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Original poster

Is the school right?

34 replies

Fortheweekend · 11/12/2020 08:23

My friend tested positive for COVID on Sunday after displaying symptoms on Saturday.
Her 15 year old son started showing symptoms on Sunday morning and has been off school all week.
He had a postal test which has this morning come back positive.
My son is his friend and they sit together in class and on the bus.
My son was last in contact with him on Friday last week (all day).
I’ve just contacted the school and they are confident that he won’t need to self isolate and come continue coming to school as the advice is for 48 hours between contact and symptoms but Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is less than 48 hours?

OP posts:
ineedaholidaynow · 11/12/2020 08:24

I would say they were wrong

Morgan12 · 11/12/2020 08:27

I think wrong too. Has track and trace contacted him though?

I'd keep him off anyway.

HallFloor · 11/12/2020 08:27

My symptoms started Sunday and my contacts have been raced back to Friday, so yes, your son should isolating, unless school are arguing they were 2m apart at all times?

angryfedup · 11/12/2020 08:42

School are definitely wrong! We've just had a positive case where I work and the whole year group including teachers and lunchtime staff are isolating.

Original poster
Fortheweekend · 11/12/2020 08:51

Thanks all. I’m going to ring the year head.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fortheweekend · 11/12/2020 08:53

HallFloor hope you feel better soon.

OP posts:
mooncakes · 11/12/2020 08:54

@Morgan12

I think wrong too. Has track and trace contacted him though?

I'd keep him off anyway.

Track & trace don’t do schools, the school does it.
HallFloor · 11/12/2020 09:01

The schools speak to Test and Trace and take their advice. It depends on the situation in the area at the time and who you speak to on the day In some places they're instructing schools to close whole bubbles in other's they're working to identify close contacts only.

Gooseygoosey12345 · 11/12/2020 09:39

He should be self isolating for 2 weeks if he was a close contact surely!

Countdowntonothing · 11/12/2020 09:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Fortheweekend · 11/12/2020 10:11

I can’t get through to anyone. Left messages for the year head, think he’s avoiding me. I would really like some answers as I look after vulnerable people, I’m concerned about putting them at risk.
I looked on the government website as I wondered about getting ds a test just to make sure but he can’t have one unless he’s showing symptoms. It says you can pay privately but it’s £120 and I can’t afford that.

OP posts:
AstridAv · 11/12/2020 10:13

I would say they're wrong. My son was in contact with a positive case on Friday. He became unwell on the Monday. Now its Friday and I am ill too.

Original poster
Fortheweekend · 11/12/2020 14:43

AstridAv hope you both make a speedy recovery,
Have found out why the school weren’t asking pupils to self isolate. My friend has told the school her son first came out with symptoms on Tuesday yet has told myself and a couple of other mums it was Sunday morning, wtf!?

OP posts:
Misssugarplum12764 · 11/12/2020 18:49

The school are technically wrong, but they’ll be taking advice from the DFE/PHE about who to send home, and they’re v keen to keep numbers low. I’m part of the T&T team at my school and had that advice in an almost identical situation. However, we chose to send the Friday contacts home, knowing that it’s highly likely that the child could have been contagious on the Friday.

Yellowmellow2 · 11/12/2020 18:57

The school is wrong. The DfE helpline, which I’ve rung quite a lot now, are clear that if contact is less than 48 hours then any contacts must isolate. The school has a duty to follow the guidance.

Yellowmellow2 · 11/12/2020 18:57

You could phone 119?

SummerHouse · 11/12/2020 19:05

I think only your friend can clear this up now. If the school have the wrong day then there are potentially serious implications.

Original poster
Fortheweekend · 11/12/2020 19:45

I really don’t know what is going on or what to do but the school is confident that no one needs to isolate as my friend has told them her son came out with symptoms at the beginning of the week yet she specifically told me and a few mums that it was Sunday morning (I’ve told the year head this but he’s not interested). I have no idea why she’s done this (maybe she worried that she faffed about all week wasting time sending out for out for a postal test). My ds says the son was coughing on Friday and one of the friends even jokingly asked him if he had Covid!
And the year head told my son this afternoon that he’s to keep quite and not to ‘gossip’ about it!
I’m really annoyed because ‘keeping quiet’ means other pupils could be potentially passing it on if they are not displaying symptoms. Other parents have no idea there dc have been in contact with a him.
I, myself care for several vulnerable people including my own mum who has health issues and Alzheimer’s. Just hope and pray ds isn’t asymptomatic.

OP posts:
MoirasRoses · 11/12/2020 22:35

@Fortheweekend - you can just lie on the govmt website & get a test. Just tick yes he has symptoms. No-one checks. I’m not one to advocate wasting tests but I also feel you should do what’s best for your families safety.

I started with cold like symptoms on Sunday & the Zoe app sent me for a test. I’ve had 5 tests with non covid symptoms via them. My mum is vulnerable so if it suggests I go, I always do as it gives me some reassurance this particular cold isn’t it. Well, this week, my cold was it. I’m positive. No main symptoms. It feels like a cold & ive got a headache. I’m so glad I got tested.

abersinas · 11/12/2020 22:44

Getting a test is irrelevant!!! If you have been exposed you need to isolate for the full period. A negative test DURING a period of isolation is meaningless.

PrivateD00r · 11/12/2020 23:00

You may as well isolate him over the weekend if you are worried, school can't stop you?? But sure with the new 10 day rule, he can still go to school on Monday anyway as that will be day 11.

nex18 · 11/12/2020 23:06

The school are wrong, hope it’s not the maths teacher who can’t count to 2. Presumably the test was Tuesday hence the confusion over days, seems a reasonable timescale for postal tests. As the isolation period has reduced to 10 days your son only needs to have Monday off school to complete his isolation period.

nex18 · 11/12/2020 23:09

@PrivateD00r does Friday (day of contact) count as day 1, or is that day 0 and day 1 starts Saturday? We obviously counted differently! I can manage to 10 usually!

AurorayRuben · 12/12/2020 08:28

Wrong.
The school needs to be pulled up on this. They are not following guidelines.
I work in a school where we have one year 10 form all at isolating and one year 7 form. Most of the teachers that teach those groups and all the TA tat worked with them.
It's what we have to do.

Susanwouldntlikeit · 12/12/2020 08:37

School are definitely wrong! We've just had a positive case where I work and the whole year group including teachers and lunchtime staff are isolating.
This totally bonkers! Poor kids.
OP why are you do wound up about this? A week later and your find still had no symptoms. As PP said -if you are terrified (rather than just trying give the school a hard time as ‘that’ parent) then give done pretend symptoms, get him tested and just keep him at hone till you get the negative result.