Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

School Covid Testing Fiasco Latest

52 replies

Oaktree55 · 21/09/2020 17:43

So I’m reading that as a result of the testing fiasco they are rationing tests. Teachers are I believe No 5 on the priority list but children aren’t listed at all, which I suppose means zero chance of a test within 250 mile radius. Whatever your view on school opening this goes against the letter signed by CMO which stated testing is a prerequisite for schools operating safely.

How is this going to work now? Kids isolating for 14 days as they cannot be tested? Parents sending sick children in even more?

What an utter mess!

OP posts:
Lemons1571 · 21/09/2020 18:48

Presumably this also includes household members of the key worker. Bit pointless if not.

BlueGreyGreens · 21/09/2020 18:50

Well I suppose given people are thought to be contagious before symptoms start then that pupil will have already spread the virus regardless of whether they are sent home for coughing or kept home with coughing and/or less obvious symptoms. However, I'd say if people are keeping kids off to avoid risking having to being tested (and who could blame them, given the testing debacle) then that's worse, because positive cases won't be picked up and in the meantime it's silently spreading because no one has been contact traced and isolated.

To be clear my previous post wasn't about parents choosing to keep kids off for a fortnight, it was about parents keeping kids away for a few days to avoid being forced to potentially take 14 days off in the event they can't get a test. Kid coughs at home, no one knows, back they go...

BlueGreyGreens · 21/09/2020 18:54

(Obviously if there are no tests there are no tests but in that case parents 'concealing' coughing/unwell kids are avoiding the 10/14 day thing and potentially sending back infectious children).

But anyway, I know at least 3 friends who have 'concealed' their ill children this week, and sent them back after 2-3 days when they perked up.

Attictroll · 21/09/2020 18:59

Today I've heard of two family's where due to work they have dosed kids up to rid them of symptoms to still go to school. It's wrong but I understand why they did it.
Kids are getting the short straw but the government can't magic up tests. I wish someone would just take the government to court over it.

Chestergirl39 · 21/09/2020 19:01

@MarshaBradyo

I suppose both are as bad as each other as both could potentially spread the virus. Obviously if the child only starts with symptoms at school that is different - but sending a poorly child in with one of the 3 symptoms is wrong and not isolating at home for 2 weeks if you’ve had one of the symptoms and no negative test Is wrong.

But if kids keep getting coughs etc and parents can’t access tests, unfortunately this will happen more and more as employers will not be sympathetic and parents will worry about kids getting too far behind. It’s obvious.

PheasantPlucker1 · 21/09/2020 19:02

Dorual Ive worked in care homes and schools and with the exception of alternative provisions, I think care homes need the tests far more.

Rudolphian · 21/09/2020 19:05

I know of someone whose child had a temp. They kept them off and got a test but told school they had a belly ache.
Results came back fine. But it didn't take long for parents to cotton on.
And if they cant get tests for their kids. There will be a lot of other illnesses that aren't temp or coughs that children return after a couple of days rather than 2 weeks if they cant get a test.

BlueGreyGreens · 21/09/2020 19:08

I would very heavily prioritise care homes for testing, and think even weekly testing might not be enough.

I heard today that a few of my friends' private schools have bought machines that test saliva in 90 minutes etc- that is what good, expensive, private care homes should be doing too. Although that's for another thread.

Original poster
Oaktree55 · 21/09/2020 19:11

The point is there should be enough tests for everyone. This is how crazy it is, in Italy you can get a test to moor a boat in a Marina.

We can’t even get tests for key workers 🤬. It’s the labs apparently and an inability to process not a lack of actual tests.

I knew it would be bad this Autumn but never did I imagine they’d not be able to test!

OP posts:
olderthanyouthink · 21/09/2020 19:11

@BlueGreyGreens that's just depressing, further the divide between the haves and the have nots Sad private school kid misses a lesson or two, state school kid misses a week or two

RepeatSwan · 21/09/2020 19:12

Kids are getting the short straw but the government can't magic up tests.

The impact of this is cases will rise, hospitalisations will follow, and deaths follow that.

The government said testing was a prerequisite for opening schools. Children will lose parents and grandparents due to this, and teachers Angry

BlueGreyGreens · 21/09/2020 19:12

@olderthanyouthink indeed. That was my exact same thought process.

ChaChaCha2012 · 21/09/2020 19:13

I heard today that a few of my friends' private schools have bought machines that test saliva in 90 minutes etc- that is what good, expensive, private care homes should be doing too. Although that's for another thread.

Small care homes cannot afford that, not all are run by multimillion pound corporates. Many have shut in recent years, and many more are struggling to stay open now. That's what happens when you cut social care budgets to the core.

MarshaBradyo · 21/09/2020 19:17

@BlueGreyGreens

I would very heavily prioritise care homes for testing, and think even weekly testing might not be enough.

I heard today that a few of my friends' private schools have bought machines that test saliva in 90 minutes etc- that is what good, expensive, private care homes should be doing too. Although that's for another thread.

How available are these machines?
Houseplanted · 21/09/2020 19:21

If children aren’t tested then the child/children with symptoms are the only ones who stay off school rather than whole bubbles. The data for schools then looks much more positive.

ancientgran · 21/09/2020 19:22

I think the priority applies to households rather than individuals, so a doctor's child/husband etc would be prioritised too. Wasn't for my GC, doctor off work for 3 days as first 24 hrs spent trying to get a test and then a 48 hr wait for result. When they phoned to say they couldn't get a test and needed back in hospital they were basically told tough.

Nat6999 · 21/09/2020 19:22

So how will bubbles be sent home to isolate if someone in the bubble gets Covid? Kids are going to be working on a rota to get bubbles shut down. It makes a mockery of having bubbles in the first place. Another tory cock up.

BlueGreyGreens · 21/09/2020 19:23

How available are these machines?

No idea. A friend posted on FB about it and a few friends piped up to say their school had done the same.

@ChaChaCha2012 agreed, but let's not pretend there aren't a few care home companies who could put their hands in their pockets.

ancientgran · 21/09/2020 19:23

Do care home staff really need testing every week? Make it every 2 weeks, or 3. And just wear PPE all the time. Care home where I work had tests in early June and nothing since. We aren't getting weekly tests, at least not all of us are.

BlueGreyGreens · 21/09/2020 19:24

@ancientgran

I think the priority applies to households rather than individuals, so a doctor's child/husband etc would be prioritised too. Wasn't for my GC, doctor off work for 3 days as first 24 hrs spent trying to get a test and then a 48 hr wait for result. When they phoned to say they couldn't get a test and needed back in hospital they were basically told tough.
I should think that's why they've introduced the new priorities today.
MoaningMurlock · 21/09/2020 19:26

People will do what they ah e been doing since school started.

Giving carpool, sending to school and hoping they don’t get sent back/giving them mints to take to school to stop them coughing. Which despite the cold sweeping it’s way through ds and ds’s years, none have yet.

Our employers had to be understanding when schools were shut, they aren’t so now. No one can afford to be off repeatedly for 14 days (in a locked down area, have more chance of winning the Euro than getting a test within a few hours drive).

So they just won’t tell anyone dc have had a cough/fever.

ancientgran · 21/09/2020 19:26

Oh has it just been introduced, I haven't heard changes today. I do think that is a good idea, hospitals are short staffed as it is.

MoaningMurlock · 21/09/2020 19:27

Giving ‘calpol’.

Though some are carpooling too!

MarshaBradyo · 21/09/2020 19:30

Mind you France’s new school testing rules make ours seem sensible

Would love to find out more about 90 min machine, how much, cost to run, how many. Quick google said 8 in hospitals - the CovidNudge one

ktp100 · 21/09/2020 19:35

We managed to get one yesterday for DS, 90 mile round trip but at least we got one, I guess.

The problem is, if the government are hell bent on keeping schools open and we ALL know kids spread EVERYTHING (we've never even managed to eradicate nits in primaries, FFS) isn't not testing children just going to fuel the problem? Because surely most parents can't afford to take 2 weeks of work to isolate because a child has a fever/cough/loss of taste?! People will end up going into work and spreading it further.

It's just fucking ridiculous.