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

To feel sorry for the child who tested + in school.

64 replies

shesellsseashells99 · 16/11/2020 11:18

I know this has to be kept confidential but quite often all the children find out which child it is and talk between them. We had the very first case of covid in my dd secondary school last week and all of year 9 had gone home to isolate. I just worry for that child and other children and families in that situation. I hope when they go back there are no implications for them. It was in local news, discussed on a local fb page...etc. horrible for them.

OP posts:
frozendaisy · 16/11/2020 11:25

Some people will be understanding.
Some will be cocks.
As with everything always.

Original poster
shesellsseashells99 · 16/11/2020 11:30

Yeah. I can just imagine myself and my child in that situation. Being discussed on fb, in the news. Some people will just think it was caught from being careless when it could happen to anyone.

OP posts:
Starlightstarbright1 · 16/11/2020 11:34

I think there are far biggers to get upset about. Kids know anyway. Child absent.

I don't think it is anything that they are judged on.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 16/11/2020 11:36

There’s been about 14 cases in my dd’s school. I’m amazed that a whole bubble has popped. Usually they just send a few home who’ve been near.

Unfortunately no one raises an eyebrow anymore. It’s become normal, although not a good normal

WhoWants2Know · 16/11/2020 11:36

There was similar discussion between kids and parents when we've had positive cases in school. Everyone feels uneasy until they can work out who tested positive and how close the kids have been to each other, etc.

But there's no negativity or blame associated with those conversations. If anything, kids are worried about their classmate and wishing them well.

IHeartHounds · 16/11/2020 11:38

They probably got it from someone else at school. Amy pupil who tests positive has been sensible enough to go to get a test when they noticed the symptoms. Hard to knock someone for that.

RB68 · 16/11/2020 11:49

some are bothered some arent. Names are not discussed by staff but as you say kids know. We aren't even told which bubbles they are in and iso is done by close contact which means things like half my DD friendship group were isolating the other week and half weren't yet they hang round with each other all day....

RB68 · 16/11/2020 11:51

I think what got me cross was the child in my DD tutor group that was positive was hoiked out of school, meaning he had had the test and still gone to school!

FourTeaFallOut · 16/11/2020 11:55

Yeah, ds got an email to isolate yesterday along with a bunch of kids in his class and within about ten minutes we all knew through whatsapp which kid was positive but there was no bitchiness or animosity, it's just how things are this term. Mostly discussion centred around online learning.

3littlewords · 16/11/2020 12:12

When there has been cases in my DS school some of the parents have been quite judgemental accusing said child/family for not following rules resulting in a positive result. Its quite sad really 😞

Dadnotamum72 · 16/11/2020 12:14

Our school name the child in the e mails as its the only way to work backwards to when the contact in school was to be able to work out which day to go back.
They don't tell each individual child when to isolate to, they just send each close contact a standard letter.

I have not heard of any ill feeling towards any positive cases.

Keeping the case totally confidential would be difficult as people work it out and would ultimately mean more risk of those that should be isolating not in school scenarios and in general.

Legoandloldolls · 16/11/2020 12:23

My dd had a test yesterday. There was no way I would tell the WhatsApp group. I told school who are only people who need to know. Most people would be lovely but a small minority would be sharpening the pitchforks and pointing blame. Nope, sod that. If she did have it, she would have caught it from school. Dh said the even the receptionist seemed accusatory when he called despite us doing a test off our own back with just a cough late on Saturday night, test first thing Sunday morning. What more could we do? We did the right thing and I still feel judged.

Its negative thank God. I would hate to be the first positive case in school. But it's a global pandemic and by its nature is transmitted.

There seems to a large group of people who think if you catch it your a feckless selfish rule breaker who deserves it and is wilfully murdering people. Or a small but very vocal group.

wherethewillowsgrow · 16/11/2020 12:37

Our school has a policy of total transparency and has named all of the several children/teachers who've tested positive. Presumably because it wouldn't take long for everyone to work it out anyway. I personally think this is a good thing, and have only heard words of concern/sympathy for those involved. No idea if that's universal around the school - just my experience.

Original poster
shesellsseashells99 · 16/11/2020 12:43

@wherethewillowsgrow

Our school has a policy of total transparency and has named all of the several children/teachers who've tested positive. Presumably because it wouldn't take long for everyone to work it out anyway. I personally think this is a good thing, and have only heard words of concern/sympathy for those involved. No idea if that's universal around the school - just my experience.
Wow, I'm surprised they do that to be honest
OP posts:
Blue565 · 16/11/2020 12:48

@wherethewillowsgrow

Our school has a policy of total transparency and has named all of the several children/teachers who've tested positive. Presumably because it wouldn't take long for everyone to work it out anyway. I personally think this is a good thing, and have only heard words of concern/sympathy for those involved. No idea if that's universal around the school - just my experience.
Pretty sure this is illegal, medical confidentiality would apply unless express consent given
Original poster
shesellsseashells99 · 16/11/2020 12:50

@RB68

I think what got me cross was the child in my DD tutor group that was positive was hoiked out of school, meaning he had had the test and still gone to school!
Unless it was one of the government random tests? I don't believe you have to isolate until it comes back?
OP posts:
slidingdrawers · 16/11/2020 12:56

Be interested to know how schools who are naming positive cases are they getting round data protection legislation and the right to confidentiality. An adult may be able to consent to disclose a test result but children are another matter.

JuliaJohnston · 16/11/2020 12:58

Ds2 has just arrived home to self isolate. The positive testing child is one of his friends, of course they all know who it is and of course there are no "implications" for him Hmm
It certainly hasn't made the local news either!! Do you live in a tiny village?

JuliaJohnston · 16/11/2020 12:59

The school don't disclose details, the kids talk amongst themselves...

pinpinbin · 16/11/2020 13:00

Its nothing to do with the schools - the kids know instantly and talk about it on their group chats. Then when you ask them why they've been sent home they say oh because such and such has got covid.

They then all chat away - the one with it, to check how they are and the ones stuck at home bored.

The only way it could possibly be kept quite is in primary schools before about year 6 when they start communicating online.

One of mine is currently at home for 2 weeks, I bear no ill will to the kid he sits next to at school who has tested positive and has cold symptoms. I will however give his stupid father some shade if I ever meet him as he still had the boy on "his day" at the weekend even though he was already ill. But as it's a big secondary and I don't know him or my son's friend I am sure that will never happen.

Original poster
shesellsseashells99 · 16/11/2020 13:03

@slidingdrawers

Be interested to know how schools who are naming positive cases are they getting round data protection legislation and the right to confidentiality. An adult may be able to consent to disclose a test result but children are another matter.
Unless they only name if the parents consent. No way would I want my child name disclosed everyone being shared all over the place.
OP posts:
RedskyAtnight · 16/11/2020 13:03

We've had about 12 cases and the name of the affected person is pretty much all round school by the end of the day. None of them have got any stick as far as I know. I think most people realise that it's as much luck as anything else.

ChasingRainbows19 · 16/11/2020 13:03

In my area schools are rife and bubbles are popping all over due to the high cases.
Once they get more cases the child won’t be the odd one out/being spoken about.

user68634 · 16/11/2020 13:05

No, it's just the way things are now. There has been over 20 cases in my kids school, you must live somewhere rural or with unusually low cases for this to be a big deal.

pinpinbin · 16/11/2020 13:09

yeah same here and the school have not named a single name, everyone instantly knows via the kids.

I hate to say it but there's a little bit of "badge of honour", type thing going on amongst the kids as well - the person that has tested positive is the centre of attention on whatever SM platform for awhile and lots of mgs are you ok? type messages. Obviously, they are all blissfully ignorant as none of them have been seriously ill yet, if at all. But I think after the year they've had and all this adult worry foisted onto them, let them enjoy the drama a bit if it gets them through.