Schools telling kids to come in while waiting for household results?

[borageforager]

Is this happening anywhere else?

My colleague was told by school to continue sending his two kids in while he waited for test results for himself. I thought this was wrong & alarming but an isolated error, but yesterday I rang our primary school to let them know DC1 has symptoms & we are self isolating waiting for test results, & the headteacher told me I could send DC2 in to school regardless as he doesn’t have symptoms. I said we would stick to the guidelines & keep the family at home but I am so surprised to have two examples of this (at two different schools in the same town) this week. Is this happening commonly?!

Yes that’s right.

That’s against the guidance, the whole household should self isolate while awaiting test results

Guidelines don't say to isolate if someone in your household has taken a test - only if they took the test because they themselves have symptoms (so testing because they have been in contact with someone else who has symptoms, but they don't) or of course if the test is positive. So technically the family of an asymptomatic person doesn't have to wait for the test result.

(Unless obviously they've been asked to self isolate via the app).

I've kept my dc off at one point this week for the same reason, I certainly hope their code is self-isolating not absence - it would be mad to send them into school with a symptomatic parent

My understanding is this:

Someone in household (A) has a test because they have had contact with someone who has tested positive. A has no symptoms. A must self isolate while waiting for result. Other members of household go to school/work as normal.

Someone in household (B) has a test because they have had contact with someone who tested positive AND B has symptoms. While waiting for results, whole household must isolate.

I was under the impression that if someone tested because they had symptoms, everyone in the household had to self isolate until a test came back. DH had a test a couple of weeks ago and we all self isolated. DD had only the Monday off school because the results came back negative on the Monday afternoon.

I didn’t think asymptomatic contacts had to test at all as a negative does not reduce isolation for them. But yes if there is a symptomatic household member then everyone should isolate and swat results. This is where we are at this weekend, DC missing all their activities.

In both of these cases, the family member (my colleague, and my son - this is coincidence, they have not had contact with each other!) were both symptomatic, so were testing on those grounds. My colleague had a fever, and my son has a cough. So according to AlwaysLatte's screenshot, both households should be isolating.

BurningEars what's right?

@Brakebackcyclebot

My understanding is this: Someone in household (A) has a test because they have had contact with someone who has tested positive. A has no symptoms. A must self isolate while waiting for result. Other members of household go to school/work as normal

Person A shouldn't be getting a test in this situation. They self isolate for 14 days and only is symptoms start do they test.

It's very clear, everyone should self-isolate if one household member has symptoms, and wait for the result. Maybe send them this link OP:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/

Whaaaat? No everyone should be hunkering down at home until the test results come back negative!

This would explain my current situation. So isolating from school as are his class and teachers but nobody was off either kids or staff so it's possible that one had had a test along with a symptomatic family member but still come to school and then tested positive. We couldn't think of another scenario of a close contact. Can anyone else? No kids or teachers off at all all week yet Friday sent home to isolate?

polkadotpjs yeah, my colleague had a fever on the Monday so rang up school but was told to send the kids in unless he had a postive test result. So he sent the kids in. As it happens, on Friday he got a negative result so no damage done, but yes, in that scenario the infection could have spread to the school had his result been postive.

MRex yeah I thought about emailing my school (didn't think I could really email colleague's school to complain!) to point out the guidelines - even though it was the head who told me to send DC2 in! - but did wonder if maybe schoools had some sort of different guidance from PHE....??

@borageforager had the dad been positive only he and family would have isolated would they unless child also had a positive result?

Its only schools. Schools are doing what public health England and the Departmrnt for Education have told them to do. Schools gave to follow what they say.

Things have changed and asymptomatic people are now being tested.
But agree if someone in the house has symptoms the whole household should isolate until the original person gets a negative test result.

This is the guidance my child's school sent out. If someone in the household has symptoms you all need to isolate til negative test result.

I would email your head the guidance. Some headteachers and school staff are being very fast and loose/casual with the rules because they are still in the mindset that attendance figures matter more.

If the head continues to insist, I would ask to see specific guidance from the DfE/PHE explaining why it is ok to send your child in.

ER4321 so this was the correct advice as far as schools are concerned? Really?

Our secondary is being very lax. My child has been sat a couple of seats away from another student for over 20 minutes every morning without a mask. The other student has tested positive but the school don't consider my child a close contact and expect him in as usual.

I'm not at all saying it's the correct thing to do. I'm saying it's what the school has been told by the people in charge of this. Schools have a case they phone the hotline. They're given instructions which they have to follow. They're also being told by the chief of Ofsted that they are too readily sending children home. And also now apparently being told by parents they're not sending enough home....

Also you'll be interested to know that if somebody in a member's of staff household has tested positive but they themselves dont have symptoms they're to continue to go to work until they do have symptoms. Giving it a good 14 days to spread around the building. Oh and obviously no masks to be worn in primaries whilst all this goes on.

@ER4321 where have schools been told this as not the case at my ds school we are clearly told if someone has symptoms then we stay home until a negative result

@ER4321 how would someone be told to come in if their child say has tested positive as not the experience of my teacher friends and also not what test and trace would tell you , who's advise legally you have to follow , what proof so you have that schools have been told to ignore track and trace