or follow the guidance given by their schools.

Fuck sake the level of stupid on here is astounding

[Bringonspring]

I personally wouldn’t. Frankly Covid has made me re think my whole approach to illness. This whole acceptance that it’s fine to send a child to school with a cold and pass it on vs the child not going to school etc

[Jamhandprints]

No, its just better not to at the moment. Even if its just a cold, you kust dont know.

[Keepdistance]

Is he getting 10 micrograms of vit d a day ?

[Heartofstrings]

@FinnyStory my son had only a rash. I only had fatigue

[PuppyMonkey]

I’ve had runny nose, sneezing, wheezing and itchy eyes the last few days. Feels very hayfever like, and they’re actually haymaking in all the fields round here, so I’m making an executive decision that hayfever is what it is.

I say this in the knowledge that DP’s main symptom when he had Covid was sneezing and a runny nose. He also had fatigue, aching limbs though so...

[KitKatastrophe]

@BabySweet85

Get a test?

Do not get a test. There are enough tests to go around, unless everyone keeps getting tests for a snotty nose or headache. The child doesnt have one of the three symptoms, he doesnt need a test or to stay home from school.

[FinnyStory]

Chris Whitty said that they're sticking with the three symptoms because whilst there are numerous other things that can be a symptom, they're not seen without one of the "three" also present. So yes, you may have a sore throat with Covid, but not without also having e.g. a temperature

[Pacif1cDogwood]

@LittleRen Sore throat is not on the UK government's official list of Covid symptoms that require a test. However, the evidence now shows beyond reasonable doubt that sore throat can be a symptom of Covid

No symptoms
V mild symptoms
Sore throat
Abdominal pain
D+V
Rash
No rash
Covid foot
etc etc etc

All or none of the above CAN be symptoms of Covid.

Which is why I think we need to carry on physical distancing, wearing masks when that is difficult or impossible, wash our hands lots and otherwise Calm Down.

This virus is with us for the duration.
I am trying really hard to not get too despondent about that fact, but my kids need educating, my community needs work and wages and less stress and this is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Pacif1cDogwood]

Here is the letter sent to school/parents in Scotland by Prof Jason Leitch

[ThatDamnScientist]

Ah, see my question has been answered up thread.

[Pacif1cDogwood]

Yes.

When was sore throat added to the recognised Covid symptoms?