The government wants YOU to volunteer as a school covid tester

[noelgiraffe]

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/

I have posted a few times about this happening in NI. Though I don't know who is administering the tests here. But it is replacing isolating. Why can the tests not be carried out at home before school? Then the DC bring them in to go wherever they need to go for analysis? Any family not complying should obviously have to isolate as usual.

Wait, are they worried parents will swab the dog or something instead so their DC can attend? Flip, that is what would happen isn't it...

Those talking about throat swabs LF is only nose

@PeppermintSoda

The school testing will be for close contacts of positive cases only won't it? Not for kids with symptoms too?.

Definitely not for those with symptoms, they need to stay at home and follow the usual process. This test simply isn't reliable enough to use on symptomatic people. Which says it all really.... Plus DC with symptoms shouldn't be in school. even to get a test.

Didn't UsforThem set up a ''Parents Army' month ago?

Their time has come....

@PrivateD00r

I have posted a few times about this happening in NI. Though I don't know who is administering the tests here. But it is replacing isolating. Why can the tests not be carried out at home before school? Then the DC bring them in to go wherever they need to go for analysis? Any family not complying should obviously have to isolate as usual.

Wait, are they worried parents will swab the dog or something instead so their DC can attend? Flip, that is what would happen isn't it...

That is - one of the many things - that worry me.

That these tests known to show false negatives will be used instead of isolating close contacts.

Which hasn't been effective in reducing transmission, and letting them go to school instead certainly won't be.

Thanks PrivateD00r. I hoped that would be the case

@PrivateD00r

I have posted a few times about this happening in NI. Though I don't know who is administering the tests here. But it is replacing isolating. Why can the tests not be carried out at home before school? Then the DC bring them in to go wherever they need to go for analysis? Any family not complying should obviously have to isolate as usual.

Wait, are they worried parents will swab the dog or something instead so their DC can attend? Flip, that is what would happen isn't it...

Aren't the tests only allowed to be interpreted by someone with training? Not sure which tests are being sent to schools but I'm sure I read that the general public isn't allowed to judge the result, that's why they do them at rapid test centres instead of posting them to people's houses I think.

[quote MrsMigginsMate]@OpheliasCrayon that has nothing to do with the objections that I'm parodying. And presumably the people suggesting a parent workforce are also suggesting those restrictions be waived for the sake of getting the job done.

I'm happy to volunteer if needed. I'm not happy for teacher's to roll their eyes at any efforts we make. They either accept help or stop complaining about the lack of it, simple.[/quote]
No I'm not "rolling my eyes" . Actually I'm crying.

Genuinely.

I don't think you're following. We are running on empty. What is being suggested isn't practical, or doable, or in my case in any way possible....

It doesn't matter if parents help (they can't come into the school for critical review meetings about their own child but suddenly your suggesting they can come in for this????????)

I for one would love parents back in school

But even if every single parent of every child I have came into school (which isn't allowed ) they couldn't test their kids anymore than I could.

@Mammyloveswine

Can't wait to get covid in the new year! Have thus far managed to avoid it although am currently isolating after a child in my class tested positive so 🙏 I don't get it for Christmas!

This government is an absolute disgrace.. we will look back on these days with shame and shock that it was ever allowed to happen..

Fingers crossed for you. I felt the same as I look after covid positive patients so knew it was inevitable, however my DH did not then get it from me despite insisting on sleeping in our bed as he was concerned about me. So fingers crossed you will be lucky too

Aren't the tests only allowed to be interpreted by someone with training? Not sure which tests are being sent to schools but I'm sure I read that the general public isn't allowed to judge the result, that's why they do them at rapid test centres instead of posting them to people's houses I think

Oh I will have to have a read up. We don't use them in my place of work, so I don't know a lot about how it works! I thought they were still put in a machine but are processed very quickly. There are sets that can be taken and interpreted at home for NHS staff, but I thought they used saliva. Hard to keep up with everything.

The more I consider this idea the more it worries me.

They know that the virus is widely circulating in young people - anyone can see that from the graphs. They know that the lateral flow tests are picking up about 50% of infection, this can be demonstrated from the Liverpool figures. And yet they are encouraging high risk pupils, direct contacts, to continue to come into school so possibly on public transport or the school bus to infect another load of people, do a test that is as effective as flipping a coin, and then either keeping them in class to potentially infect their classmates/teacher, or sending them home somehow knowing they have COVID.

This is so badly thought out, I really can't believe someone, somewhere along the line didn't point out all the flaws in it!

they can't come into the school for critical review meetings about their own child but suddenly your suggesting they can come in for this????????

I'm not making any plans or suggestions , they were made further up the thread and shot down for unrelated reasons about it being low quality and the moaning parents they will do about the hard work involved. The comments I objected to mentioned nothing about parents being allowed on site.

If it's implemented then I will be there.

If you're specifically asking me to make suggestions then testing centres are currently set up under tents outdoors, schools have open spaces that could be utilised. Or community venues, or even current walk through test centres staffed by volunteers could be utilised if the government is inclined to do so. If schools handling things themselves proves unworkable then this could be the next option.

Hahaha! So, DfE, if you're hanging out on this thread, lateral flow testing to catch random asymptomatic cases in schools = great idea.
Lateral flow testing instead of isolating close contacts = absolute shitshow.
Let's imagine.
Day 1: Alice tests positive for covid. Normally Bob, Charlie, Danielle, Ella and Fergus would isolate. However, they (along with the other 40 pupils who have actually had contact with Alice but don't count as close contacts in corridors, toilets, break etc because it wasn't on the seating plan) come to school INSTEAD of isolating.
Day 1: Bob comes to school on the bus with Greg. Bob tests positive and goes home. Greg has now been put at risk. Shame Greg lives with his Gran. He also doesn't have to isolate.
Day 2: Noone tests positive, but that's because the lateral flow tests are only 50% accurate. Charlie actually has it but stays in school. Midday, Charlie feels rough and projectile vomits over Hannah. He goes home but doesn't test (because he's been tested, right? And vomiting isn't a symptom) Shame Hannah has type 1 diabetes.
Day 3: Danielle and Ella both test positive. This is concerning because only 50% of positives are picked up, and also Danielle was snogging her boyfriend Idris yesterday (since she doesn't have to isolate under this system). Shame Idris lives with a shielding parent.
Day 4: Fergus tests positive. Yesterday (when he would under the old system have been isolating) he had a 1:1 learning support lesson with a vulnerable teacher. Of course, they were 2 metres apart but since it's an airborne virus and the windows don't open...
Day 5: Charlie is back in school, still an undetected positive.
By the next week, as a result of not isolating, the entire school are now 'close contacts' needing these tests. Half of infected people are missed by the tests, and people who go on to become infected are in school and on buses in the contagious part of the incubation period.
Just from our initial few close contacts, we have Greg's Gran dying, Hannah with type 1 diabetes in hospital, Idris' shielding parent in ICU and a vulnerable teacher off with long covid for 3 months.
Now multiply that by 100 (since the school of 700 are now close contacts).
This is a FANTASTIC idea, government.
Just checking, what were you aiming for again? Was it a population cull?

@testingtesting321

The more I consider this idea the more it worries me.

They know that the virus is widely circulating in young people - anyone can see that from the graphs. They know that the lateral flow tests are picking up about 50% of infection, this can be demonstrated from the Liverpool figures. And yet they are encouraging high risk pupils, direct contacts, to continue to come into school so possibly on public transport or the school bus to infect another load of people, do a test that is as effective as flipping a coin, and then either keeping them in class to potentially infect their classmates/teacher, or sending them home somehow knowing they have COVID.

This is so badly thought out, I really can't believe someone, somewhere along the line didn't point out all the flaws in it!

I completely agree. This test was only ever meant to be used as a screening tool, not diagnostic. It simply isn't accurate enough. It is fine for screening a population that is unlikely to have covid (ie not a close contact and asymptomatic) as picking up 50% of cases is better than nothing in that context. But it absolutely should not be used on someone at higher risk of actually having the virus.

I have said all along that I don't agree with mass testing. We were told that picking up 700 cases in Liverpool out of 100k tests was a great result. Really?? Given the cost? I am quite sure that money could have been better sent. There is no evidence that asymptomatic people even spread covid so I am not sure spending millions on finding those few cases is money well spent. Pre-symptomatic is different, they can spread it of course, therefore they should be isolating if a known contact, not presenting to school for daily testing (that is unreliable anyway!).

Urgh I am really raging, as you can tell!

Aren't the tests only allowed to be interpreted by someone with training? Not sure which tests are being sent to schools but I'm sure I read that the general public isn't allowed to judge the result, that's why they do them at rapid test centres instead of posting them to people's houses I think

They are no more complex to read that a home pregnancy test.

The reason results are eyeballed by someone else is to remove the opportunity to cheat. This kind of test produces enough false negatives without giving easy opportunity for people to bury their inconvenient result

I completely agree. This test was only ever meant to be used as a screening tool, not diagnostic. It simply isn't accurate enough. It is fine for screening a population that is unlikely to have covid (ie not a close contact and asymptomatic) as picking up 50% of cases is better than nothing in that context. But it absolutely should not be used on someone at higher risk of actually having the virus

Agree

It's one of those things that's useful in large-population terms, but useless for the small unit. The contacts of a positive case in a class are a small unit.

Some companies who won the contracts for the testing sites asked their own staff who were on furlough to do testing with no additional pay. They also hired volunteers who weren't already staff.. this isn't new unfortunately! It's how a lot of the test sites got running in the beginning.

I work on a site doing standard and rapid testing I'd gladly volunteer for a few hours twice a week when I'm off work but they need paid staff too to make sure they aren't understaffed. Swabbing kids is fine if they're not your own they just get on it with it. I imagine it's the same for vaccines, can you imagine having to vaccinate your own kid? Somehow at school/gp it gets done!

This is going to be fun.

I’m a teacher. Teens can comply, but lots don’t. We’re not allowed to touch them. How can any unqualified person be allowed to shove a plastic stick up their nose.

And if it’s sort of invasive ( like stick up nose) should parents not have to be present? I cannot imagine any scenario where this is ok from a Safeguarding point of view.

There is actually a very simple, effective answer to the problem.
The companies awarded billion pound contracts to provide services during pandemic (for track and trace, ppe provision etc) that appear to be falling extremely short on fulfilling anything like an acceptable level of service take some of the lovely, loyal, clean, reliable, hardworking people that have lost their jobs since March, DBS them now, train them over Christmas, and roll out testing teams to schools in the New Year.
Areas that have high transmission rates will have more people currently unemployed, so staffing should fit requirements nationwide.

The DfE should be ashamed of this sentence in their guidance for parents:

Who will be doing the testing in schools and colleges?
The government is supporting all schools and colleges to set up appropriate spaces on site that can be used for testing. Schools and colleges are supplied with test kits and PPE and training will be provided. We will provide an advice line and guidance to support schools

So no-one is doing the testing then. And space in schools? Why do you think the virus spreads so much in schools? There is no space, schools have maxed out- there is no social distancing between children, so where will the testers go? On the car park, I assume, in vans?

As an aside, if it was simply mass testing, eg in the first week of January to catch cases then I actually would volunteer if I could. I am a HCP so would feel competent to do so and would like to help the school. However if it does indeed include cases who should be at home isolating then I won't help as I wouldn't want to support this absolute rubbish idea. It isn't because I am 'afraid', I already had covid, look after covid patients, and have had the first dose of the vaccine. I am administering the vaccine to queues of people. I am not afraid, I just think its reckless and won't support it.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

And if it’s sort of invasive ( like stick up nose) should parents not have to be present? I cannot imagine any scenario where this is ok from a Safeguarding point of view.

Parents need not be present, but they could opt out their DC if they are not happy with a procedure or who will be carrying it out.

Identified contacts who do not consent (themselves or parents, depending on age) will instead be required to SI for the normal period.

This is going to be difficult for schools, as they will have to provide home learning for all those who SI (following symptoms, contact isolation eg case at home, asymptomatic positive test following positive screening, and untested contact)

Parents definitely don't need to be present. They aren't present when their DC are vaccinated in school. They just need to consent in advance. I would imagine the majority of older DC would perform the nasal swab themselves and just require supervision. If a DC declines the test, then they would have to stay at home if they are a contact. Proceed as normal if not a contact.

I'm happy for my child to be tested if necessary, but I'm not having some total rando stabbing up right up at his sinuses for the sake of statistical success at mass screening. Ridiculous.

And yes, the tests are not actually reliable enough in reality. These are the tests that care homes are expected to use to allow "safe" visiting. Care homes have been saying for weeks that they don't have the staff to administer them (it was taking one person all day to carry out enough tests, not doing any other duties) and they aren't reliable enough to genuinely keep residents safe