Isolation question

[Whatever9999]

Last Friday my 6yo came down with a cold, including a cough. Over last 2 weeks the cough has got steadily worse . Monday I phoned the school because it was pretty regular, same cough as the week before, just more coughs, sounds the same. School was happy for him to go in. Today we got the dreaded call, despite it actually being less frequent now, they've decided it's persistant. I know that it's the same cough, as 2 weeks ago, aggrevated by the sudden change in weather. He now can't go back to school until he gets a negative test (which means we'll have to lie about start of symptoms), not that we can get a test, but luckily he's been selected for the survey, which means one should be with us within a couple days.

But now the real question.

His current symptoms started 14 days ago, they haven't actually changed, the cough is the same and personally I don't think it's persistant. He can go hours between coughs (and isn't coughing during the night), but then will cough a few times in a half hour period (obviously this happened at school). So if we're saying 14days from onset of symptoms, we've missed that isolation window, haven't we?

Just to add, I phoned 111 and they seemed to agree self isolation period is up.

If you’re relying on a survey test for results be aware they can take longer. I did one back in august, tested on the Friday but didn’t receive the results till the following Wednesday/Thursday

If he still has illness symptoms other than a cough he needs to remain in isolation until those symptoms disperse. Sounds like its also time to contact a doctor as children shouldn't be suffering from a common cold for weeks at a time which suggests something else could be up. Unfortunately as you are more than 5 days into symptoms he doesn't qualify for a Covid test.

Unfortunately if the schools policy is child needs a test due to coughing, then you need to get one and you all isolate until you get results, hopefully negative.

I'll keep for the tests. But am concerned that the period we should have been self isolating we obviously haven't. In fact it is 2 weeks since his symptoms first started.

@StatisticalSense

If he still has illness symptoms other than a cough he needs to remain in isolation until those symptoms disperse. Sounds like its also time to contact a doctor as children shouldn't be suffering from a common cold for weeks at a time which suggests something else could be up. Unfortunately as you are more than 5 days into symptoms he doesn't qualify for a Covid test.

He literally just has a cough now. Not at all ill in himself. First few days he had the shots and a cough, then the cough has just hung around. We have a strong family history of asthma, and I'm wondering if that's raising its head. Once I get a negative result I'll call the doctor.

children shouldn't be suffering from a common cold for weeks at a time which suggests something else could be up.
With my children and most of the children I work with (In a preschool)...the cough part of a cold can go on for bloody ages!

@Bupkis

children shouldn't be suffering from a common cold for weeks at a time which suggests something else could be up. With my children and most of the children I work with (In a preschool)...the cough part of a cold can go on for bloody ages!

Exactly. He's not actually ill in himself now. Had a couple days feeling grotty. And while the cough has become more noticeable over last couple days, I dont think it can now be considered new either. I'm happy to keep him home and indoors and try and get a test (even though that means I have to lie about when symptoms started). But the symptoms started 2 weeks ago, I know exactly when because his great grandma was cremated that day and he woke up feeling grotty and couldn't go.

The cough has been slightly worse last couple of days, but that has coincided with the colder weather and the heating going on