School/isolation/no test

[daisy2609]

Can anyone give me a little advice please, I have 3 children at home with various symptoms, ds15 had sore throat and a tickle cough, had a temperature on Saturday for a couple of hours. I kept all the dc home from school this week and have been trying so hard to get a test but it is impossible where I live. Now he is at the end of the symptom days for getting an accurate result from a test. I have been speaking to the school everyday to keep them informed and check their guidelines and policies. We're up in RCT so it's been announced today we'll be in local lockdown from tomorrow so I asked the school if there are any implications for him going back to school and when he will be allowed. The school seem to think he won't be allowed back without a test. I'm so worried now as he's in year 11 and already has a huge disadvantage from losing so much of his year 10. Can anyone tell me what the "official" guidance is on how long he needs to isolate and when he could go back to school? I'm happy to keep him off for as long as needs be for the health of other people. I'm not keen to just get him back as soon as possible at the expense of safety but I do want him back in education for his own good as soon as he is able. Any links or something I can use as a starting point to talk to the school in case I have to fight his corner a bit would be very much appreciated! I have tried googling but I'm getting confused with all the different guidelines from different areas and places.
Thanks in advance

I had a similar thing. One day of a temp and then back to normal the next day. Spoke to friends who said it is fine send back in and that they had the same and sent them in. This is wrong - any temp counts and need to either test or isolate for 10 days (14 days for the rest of the family). I rang the surgery to get this advice but I expected it really. We couldn't get a test so now the whole family is isolating. Good luck.

Thanks for your reply, it's so frustrating isn't it! We are isolating as a family for however long we need to yeah. The school are saying he can't go back to school at all though, not even after 2 weeks isolation if he doesn't have a test and I'm not sure whether that's the case or not. I just can't find any actual guidance to quote to them that says after the two weeks isolation he can go back (or any other correct guidance if that's not the case) are yours able to go back after the 2 weeks?

The NHS says that if you do not get a test within 5 days of symptoms starting, then the person with symptoms needs to self-isolate for 10 days.

The rest of the household needs to self-isolate for 14 days.

If school have told you he won't be allowed back without a negative test, then there's really nothing you can do now but wait out the 10 days.

If he showed symptoms on Saturday, then that is Day 1. So he can go back to school next week. If necessary, I'd say his symptoms started on Friday night, personally, so he got back for Monday morning.

Yes, it's definitely isolate until negative result or 10 days for the person with symptoms. 14 days for anyone else, unless person with symptoms had a negative test.

Ah I see. No my understanding is that 10 days later he can go back with or without a test. Might be worth phoning your surgery too to get back up for this. I tried 119 at the time to ask a similar question but they had extremely high call volumes and I've heard people waiting hours on the line to get through.

The whole thing is awful. I keep feeling so guilty that they are missing this many days so early on. Missing making new friends etc. I know it's not my fault but everyone else I know ignored the temp once it had gone and sent them in (which I don't agree with and is definitely not right, but it does make me feel like the odd one out/over careful).

X-post. Yes, school is wrong on that. If they make a fuss, you just need to tell them to quote you the government guidance that specifies that a negative test is needed after 10 days isolation and no further symptoms. They won't be able to, because it doesn't exist.

Yeah I understood it that way too! I wasnt expecting to get him back before the end of 2 weeks without a test. I can't get him a test, I am happy to self isolate the whole family for 2 weeks because I can't get him tested. The SCHOOL are telling me I can't send him back AFTER those 2 weeks without a test! That's the bit I don't think is right. I completely understand we need to all be isolating for the 2 weeks.

The official guidance for schools say your son can go back after 7 days isolation while everyone else in your house isolated for 14 days. This is taken from the government guidance so if you google that you should find it in one it the many many updates!

I have heard schools insisting on a negative test but you are entitled to just do the 10 day/14 day isolation if you can't get a test and then go back. There would be no point getting a test after 5 days so they can't refuse him going back. Maybe if you go to the website and write in the day of symptoms starting, once it is past 5 days it will tell you you can't have a test and to isolate. Then maybe you could print that out for the school? Otherwise if they are insisting on a test I would take it up with the LEA.

No, it's ten days and has been for a while now.

Actually, the guidance specifically forbids them from asking for a negative test:

Schools should not request evidence of negative test results or other medical evidence before admitting children or welcoming them back after a period of self-isolation.

That's point 9 in Section 1 of the (very long) guidance:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks

Thanks all! I agree with everything you're all saying I've tried telling the school that but they make me feel like I don't know what I'm talking about. It's been 5 days now so they're just going to have to have him back after the 2 weeks.

Nosquirrels that's perfect thank you so much