School now saying you need to keep isolating if a test comes back negative?

[cansomebodyputthetreeupplease]

I've contacted them to clarify and ask why they have stated this. Has anyone else's school had the same rule?

It goes against NHS advice (assuming the child isn't SI because of a household member testing positive in which case a negative test result is meaningless). I am not happy about the prospect of my DC's losing more time in school because of a random temp or a typical winter cough. My employer won't be happy either!

It the school insists is it worth challenging?

And I have no intention of sending my DCs into school unwell, but we usually have a couple of mystery fevers a year that clear up within a day or so.

Are you sure you haven't misread, it depends whether the child who has a negative result has suspected symptoms OR is self isolating as a close contact or travel for a 'quarantine' country.

If someone has symptoms then they are allowed back after a negative test.

If someone has no symptoms and has been told to isolate as a close contact, a negative result is irrelevant as they could still go on to develop symptoms. They must complete their 14 day isolation whatever.

HTH.

Yes that's totally wrong op. My dd (and ds) were in school within a couple of hours of both her test results.

Sorry, re reading I can see you know the above.

Schools have been instructed not to let children back if still unwell ie they have a temperature or whatever. But when that's fine, they should be able to return.

Some schools are starting to take the piss. Not sure why - but we’ll soon be at this point too, I reckon.

It’s not OK OP. I’d take it to the press. Certainly contact your LA and ask them.

The child has to stay off until their temperature has gone!

@Augustbreeze thanks, no not misread it, it just states that if they have a negative test result they must continue to isolate

I really hope they've made an error. It's frustrating though, as there seems to be an issue with people generally understanding the rules. This doesn't help thaw at all!

@Tomatoandbasil

The child has to stay off until their temperature has gone!

Of course they do. In our experience , that's usually 24-48hrs, not two weeks...

Is the child isolating for 14 days as a close contact of a positive case or as part of a closed bubble?

@StealthPolarBear

Yes that's totally wrong op. My dd (and ds) were in school within a couple of hours of both her test results.

Actually you make a good point. We've had a few tests in our household, as I've taken the kids in as soon as the negative result came in, and the school have been fully aware of that. So it's an error or they've changed the goalposts without explaining why.

@Tomatoandbasil

Is the child isolating for 14 days as a close contact of a positive case or as part of a closed bubble?

It was info on what to do if your child has symptoms, nothing to do with bubbles.

I think August meant she'd misread
I'm not sure what the answer is tbh. Can you call th head?

Our school said this to a friends dc then back tracked when it was queried and said they could return on a negative result as long as they were well enough . Theres no incentive to get tested if they need to isolate anyway

My ds' school said the same. One teacher had two negative tests but still had to isolate. So D's missed more school for no reason as there wasn't a teacher to cover the lesson.

This is what schools should have done from the start imo but lots of parents don't give a shit about covid spreading.

If your area is using the lateral flow tests it'd be sensible to say this as they are only 50% accurate, fucking pointless.

Why @BefuddledPerson? If the child has had a negative test and whatever symptoms they were experiencing with another, unknown cause have gone why should they isolate?

OP, this happened to a child in my eldest's class. School advised isolation until his cough had completely gone. This was after a two week isolation (as a close contact of another child in the class who'd had Covid) and a negative test. In fact the school advised the parent to book another test even though it was day 12 of the cough and tests need to be taken in the first 8 days of symptoms started.

Can you make it clear OP of you child still has symptoms? The guidance says to only stop self isolating with a negative test if you are well. If your hold still has the cough you mention in your OP, then the child must still self isolate. I have attached the part of the guidance that says this

Because by returning kids with symptoms of other illnesses we have spread other infections a) putting excess pressure on testing and b) encouraging people to ignore symptoms as just a cold.

Schools are full of undiagnosed covid.

My local secondary school is doing this too. My sibling has just gone back after self isolating due to contact with a positive case. Our DF asked if after a negative test can she return they said no, once her results came back negative he rang to tell them and asked again, they said she must complete her isolation period.

And yes, if the cough remains the child should be off still.

This is my siblings 3rd time being sent home too, so much education being missed.

The NHS negative result email/text has said you must wait 48 hours after a fever for the individual to end their isolation. This has been in place since at least the start of September.

@BefuddledPerson

And yes, if the cough remains the child should be off still.

One of mine coughs most of the winter. Should I keep her off for 4 months? Several negative tests, I suspect it's very mild asthma of some sort but it doesn't bother her at all.

@CoronaBollox

My local secondary school is doing this too. My sibling has just gone back after self isolating due to contact with a positive case. Our DF asked if after a negative test can she return they said no, once her results came back negative he rang to tell them and asked again, they said she must complete her isolation period.

This has been covered time and time again in the media and MN. I’m surprised that people still dont get they this. The test only picks up people with corona virus symptoms not people who are incubating the virus. You can get a negative test but be incubating the virus and become ill and therefore be spreading the virus at any point during the incubation period.

That

Yes I know all that. I was answering the OPs question on if other schools are doing the same.