Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

The government wants YOU to volunteer as a school covid tester

716 replies

noelgiraffe · 15/12/2020 23:42

The govt have proudly announced that there will be mass testing in secondary schools, colleges and special schools from January.

What the headlines don’t quite convey is that schools will be expected to set up and man their own testing centres and that this make-shift testing of close contacts of positives will replace close contacts having to isolate. The tests pick up about 50% of positive cases so I’m sure this will be fine.

Covidy kids will be getting the bus to school to queue up and be tested by people who have watched a video and a couple of online worksheets.

Even better, they want those people to be YOU!

“The document says that reasonable costs for additional workforce will be reimbursed.

It adds that a school may want to hire temporary staff, such as agency and contract workers, or draw on volunteers such as parents, retired teachers, Red Cross, St John Ambulance and community organisations.”

If you can’t help in person, perhaps you can support by talking positively about this effort on social media and parenting forums?

“Under a section labelled “social media guidance”, the document reads that “consistent, accurate and positive communication about testing activity is essential”.

They want to see “proactive public social media using agreed materials” and schools are encouraged to “monitor your existing social media channels, parents forums etc. and provide any feedback”.”

Come on folks, do your bit!

schoolsweek.co.uk/7-staff-roles-2-hour-training-and-dhsc-sign-off-on-press-schools-given-mass-testing-instructions/

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
TheHoneyBadger · 22/12/2020 19:11

@Whattimeisdinner

At least there will be a ‘documentary’ exposing this f’ing scandal ... in 2/3 f’ing years time... 😡🤬
Yeah, it'd make a great panorama if they're allowed to report on it.
Whattimeisdinner · 22/12/2020 19:13

The documentary makers are on it. I bet my life on it!

DonnaDonna01 · 22/12/2020 19:13

You have to sign consent for this testing, if you don’t they can’t test your child. It’s that simply either sign or don’t. I know where my consent is going.

Whattimeisdinner · 22/12/2020 19:28

*Thehoneybadger’
Joe Maugham was all over it on Twitter... @JolyonMaugham Nov 18

SansaSnark · 22/12/2020 20:21

@stairway

I agree not instead of SI, but the lateral flow tests are better than nothing, it isn’t ok but I’m not sure if there is the lab space available for mass asymptomatic testing -have to be realistic. Am I happy with the governments covid response- nope!
I would actually still be in favour of using lateral flow tests in this way in schools- send self isolators home as per and then test the rest of the bubble for the rest of the week to see if there are any other positives.

It's the use of them instead of self isolation that people are objecting to.

I think a lot has changed in a week, though, and I think the landscape will be totally different in January.

I don't think we'll see schools open as normal on the 11th anymore.

SansaSnark · 22/12/2020 20:22

@DonnaDonna01

You have to sign consent for this testing, if you don’t they can’t test your child. It’s that simply either sign or don’t. I know where my consent is going.
What if they say your child can't come into school if you don't consent?
EndoplasmicReticulum · 22/12/2020 20:40

In the case of test-instead-of-isolate I'd be happy for my child to isolate instead because that way they're not potentially spreading covid everywhere.

In the case of mass testing at the beginning of term I don't think they'd be able to say that. I'd be happy for them to not be in school until their grandparents get vaccinated anyway, tbh.

DonnaDonna01 · 22/12/2020 22:17

@SansaSnark they haven’t said that yet, they might but if there is a low uptake on the test would they?
If they did then parents would have to decide what to do then.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/12/2020 18:27

Schools guidance updated today link below.

I noticed this bit:

"Whether or not schools and colleges choose to opt into the testing programme, in advance of 11 January secondary schools and colleges will ensure:"

suggests that schools can "choose to opt into the testing programme" whereas before it was sounding pretty compulsory.

Also this:

"all pupils and students will be back in school or college for face-to-face education from 11 January at the latest - pupils and students will not need to have had a test to return to school or college on 11 January."

Which answers a question someone had on a thread yesterday which was basically if parents / students don't want testing can the student still go to school.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-in-the-autumn-term

Achristmaspudsskidu · 23/12/2020 18:31

If a child is identified as being a close contact and the parents refuse permission for them to be tested daily by volunteers, will they have to self-isolate, or will they be sent back into the classroom anyway?

Jinglingmod · 23/12/2020 18:34

Self-isolate. I think that's quite clear. Thank goodness.

inquietant · 23/12/2020 18:43

I will want mine to self-isolate anyway as the testing is so faulty that if there's been one positive case in class, I don't want mine in for the next two weeks while the others get false negatives Sad

EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/12/2020 19:03

Exactly inquietant. Problem comes if yours is not a close contact but there are cases in the year group, and other close contacts are opting for testing instead. Article on BBC just now had 40% quoted, not 50%.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/12/2020 19:04

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55426523

TheHoneyBadger · 23/12/2020 19:06

Gonna suck for us teachers stuck teaching close contacts instead of them isolating. Doesn't seem at all safe

Achristmaspudsskidu · 23/12/2020 19:07

@EndoplasmicReticulum

Exactly inquietant. Problem comes if yours is not a close contact but there are cases in the year group, and other close contacts are opting for testing instead. Article on BBC just now had 40% quoted, not 50%.
It’s not just close contacts but siblings as well.

So, Kevin tests positive and stays at home, but his mum can still come in daily and help with the testing and his brother still comes into school every day for the daily testing.

Would you want your child to sit next to Kevin’s brother all day every day? Or be tested by his mum?

SaltyAF · 23/12/2020 19:09

I don't want to go back. I'm so fucking sick of being treated like society's punchbag.

christinarossetti19 · 23/12/2020 19:11

The general sense seems to be that the lateral flow tests are useful for large scale screening to identify some asymptomatic cases, but not for diagnostic purposes and not to 'rule out' if someone has covid or not.

My Y9 dd was sent home to SI a few weeks ago, along with about half of her class. Lots of Whatsapping between them, there seemed no rhyme nor reason to who PHE had designated as a 'close contact'.

Two children who weren't sent home were kept out of school and taken to be tested by their parents. Both asymptomatic, both positive.

Although neither my dd nor her close friends (all sent home) have developed symptoms, we have no way of knowing whether she has had the virus asymptomatically. We have, however, received letter after letter about her being a 'close contact' and needing to self-isolate since the first case, suggesting that lots of other children in the class have since tested positive.

The current SI system isn't working. The idea that it be replaced by something even less effective is mind boggling.

3asAbird · 23/12/2020 19:12

It seems like mass testing is optional not mandatory.
If some schools say no cant di it do senior schools return on 11th anyway.
Primaries starting worry me.

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-wont-be-sued-if-they-dont-carry-out-testing-says-minister-in-leaked-mps-briefing/

EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/12/2020 19:43

Christmas pud, where does it say about siblings? That's even more batshit than contacts in school, at least sitting next to Kevin in maths may only have been for an hour, but if Kev has got the Rona surely his brother has to stay at home?

Achristmaspudsskidu · 23/12/2020 19:58

@EndoplasmicReticulum

Christmas pud, where does it say about siblings? That's even more batshit than contacts in school, at least sitting next to Kevin in maths may only have been for an hour, but if Kev has got the Rona surely his brother has to stay at home?
It was in the DfE webinar on Friday-a HT was watching and providing highlights on Twitter!
The government wants YOU to volunteer as a school covid tester
EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/12/2020 20:18

I have no words for how stupid that is. So, the situation is so dangerous they had to cancel Christmas, but your children could be in school with a sibling of a positive case, all day, no masks no distancing.
Presumably same applies to e.g. a teacher with a positive family member at home?

Achristmaspudsskidu · 23/12/2020 20:23

@EndoplasmicReticulum

I have no words for how stupid that is. So, the situation is so dangerous they had to cancel Christmas, but your children could be in school with a sibling of a positive case, all day, no masks no distancing. Presumably same applies to e.g. a teacher with a positive family member at home?
Almost certainly-they won’t want teachers off work.

Who would then be happy with their child to be sitting next to Kev’s brother-breathing in the same air for 6 hours?!

Would that lead to parental phone calls demanding to know if it was true his brother had it and wanting him moved!

DreamingofBrie · 23/12/2020 20:33

@SaltyAF

I don't want to go back. I'm so fucking sick of being treated like society's punchbag.
Salty Flowers. Hope you can get a proper break from it all over the next week or so.
EndoplasmicReticulum · 23/12/2020 20:45

And Kev's little sister goes to the primary down the road which so far hasn't had any cases.....

Swipe left for the next trending thread