DD told to isolate by school

[SpinningWheelOfFortune]

DD was sent home today, as there's been a positive case in her class, with a letter saying she has to isolate for 10 days, until the 21st Dec.
I dont understand, as obviously 10 days before 21st is 11th, so does this mean she was in contact with the child on the 11th and they've only just had a positive test?
I thought only people who had been in close contact within the last 48 hours had to self isolate? Obviously I'm going to stick to what school have said, but I just can't understand the dates etc.

Within 48hrs of symptoms. You also need to add on the time to get a test and wait for results.

Could be a long delay in getting results. I know the track and trace app sometimes gives really random days to isolate.

Ah, ok so I suppose if the child had symptoms on, say Sunday, and got a test, and only received the results today then DD would have been in contact within 48 hours of their symptoms starting, makes sense.

They allow for a 3 day infectious period before the positive case first symptoms too.

It’s 48hrs before first symptoms, sometimes there is a delay in getting a test as you may not test ladies the first symptom is significant until you get more symptoms or there could be a delay in finding an available test and sometimes the results take a couple of days

Following on from this, we had an email yesterday saying there's been another positive case and DD now has to isolate until the 26th, which is the 10 days from when she was last in school on the 16th. I don't understand, again! The child wouldn't have been in school with symptoms so for DD to have been in contact with them within 48 hours, they'd have had to have started with symptoms by Friday afternoon, so why on earth would we only be informed on Weds, surely it's not taken 5 days to get a test and a result. We've been out and about for walks, delivering cards etc anyway before we found out.

What area are you in?

Two friends in South East had tests on Friday and only got the results yesterday. Apparently the delays are to do with the mass testing in certain boroughs/local authorities.

It can take 5 days to get a result. Someone in my child's class took a test on Friday and only got the positive result on Tuesday. It means the kids who were in school on the 16 & 17 have to isolate until the 28th. I think it's sensible, so far two more in the class are showing symptoms.

It could easily take 5 days to take a test and get the result.

Sorry for the terrible timing

We’ve had similar. Asked to isolate until Boxing Day, but only received instruction from school late afternoon Tuesday. So DD and all her classmates have been merrily going about their business for a week since last contact with the child. They’re basically isolating at the point after which 70%+ of people would already have shown symptoms if they are going to. Seems nonsensical but can’t be helped.

Yep. Isolating child here. Friend tested Thursday but only got results yesterday. Community testing here means results are taking ages

Same situation with a year group at my kids school (are you in outer London?), I was wracking my brains trying to work out how they could extend the isolation periods and worked out it must have taken a while to get results for it to be possible.

It only takes 48 hours if you have a home test, we ordered one for ds at 8.00pm on Sunday, it arrived before 8.30am next day & was back in the post by 12.00pm, he got his negative result first thing yesterday.

We’ve had an email from school this evening requiring my ds isolate until the 28th. Child started with symptoms on Saturday. I’m guessing their results took a good few days. Meanwhile, we’ve been out and about this week 😬.

The tests are taking ages in some areas due to fools taking tests so they can mix at Xmas plus the increasing rates in many areas. Also so ppl don’t test form the first symptom as it’s not one of the major ones that’s triggers testing but when they get a positive result look back and say actually I started being ill from this day then add the 48hrs onto that. Test and trace have also suggested that this a few people I know/work with who tested positive

Yes it really can DH started with a cough on Saturday, got a test Sunday morning and got the (positive) result yesterday.

We went out for a birthday dinner on Thursday 17th they would have received a similar email/phone call yesterday as well. It really is taking that long

The child wouldn't have been in school with symptoms

They very well could have been. We’ve sent home at least a child a day since Sept. Some families have tested positive and still sent children in. Others seem to think it’s ok while they’re waiting on a test.

And my favourite line- ‘Mum doesn’t think it’s corona, miss’

It's contact within the 48 hours prior to starting symptoms and onwards.

So DD was in contact Friday pm. Symptoms started Sunday pm. Probably couldn't get a test until Monday - results the next day or maybe longer. You're then notified as a close contact. Seems a reasonable timeline.

@LululemonAddict you are infectious up to 48hrs before symptoms so even if they weren’t at school with symptoms they can still have been infectious

I had a notification from the app on Wednesday evening telling me that I had to self isolate until midnight. So it had been the best part of a fortnight since I'd been in contact with the positive case. Not ideal really.

Both my children are isolating until the 28th. For my DD this is due to a mum who sent her child in all last week with Covid symptoms

Track and trace is falling apart here and the delay in test exults isn’t helping and will be contributing to the spread. Contacts are being traced and starting their isolation so late in the 10day window which means they are potentially ill themselves before they are contacted or have been spreading it asymptomatically

We’ve had an email from school this evening requiring my ds isolate until the 28th. Child started with symptoms on Saturday. I’m guessing their results took a good few days. Meanwhile, we’ve been out and about this week 😬.

Same here Dd was in school 17th/18th email 4pm Xmas eve to isolate until 28th. She had been horse riding and ice skating in between. Hard to see how we are ever going to get on top of it like this.