Should the class have been told to isolate?

[MonktonMonkey]

Child in my DS's class had to self isolate as his mum tested positive for Covid. A few dats later he developed symptoms and subsequently tested positive. Should the class have been told to self isolate? TIA

Depends on when his last contact was with school. We've had a class sent home yet the staff are still on site, apparently all the children had contact but staff didn't

Only if the child was in school during the 48 hours before they showed symptoms. From what you say, it sounds like he had already been home for a few days before he developed symptoms, so no, the class doesn’t have to isolate.

Not sure when the child last had contact with school. This is my first brush with anything Covid related, so no idea what the protocol is!

In secondary they are just sending a handful of kids home who sit directly next to a case. (Very rarely the teachers).

If he wasn't in school in the 48 hours before his symptoms started then the class doesn't need to isolate. Its not always the whole class anyway, just close contacts

Well, if you don’t know when the child was last in school, I don’t think anyone will be able to tell you.

@monktonmonkey

Public health only insist on individuals, who have had contact with the positive case 48 hours before, isolating. Sounds like because the child was already isolating, they wouldn't have had contact before symptoms with other children in the classroom.

This happened to our class. Childs mum and sisters tested positive for the covid on the Monday after having symptoms on Saturday and test on Sunday. Child in our class came down with symptoms on the Monday while home isolating with them, had test on Tuesday and was confirmed positive on Wednesday. We did not have to isolate as we hadn’t seen him 48 hours before he tested we had seen him on the Friday before.

Probably not, as child would have been at home isolating with parents? That's the system working, for once!

You've not given us enough information, but I'm assuming the school didn't tell you because the child wasn't in school during the 48 hours before his test/first symptoms. In which case, no the school should not have told you.

Thanks all, I will stop panicking!