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Original poster

Negative result but still coughing-school?

28 replies

MinnieMountain · 13/09/2020 08:16

DS started a cold on Wednesday. The cough appeared on Thursday, so we kept him off, tested and it came back negative yesterday.

He's still coughing. Should we send him to school tomorrow? I've emailed the school his test result but can't speak to anyone there before we have to make the decision.

He had similar in March that we couldn't test and his cough lasted a good 2 weeks.

OP posts:
Idontgiveagriffindamn · 13/09/2020 08:17

If they’ve tested negative and are feeling ok I’d send them. If it’s something you’d have kept them off with before Covid then keep them off.

Holymotherforkingshirtballs · 13/09/2020 08:18

If he feels well enough then yes send him back to school. He has had a negative result so no reason to stay off unless he feels too unwell to go.

NoSquirrels · 13/09/2020 08:18

Negative test = OK to attend school

1happyhippie · 13/09/2020 08:20

Yes if he’s tested negative he can go back to school.
If he’s feeling well in himself then I would be sending him in.

kimlo · 13/09/2020 08:27

if you have a negitive test and he's well enough to go to school then he can go back.

Lockdownseperation · 13/09/2020 08:28

The test results say to wait until 48 hours after the fever has gone and then you can return to school or work.

TheKeatingFive · 13/09/2020 08:33

The test results say to wait until 48 hours after the fever has gone

But he doesn’t have a fever.

Of course it’s ok OP. He doesn’t have CV. A cough in itself would not normally be reason to keep a child off school.

BluebellsGreenbells · 13/09/2020 08:34

Yes please spread the cough round school, so more children can wait for tests.

Original poster
MinnieMountain · 13/09/2020 08:55

He had a fever just on Thursday. He was ill enough to stay off anyway that day.

OP posts:
rainbowunicorn · 13/09/2020 09:06

@BluebellsGreenbells The advice is to go back to normal if the test result is negative. There are many reasons for a cough and we can't all stay off school or work because of them. The world would grind to a halt if we did.
A cough can last for weeks after the cold, flu or Covid. Do you seriously think it is practical not to send children to school / go to work?

Flagsfiend · 13/09/2020 09:27

As long as he hasn't had a fever for the last 48 hours (or d and v), and feels well in himself. Then a negative test means he can return with a cough. If he still feels poorly then keep at home until he feels well. Any one else in the house can return to normal on the negative result.

Flagsfiend · 13/09/2020 09:31

With the cough try and teach him excellent cough etiquette today - cough into elbow, extra care with washing hands, send in with plenty of tissues (and hand sanitizer if allowed/old enough to use sensibly). Most coughs linger past the infectious stage, do hopefully his fever having been gone a few days should mean he is less likely to pass it on.

dementedpixie · 13/09/2020 09:33

The cough can laat for weeks afterwards even if you had covid and recovered from it. Cough into crook of elbow or a tissue

Nellodee · 13/09/2020 09:35

Have you had any contact with a known positive case? As I understood it, if you had, you should wait out the isolation period and if you hadn’t, you were good to return. I could be wrong though, I actually find it quite complicated.

trinity0097 · 13/09/2020 09:36

Even though the school can’t insist on seeing the test result screenshot the text and email it to them to prove he is free of COVID

dementedpixie · 13/09/2020 09:40

@Nellodee, her ds had symptoms and got tested. As he got a negative result he can come out of isolation.

You would continue isolating for 14 days only if you are doing so after contact with a case and have no symptoms and a negative test. That's because 14 days is the incubation period.

Nellodee · 13/09/2020 09:44

I did wonder if the fourteen day thing was only if you didn’t get symptoms. Thanks for clearing that up.

BluebellsGreenbells · 13/09/2020 10:02

Do you seriously think it is practical not to send children to school / go to work?

Do you think it’s fair for other children to catch the cough/cold and have to wait to get tested? Some parts of the country can’t get tested at all.

NoSquirrels · 13/09/2020 13:26

@BluebellsGreenbells

Do you seriously think it is practical not to send children to school / go to work?

Do you think it’s fair for other children to catch the cough/cold and have to wait to get tested? Some parts of the country can’t get tested at all.

No, it’s not “fair”. But it’s the rules - you’re not supposed to keep them off for a non-CV19 cough any more than you would in a usual year, or you’re risking non-attendance fines and probably screwing up your own employment.

There’s no good solution to cold season, but guilt-tripping parents who’ve followed the rules to the letter about common colds and coughs is not going to help.

BluebellsGreenbells · 13/09/2020 13:35

but guilt-tripping parents who’ve followed the rules to the letter about common colds and coughs is not going to help

But if a child passes on that caught to 6 kids and they then need a test, you then have 6 more parents unable to work, those 6 pass it on again and before you know it more parents and more kids are awaiting tests and the whole thing escalates.

But as long and you can send your child back to school all’s good

dementedpixie · 13/09/2020 13:38

But coughs can lasy for weeks and that doesn't mean they are contagious. You can't keep them off indefinitely

RepeatSwan · 13/09/2020 13:42

If it was me I'd ring school as it'll be a pain if they return him.

I get what people are saying about rules but there is some 'interpretation' going on in school.

NoSquirrels · 13/09/2020 13:46

Coughs can last bloody weeks, bluebells. It’s not in any way practical to keep them off school that long and you are guilt-tripping. Most people can’t lose their jobs over a child’s cough. So yes, other kids will catch it and have to get tested too. Unless you know of some way to stop that and miraculously make employers understanding?

user1471530109 · 13/09/2020 13:49

Bluebells, I understand what you're saying, but unfortunately we can't live like that.

I'm a teacher and I'll be going in tomorrow. I have a cough and also a negative test. I'm more concerned parents will panic so I've given permission to the head to inform parents I have had a negative test.

I'm over the cold, but I always have a lingering cough that can go on for days or even weeks. I'm not getting close to the kids anyway with social distancing Wink right? I will wear a mask whilst teaching like I did before my dc came down with the cold

TakeItSIeazy · 13/09/2020 13:59

I sent mine in.
School had copy of negative test.
One was taught to cough into his elbow.
Be aware they will have to be tough kids to cope with the stares and glares from others.
Mine had three days off.
Cannot expect work to be sent home.
In the meantime they would have been deemed well enough to go in by attendance officer. You are damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Yes, others may have to then undergo the same palaver but mine have picked it up from their peers - not all underwent testing either and school very quiet on enforcing. I did my best. Waiting for all coughing to subside is not tenable.

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