Husband and I both positive - any point getting kids tested?

[baublegirl353]

So I tested positive on Tuesday, husband got his result this morning. Kids are 11, 14 and 16. All fine, but 14 yr old just started coughing. They are obvs all isolating for two weeks anyway, do I need to get them tested?

@noblegiraffe

It is wasting tests for no good reason imo as it won't change your isolation.

It will change their isolation if they are positive.

Due to the timings the op gave, it won't make any difference :-)

Whilst I understand that your children are isolating anyway and as such not worth getting a test, but the fact that one has cough I would want to know either way as they do have a cough.

Depends on when they get a test (the possibly asymptomatic ones).

The majority of those I know that have been tested had to lie to get a test, some have tested positive.

@noblegiraffe

Depends on when they get a test (the possibly asymptomatic ones).

But you shouldn't test asymptomatic people anyway? Should they become symptomatic, then obviously they isolate for 10 days from symptoms if they don't test/test positive. Otherwise, they simply isolate for 14 days for the first symptoms. I cannot understand why you would test someone who is asymptomatic.

Wouldn't have occurred to me to do that with my dc. As previously mentioned, I did keep them off school a little longer though to be on the safe side, they were due back to school on the Friday, I kept them off until Monday. However their 'symptoms' didn't qualify them for a test.

@NotAKaren

The majority of those I know that have been tested had to lie to get a test, some have tested positive.

I can understand doing this if it will impact others/ you aren't otherwise isolating. Technically maybe I did, my temp was 37.7 (so under the magic 37.8) and I don't know that my cough at that stage was 'persistent' but I booked the test because I knew I had been in contact with positive cases in work (had PPE on so not able to isolate due to it). It came back positive.

However DH and I decided from the start that we wouldn't test the DC as it wouldn't change anything, they hadn't been in school as it was the end of half term, they hadn't left the house that whole week and no one had been in the house. DH was off work and they just stayed in all week. The DC did not qualify for testing with their symptoms and what benefit would there be from telling lies to get a test? We still made sure to isolate them for more than 10 days after their sore throats anyway.

I cannot understand why you would test someone who is asymptomatic.

Because they are children and children are more likely to be asymptomatic than display the main symptoms and ‘qualify’ for a test.

Why do you not want to know if your child has it?

It makes absolutely no difference to my life or theirs. No one knows how immunity works or how lasting it is so I will not be dropping our guard in any way. Perhaps it is because I am a HCP that I won't tell lies to access testing? I am well aware of how difficult it has been for people to access tests who actually need them.

HOWEVER had they been in school, I absolutely would have tried to get them a test by calling the number. I would not have told lies to book a test online though, its just not something I would do personally.

There is supposed to be plenty of testing capacity now. If your child is coughing, and you are positive, get a test.

This British attitude of ;waste not want not' is not helping to identify number of cases and understand spread.

Plenty of people I know who ahve tested positive have had whole family tested, at the suggestion of the testing people. It sounds to me like the 'script; is trying to dissuade testing. Oh, I wonder why...

But they are mass testing people in Liverpool, including asymptomatic people. A quarter of all the positive cases are asymptomatic.

As it goes, OP's child is not asymptomatic anyway!

Every person I personally know who ahs tested positive was asymptomatic!

@baublegirl353

Just called 119 who were hopeless. Clearly I was asking questions that didn't fit the script. She basically said they shouldn't be tested unless symptomatic, and that his cough wasn't continuous enough and a headache didn't count 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'd get the DC who's showing symptoms tested. My DD works in a nursery was tested with a slight cough & headache (so not typical Covid) and it was positive. DS's test came back as negative despite him having identical symptoms. I'm convinced his was a false negative result.

@Piggywaspushed

There is supposed to be plenty of testing capacity now. If your child is coughing, and you are positive, get a test.

This British attitude of ;waste not want not' is not helping to identify number of cases and understand spread.

Plenty of people I know who ahve tested positive have had whole family tested, at the suggestion of the testing people. It sounds to me like the 'script; is trying to dissuade testing. Oh, I wonder why...

I was not putting my dc (one of which has ASD and is genuinely traumatised from a previous test) through the horrible testing just to help the government 'understand the spread'. I am amazed anyone would do that to their dc when there is no benefit to them.

And anyone who says the test is not horrible likely didn't do it correctly I am an HCP and test patients as part of my job, so I certainly know how to do it correctly.

Anyway, I am not the op, just giving them my experience and showing them I understand where they are coming from No one is under any obligation to test at the end of the day.

I would not have told lies to book a test online though, its just not something I would do personally.

You’re not seeing the impact of not getting kids tested when they don’t display the main symptoms. It’s causing chaos because infected kids are in school and no one is doing anything about it, particularly not the government who continue to peddle the ‘main symptoms’ line to parents even though they know it’s inadequate.

Yes, if you and your DH are both positive and your son is coughing you need to get him tested.

I'm surprised you need to ask tbh.

Even if he hasn't been in school since Tuesday, he could have had COVID and been contagious longer than that. The school need to know.

Can you not just order a self test kit.

Or if you can’t say they are all coughing.

@Piggywaspushed

There is supposed to be plenty of testing capacity now. If your child is coughing, and you are positive, get a test.

This British attitude of ;waste not want not' is not helping to identify number of cases and understand spread.

Plenty of people I know who ahve tested positive have had whole family tested, at the suggestion of the testing people. It sounds to me like the 'script; is trying to dissuade testing. Oh, I wonder why...

I also meant to say, this depends on where you live. Not everyone on MN lives in England

I personally was lucky to get a test quickly but had to travel quite far and use a walk in site which I really didn't want, but that was all that was available. No home tests available at that point.

@noblegiraffe

I would not have told lies to book a test online though, its just not something I would do personally.

You’re not seeing the impact of not getting kids tested when they don’t display the main symptoms. It’s causing chaos because infected kids are in school and no one is doing anything about it, particularly not the government who continue to peddle the ‘main symptoms’ line to parents even though they know it’s inadequate.

I said several times that my dc had not been in school though? Like almost all my posts have said that? You clearly have a bee in your bonnet about this but you are picking on the wrong person. My dc were off for 2 full weeks prior to my positive test, then stayed off for 2.5 weeks after. Please don't try and blame me for your anxiety....

I quite clearly wrote that I would have tested them had there been implications for school. I notified school anyway immediately and wrote in my emails how happy I was that schools wouldn't be affected by me, I was really unwell at this point but that was my main thoughts.

I am not the enemy here.....

@Pechanga

Yes, if you and your DH are both positive and your son is coughing you need to get him tested.

I'm surprised you need to ask tbh.

Even if he hasn't been in school since Tuesday, he could have had COVID and been contagious longer than that. The school need to know.

School already knows that the op is positive so are aware to be vigilant, but they can not do anything different based on what happens now as the contact tracing only goes back 48 hours. The dc were not in school 48 hours prior to symptoms. Therefore there is no implication for the school thankfully.

I appreciate you are concerned that the 48 hours might not be enough, but that is still the rules regardless!

I said several times that my dc had not been in school though?

But you are posting advice to an OP whose DC may be returning to school prematurely.

Secondary kids are the most infected subset of the population.

I don't understand why they are saying a headache doesn't count. It was my only symptom for a week after I tested positive. (Random test) and every single person I know who's also had a positive test had a headache.

@noblegiraffe

I said several times that my dc had not been in school though?

But you are posting advice to an OP whose DC may be returning to school prematurely.

Secondary kids are the most infected subset of the population.

It has been very clear from the details that isn't the case though. I honestly cannot understand why you have taken such an issue with my posts. I will definitely not be replying to you again. I am well aware of where you stand on the whole thing, but you need to read posts properly and see that we are not the problem here.

Also, there is a difference between giving your experience and providing advice. It was very clear which of those I was doing Personally I wouldn't advise op either way on this, it is up to them so long as they are cautious in their approach to length of isolation. You clearly feel differently and are advising testing even if it means telling lies. I have said several times, that is not my approach

My DC had no symptoms at all prior to testing. I tested the one who’d been in contact with a confirmed case from college first as he is CV expecting a negative. As he was positive, I got the rest of us tested. My primary aged DS has absolutely no symptoms and continues not to have any a week after testing positive. The others had throat irritation starting 4/5 days after testing positive then loss of taste/smell and that’s all. They are all teens though.

Primary aged DSs year group have all been sent home to self isolate due to this so I am very glad I got him tested so it’s limited spread.

It’s a disgrace people have to lie to get a test when they’ve been in contact with a confirmed case. They could be asymptomatic as my DC was and have spread it unknowingly before isolating themselves. As THEIR contacts wouldn’t have had it confirmed they were infected, they wouldn’t self isolate and so it would continue!

You don't need to lie to get a coughing child tested

Just go online and book the test.

I honestly cannot understand why you have taken such an issue with my posts

But you have taken such an issue with mine that you complained about them on a thread I wasn’t on....

I am going to robustly advise parents to lie to get their kids a test whenever there’s the slightest suspicion they have covid because testing kids is massively important in solving the huge issue we have with transmission in secondary schools.

It will also make for more accurate data that the government maybe might have to stop ignoring and do something about like initiate their own mass testing in schools as Wales and Scotland are considering doing.

@noblegiraffe

I honestly cannot understand why you have taken such an issue with my posts

But you have taken such an issue with mine that you complained about them on a thread I wasn’t on....

I am going to robustly advise parents to lie to get their kids a test whenever there’s the slightest suspicion they have covid because testing kids is massively important in solving the huge issue we have with transmission in secondary schools.

It will also make for more accurate data that the government maybe might have to stop ignoring and do something about like initiate their own mass testing in schools as Wales and Scotland are considering doing.

Hahaha Yes I reckoned that was your issue!!! Brilliant! That was in reference to your language, and actually I only referred to the thread title, which I was happy to see was later changed due to so many being unhappy with it. I am pleased you have admitted why you picked apart my posts here - thank you for your honesty

And yes I had a fair idea that was your agenda, but nope I am not putting ASD DC through a test just to boost up your 'data', when as mentioned many many times, it had no impact on their school

Anyway, time to stop derailing the ops post with this pettiness...