Kids with no symptoms getting tested to return to school

[gluteustothemaximus]

So far we've had this happen twice in the first week, but can see it coming up again and again.

So, there's a sibling of a student, who has tested positive. So the student has been sent home, as need to self isolate for 14 days.

The parents have then got a test for the student very quickly, and tested negative, so back at school.

With the other case, sibling had symptoms, awaiting test. Student that was sent home also went to get a test (no symptoms) as parent said they cannot miss any more school. Both came back negative (which is fine) BUT, you would assume had sibling been positive, and student negative, student would have been back in. That was the impression anyway.

That's not right is it?

I thought it was, test positive, family isolates, if develop symptoms....get a test, if not....keep isolating until time is up.

Yes, it sucks, but that's the rules.

I'm guessing that people are making up symptoms to get tested as well, as otherwise, how do you get a test?

Hope they are getting sent home again to continue isolating

No, student still in school.

They've done the right thing from everything you describe.

But yes, if the symptom-y sibling was positive and they were negative, they still shouldn't be allowed back in school. The test (which is only 70% accurate anyway) only says that they didn't have Covid at that time, not that they aren't going to catch it off the sibling that they live with! They need to isolate for 14 days, or 10 days from onset of their own symptoms.

no they haven't. In the first case the child needs to isolate for 14 days if their sibling tested positive. A negative test within that 14 days does not end isolation as they are still within the incubation period

They've done the right thing from everything you describe.

No they haven't. Nothing they have done is following the guidelines

Oh dear, this isn't right. I believe @dementedpixie is right.

It's got me worried really, as we have some pretty fierce mountain moving parents.

are you staff or a parent?

Sorry, mis-read the first scenario. The second scenario is fine. In the first case, the sibling of the positive case shouldn't have been allowed back for 14 days, test or no test.

Staff.

The entire family of the student who has tested positive needs to isolate for 14 days, regardless of negative tests. Schools all know this.

What do SLT say? That child should not be in school.

Schools should know this, I agree.

SLT don't know what they're doing. We have some very stressed and unhappy staff

Can you report to hse anonymously?

Ok, another scenario....what about a very close contact of a positive case? We had one where it was a friend of student (from another local school) who was positive, and student had been in close contact (hanging out with daily). Although not household, would track and trace track down our student?

It depends if the positive person has given their details to the track and trace people.

It depends on what is disclosed to track and trace. When I tested positive I was contacted by track and trace. I had to list where I had been and my contacts. They were then contacted in turn and told to isolate for 14 days. I had a follow up phone call at 9 days to check I had disclosed all my contacts. Obviously if I had said I lived alone and had met nobody and gone nowhere there would be nobody for them to investigate.

Think just stressing about it all. We've got some very vulnerable staff and students. But I can't police everyone and everything. It's just when you know about positive cases, I want to start the tracking and tracing myself

It is a worry. I wore a mask, socially distanced and am good at hand washing. But still somehow caught it. However none of my contacts had any symptoms and all are out of isolation.

Hope you're all well and recovered now Jonty. I worry about passing it on without realising, and do everything as you say mask/washing/distancing. Glad everyone you'd had contact with are ok and now out of isolation.

Anyone that has been in close contact (no mask no distance for more than 15 mins is categorised like it) with a positive 48h before they started showing symptoms or they tested positive (whichever is soonest) needs to self isolate even if the test comes back as negative for them

And even if you’re not contacted by track and trace but you know someone that has tested positive you should self isolate really.

Thanks Easter, that's what I think.

Yes tests are for symptomatic only
14d isolation applies no matter what.
Whole family isolate for symptoms for 10 and 14d (and test for symptomatic ones)