How many times has your child had to test?

[MangoM]

DS (14 months) started nursery 3 months ago in mid August.

Nursery have sent him home again today for the fourth time to get tested. That's now four times within three months, I'm really starting to lose my patience. Not with nursery, but with the whole virus situation, nevermind the inconsistency with how long the result takes to come back.

Has anyone else had to take their DC for tests as often as we have? Whenever we mention to any real life friends/family they just say 'oooh, your nursery is strict' which makes me wonder whether anyone else is having this same level of disruption.

@NoSquirrels
OH is doing the best he can, but we're finding it really difficult to get the right balance as he's just started a new job where the culture seems to be to work late and the nature of his job is quite pressured, and then on my side I've just returned from maternity leave and am trying to get back up to speed. Deciding how to prioritise our time ends up turning into a massive debate everytime.

18mo now up to 5 times after we had to test again yesterday - so that's two weeks in a row. First for fever and now for a cough.

5yo DS1 once.
18mo DS2 twice.
All for coughs, all negative.

Just one test so far for a cough. Negative.

Zero currently. Neither has been sick. It’s been a wonderful winter so far. A million times better than usual!

"Zero. Has gone to school with a bad cold as instructed (no persistent cough), no issues. Hasn't met criteria."

Who instructed that? People still don't want your bad cold even if it's not covid.

For me 1 child 4 times (under 2 and picking up constant coughs at nursery, coughs whenever he has a cold), other child once.

Frustrating us all having to stay home while waiting for results. Even more frustrating is that everyone I tell seems shocked we are staying home while waiting and surprised we need to if we don't have symptoms ourselves, so I'm sure lots of people are probably carrying on as normal potentially spreading it until their family member gets a positive test.

Who instructed that? People still don't want your bad cold even if it's not covid.
The school. They are expected to go to school with a cold if they don't have the three main Covid symptoms and are otherwise well enough to be there.

Dd is now 2, we live in a hotspot, and she hasn't been sent home at all yet from nursery.

Pre covid, when she was between 12 and 18 months, she was sent home regularly with a fever. I think covid is making it worse due to the need for testing, but it is entirely normal for young children to pick up bugs and be sent home by nursery.