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

@BlueBrian

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

Really hoping the support staff unions follow suit - I just know it'll be us being asked to do this. I barely get time for a wee during the day, I just can't see how it'd work.

The DfE’s top priority is to improve attendance figures. Too many kids are isolating due to school contact with covid so they want to say no more isolating.

They can’t just declare no more isolating because there would be general realisation that they have literally no regard for health and safety in pursuit of their attendance targets.

So shonky testing it is.

Is it these tests?

www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4469

Only get 58% of positives if used by "trained members of the public".

@EndoplasmicReticulum

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

That is a a worrying prospect for those staff and pupils who are themselves vulnerable or exceptionally vulnerable, and their direct households

I am nhs and have been given a box of lateral flow tests. I have to use the nasal swab then swish it in the tube with a little solution then drip it onto the test strip (like a pregnancy test) and wait 30 minutes to see if there is one line (negative) or two (positive). Then report results. A 'proper' test is required to prove a positive. They are not totally accurate but have picked up a positive asymptomatic case where I work.

FFS.
People have been complaining on MN that they want testing in schools for weeks.

They haven't rolled it out into schools until now because they've been trialling how it will work in a few schools in different parts of the country.

My DC school have been part of the trial: lateral flow tests for whole school weekly, then if someone tests positive, if close contacts were negative the same day, they keep coming to school and get daily tested.
If a cluster emerges (often asymptomatic kids) they work with PHE to decide whether to SI a class/year group.

So far this term my DC has had a total of 0 days SI. They've had to send 1 year group home once. No school closure (unlike many local schools)

Test results take 15-20 minutes. Any unclear results are retested, and some also get PCR.

We had to give consent, and could withdraw consent at any time.

I have had no complaints at all. Staff seem to be very positive- they've kept far more kids & staff at school compared to other local schools.

@EndoplasmicReticulum

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

This is bloody appalling.

Have the teaching unions made any comment?

People have been complaining on MN that they want testing in schools for weeks.

Yes, indeed. This is not what we have been asking for.

You don't want testing?

I'm not saying I don't want testing in schools. I want reliable testing carried out by trained people... not me popping out in a free period to swab year 9 instead of marking my books!

But they get more than one test- on several days right? So even if they are not as accurate having them repeatedly should pick it up- more than a single one anyway.

I genuinely don't understand why a test that gives a 15 minute result, and finds (and sends home) asymptomatic kids is a bad thing?

We all know that kids aren't SD at either school or outside school. So even if you SI close contacts from IN school, they'll be close contacts from outside school that kids won't mention.
Finding asymptomatic kids is surely good for schools?

Mass testing of the whole school twice a week is one thing.

Replacing self-isolating for people in contact with positive cases (when that is not the case anywhere else), with daily testing (whilst keeping them in school!) is another thing completely.

Do you want PCR testing instead? Could be more accurate but the problem is it would take longer to come back. Also i think they are offering that too...

What I have been asking for is mass testing of a bubble when there is a positive case to flush out asymptomatic cases and enable proper isolation. Proper testing.

What I have not been asking for is for a box of 50% accurate tests to be delivered to schools for an untrained TA to stick up the nose of the kids who sit next to a positive case in lieu of isolation.

But if you were to test a bubble of say 120 pupils such as at secondary school, for one single case would that be viable in terms of cost and time?

Im not sure where to begin with this.

I fully agree with mass testing. As a member of staff I am happy to administer my own tests. I am also happy to test daily if needed.

Am I going to be the one to complete the testing on children? No thank you. Am I going to expect my staff to do this? No I am not. I am not trained to conduct swabs this and I do not want to be liable if something happened to a child by accident. There are many things I am happy to administer such as general prescribed medicines, but I do not want to administer anything invasive if it is not due to a medical need.

I assume this won't be for primary schools? If it is, I would imagine less than 90% of my Early Years children would allow me to come at them with what looks to them like a giant cotton bud and ask to put it in their nose. You would also probably have to hold their heads still to get it in and get a good enough swab. I am not putting them through that, nor would I imagine parents or carers to allow me or other members of staff to do this either.

I would also like to know which lessons we should cancel in order to do this 30x each morning. Also how long does it take to bag one up? Or do you have to prepare stickers with each child's name on it and whack it on their test and put it on a table to wait for the result?

I had high hopes for mass testing. Why is this government incapable of fully thinking things through?

"Don't touch the children" has served me well as a rule of thumb for years. Not planning on changing that now.

Also if others tested positive then their close contacts would also get tested as well, meaning more pupils than the original close contacts...I guess there are limits and they need to find a viable option to keep things running as much as possible, and without the huge disruption there is at present.

@EndoplasmicReticulum

Is it these tests?

www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4469

Only get 58% of positives if used by "trained members of the public".

I would hazard a guess in this case i would have chance of getting 8% of positive cases if I gave it a go.

Mass lateral flow testing as screening for asymptomatic positives. Yes. Good idea. Especially if families do it themselves (and why wouldn't they? Teachers are no more qualified than any other adult)

Daily testing as a replacement for isolating contacts. No. It just isn't accurate enough. It will increase exposure vs isolating. Pupils will be coming in and spreading it around for days until the test goes positive when they could have been isolating

Daily testing as a replacement for isolating contacts. No. It just isn't accurate enough

Completely agree.

Don't these lateral flow tests take 20 to 30 minutes to get results? Or have they improved them since I last read that?

If so then half the morning will be gone by the time that's all organised and sorted every day.

@poshme On a previous thread you stated your child's school "closed completely". Please clarify.

Yep allow about 30mins to do it and get the result