Plan for testing in schools in New Year

[Orangeblossom77777]

Just wondered what you thought about the new plans for using the lateral flow tests in schools in England after the New Year?

www.gov.uk/government/news/secondary-schools-and-colleges-to-get-weekly-coronavirus-testing

Whilst children probably can test themselves, the expectation is that school staff will do the tests. Apart from the requisitioned nurse, that's not in any of our job descriptions and it's really not appropriate for us to be doing.

We’ve been told it’s just for staff, staff test themselves and then trained ‘volunteers’ process the tests after school. (On top of the enhanced cleaning, setting remote learning and every other usual teaching job)

then trained ‘volunteers’ process the tests after school

Oh, well that’s ok then. I’m sure there will be a queue of people who are free at 3.30pm in January-March who fancy coming into a covid-ridden school to do this.

If you want me to shove a seam up kids noses I'll give it a go. Can't promise I'll be gentle though. Oh and I'll have to stay 2m away while doing it as otherwise I could be disciplined. So might need a long pokey stick.

Seam ??? Swab

Or, what is more likely, TAs doing it, instead of supporting children with SEN

This with bells on. It's amazing what TA's do as part of their role because it's directly contracted, or words like reasonable and for the interests of the school often appear.

I am surprised that the BS inset on Friday wasn't ordered to be a swabbing training day tbh.

So erm, when are they supposed to be trained for this?

@Drivingho

We’ve been told it’s just for staff, staff test themselves and then trained ‘volunteers’ process the tests after school. (On top of the enhanced cleaning, setting remote learning and every other usual teaching job)

Madness

I can see schools are going to end up paying for someone extra to do it. Even though they can't afford it. Else extent midday assistant or other low paid member of staffs hours.

All going to cost time or money but still what choice is there. This is better than not testing after all.

@mumsneedwine

If you want me to shove a seam up kids noses I'll give it a go. Can't promise I'll be gentle though. Oh and I'll have to stay 2m away while doing it as otherwise I could be disciplined. So might need a long pokey stick.

😁

@sashagabadon And with barely two months of winter passed already, why ‘tis the very model of foresight and timely intervention. The festive mixing celebrations added not one twig of fuel to the fire neither.

If they do cancel Christmas, and people respect that (Ha!), that might be sufficient firebreak.

But my point was there should have been better measures in place from September. Better late than never, but barely.

I'm a hospital Dr so you might have thought I'd be Ok at this but both medical and nursing colleagues have managed to get negative results whilst actually having COVID.
Our social worker was the only one who managed an accurate positive!

The processing of the test has to happen at the same time as taking the swab. It has to be processed freshly so I don't see how someone else could do it later. It's going to be an extra job for staff. The whole thing takes about 30mins including waiting for the result to develop.

We do ours at home twice a week and report in the results. It was sold to us as voluntary and for your own peace of mind and I was happy to do it on that basis but have been disappointed with the accuracy.

@Appuskidu

then trained ‘volunteers’ process the tests after school

Oh, well that’s ok then. I’m sure there will be a queue of people who are free at 3.30pm in January-March who fancy coming into a covid-ridden school to do this.

No no- the volunteers will be from within the school.

@DougRossIsTheBoss

I'm a hospital Dr so you might have thought I'd be Ok at this but both medical and nursing colleagues have managed to get negative results whilst actually having COVID. Our social worker was the only one who managed an accurate positive!

The processing of the test has to happen at the same time as taking the swab. It has to be processed freshly so I don't see how someone else could do it later. It's going to be an extra job for staff. The whole thing takes about 30mins including waiting for the result to develop.

We do ours at home twice a week and report in the results. It was sold to us as voluntary and for your own peace of mind and I was happy to do it on that basis but have been disappointed with the accuracy.

That’s interesting.

What happens with hospital staff that have been identified as being close contacts of positive cases? Are they tested daily with these tests whilst remaining at work?

No no the volunteers will be from Year 7 and will get a mention in the weekly newsletter and "star of the week"

Quite rightly the unions have told the government to get lost if they think teachers are going to do the tests.

Canigooutyet

I bet you the 'training' is watching the video of the charming Irish man and maybe having a trial run on yourself. It's definitely not going to take all day.

I'm not approving of that. It's not a level of practice that would be accepted for a trial or for performing a procedure in a lab but I'm just saying I bet that is what is provided so probably no wonder if the results aren't awfully accurate.

Our school has explained this evening that to begin with it will be teaching staff who will be offered, but not made, to take the test, mostly if they have been traced (by school) as someone who has been in contact with a confirmed +ve. They said they will start with staff as will most as they want to be sure this works well at putting an end to the rota due to teacher shortages and due to asymptomatic cases going unnoticed. Only if someone tests +ve will they be asked to isolate.
They will then, if successful with staff, offer them to students. Firstly the same way if they've been around a case, then at random. They will be done by our school nurse who last week along with many others went to a Nightingale hospital to be shown how (also many were taught how to give the vaccine so clearly that's next in schools).
I'm all for it. The level of upset and meltdown the constant chopping and changing of staff and rota and fear of catching has caused to DS with his Aspergers is more irritating to me than the virus. He thrives on routine. There simply isn't any constant routine and hasn't been since September, to the point where on Monday he refused point blanc to get dressed and go to school. He had a huge screaming fit at me. It's so unnerving.

Seriously, the government advice says

"Under current guidelines, up to a whole school bubble has to self-isolate if one student or staff member tests positive. From January, those in the same bubble do not need to self-isolate if they agree to be tested once a day. This will improve attendance and ensure young people can benefit from face-to-face teaching as much as possible."

"Close contacts of positive cases who do not want to participate in daily testing will still be able to self-isolate as is currently the case"

"Schools and colleges will be provided with the necessary equipment and materials to deliver the testing and will be reimbursed for reasonable administrative costs such as staff"

Am I reading that wrongly?! As it seems to me to be saying that the pupils can still go into school if they don't want to SI as a close contact (if they get a test presumably at the beginning of the day?)

So, bearing in mind the shit accuracy rate and the fact pupils need to actually, you know, get to school, students that have knowingly been in close contact with a positive case and have a high risk of being positive themselves can still go to school?!!

As someone who is CEV this seems very alarming. I'm all for DC getting the best education they can but this seems wildly irresponsible (so in keeping with government policies so far).

Fucking bonkers.

Absolutely not
If you are identified as a contact you get sent home for 10 days to self isolate whether your lateral flow test is positive or negative.
It is accepted that the testing is not a get out of jail free card.

However we are supposed to avoid being assigned as a contact by distancing from colleagues and wearing PPE at all times so it's quite hard to actually be classed as a contact unless you admit to not wearing your ppe against regulations and then you get disciplined.

Just trying to figure out the logistics of this and the only way I can see it working is if close contacts take home a batch of tests and do them before school.

Obviously this opens up to a small minority who would lie if they got a positive to keep the kid in school.

If they do the tests at school then it just won't work.

Walk through school gates,
Swab nose
Wet swab with special liquid
Put dot on test plate

• wait 30 minutes for results
• send home anyone who's positive.

Not sure where people would wait while results are brewing or the pointing having a load of kids travel on public transport/ in groups of friends when there's the possibility of a positive test within 30 mins of arriving at school then having them travel home again on public transport knowingly infected.

Doug the DfE clearly say that the testing will be instead of isolating.

@FatGirlShrinking

Just trying to figure out the logistics of this and the only way I can see it working is if close contacts take home a batch of tests and do them before school.

Obviously this opens up to a small minority who would lie if they got a positive to keep the kid in school.

If they do the tests at school then it just won't work.

Walk through school gates,
Swab nose
Wet swab with special liquid
Put dot on test plate

• wait 30 minutes for results
• send home anyone who's positive.

Not sure where people would wait while results are brewing or the pointing having a load of kids travel on public transport/ in groups of friends when there's the possibility of a positive test within 30 mins of arriving at school then having them travel home again on public transport knowingly infected.

They're not allowed to use public or school transport if they're coming in for a test.

I think this is a terrible idea if it's a substitute for isolating

My colleagues and I have personal experience that the lateral flow tests were negative whilst in fact we were infected and even symptomatic. Ten of us have got it now.

If they were offering test kits to teachers and maybe pupils to do at home routinely twice a week I could get behind that but as a substitute for isolating contacts that just makes things less safe than they already are by giving people false reassurance

Absolutely not. If you are identified as a contact you get sent home for 10 days to self isolate whether your lateral flow test is positive or negative.It is accepted that the testing is not a get out of jail free card

Oh, so the advice for schools is completely different for the advice for hospitals then?

January is going to be really fun in secondary schools if close contacts of positive cases are still allowed to attend and mix daily with hundreds of pupils and staff members, then. What could possibly go wrong?!

Crikey. So the tests are instead of isolating. Even though they are not very accurate.
Is that - less than helpful?

It's almost like the government have ordered too many of these next to useless test and are trying to get rid of them, by using them in schools.

I can't see how useful these test will as they miss 51% of all positive cases.