Is it right that Teachers/support staff are expected to carry out testing?

[CheltenhamLady]

Just that?

Is it right or fair?

Many school governors either work so wouldn’t be available at the drop of a hat when a positive test result is announced so daily tests need to be done for all contacts, or are retired and probably don’t want to be around hundreds of students who could potentially be carrying the virus.

At the moment governors are encouraged to stay away from schools, even the Chair, where possible. Meetings all done via Teams, school ‘visits’ also done by Teams. Parent volunteers are also discouraged.

they are incredibly simple and only involve nasal swab.

Not the same as the ones going to be used in schools then.

If the plan is to just test the kids known to have been in the bubble of someone positive that might make sense rather than them all miss 2 weeks school

Is that what happens where you work then? If someone is identified as being the close contact of a positive case-do they just continue going to work every day?

All those possible contacts getting on public transport mixing with many people to get to school to find out whether they are positive using an unreliable test, rather than isolating and receiving remote provision work. I know which scenario I prefer and I have Y11 child.

We have to ask why? Why are the government deliberately ploughing ahead? It makes no sense if their aim is to limit the spread of infection so why? It can't be to ensure our children receive an education as this scheme will cause so much chaos. If we though last term was disrupted it will seem like a walk in the park after a few weeks of this.

My 6 and 9 year olds have been able to swab themselves. They prefer it to somebody else's doing it. Adults need to take the lead and be sensible about it. It's not that hard a procedure. Whether or not it's an effective measure is an entirely different matter but whipping up hysteria doesn't help anyone. If they haven't done it they may have to under Test and Trace at some point anyway. You can't turn up there and "not be able to manage it" you just get on with it.

@IhateMondaymornings I assume a parent was with them when they had the test.

Slightly different to an inexperienced volunteer trying to ensure a year group of lively Y9s to do the test properly.

@IhateMondaymornings

My 6 and 9 year olds have been able to swab themselves. They prefer it to somebody else's doing it. Adults need to take the lead and be sensible about it. It's not that hard a procedure. Whether or not it's an effective measure is an entirely different matter but whipping up hysteria doesn't help anyone. If they haven't done it they may have to under Test and Trace at some point anyway. You can't turn up there and "not be able to manage it" you just get on with it.

Well I should imagine your 6 year old being perfectly calm and able to do this test is not representative of most 6 year olds.

When they have the flu nasal spray we have tears and all sorts. It only takes one child to become distressed to have a knock on effect to the rest of the class.

My 12 year old cried doing the nasal swab and that was with me there. My 15 year old gagged doing the throat one as did I. It’s not such a walk in the park for lots of people never mind young children

*17:55CheltenhamLady

EndoplasmicReticulum

As a parent I'm not going to consent for my children to be tested in this way.
If enough parents didn't consent it wouldn't get anywhere, would it?

I haven't heard that parental consent is to be sought. I think if a child turns up for school they will be automatically tested.*

Both my DC's schools have asked for written consent. Also volunteers and gazebos, I can only assume it's going ahead. Apparently DS's school has had upward of 60 volunteers already, many of these are medically qualified (grammar school in affluent area). Unfortunately I think this is another way in which inequality will be exacerbated.

We had to do a nose swab and a back of the throat swab. It hurt. And I can handle most things.
Mmm that'll be easy to do with a bunch of het up/larking about kids.
Unfair on teachers to even contemplate this.

It will never happen it’s a ballache to get the nasal flu spray done at times and that’s a simple thing, and done by nurses.

@hopefulhalf

*17:55CheltenhamLady

EndoplasmicReticulum

As a parent I'm not going to consent for my children to be tested in this way.
If enough parents didn't consent it wouldn't get anywhere, would it?

I haven't heard that parental consent is to be sought. I think if a child turns up for school they will be automatically tested.*

Both my DC's schools have asked for written consent. Also volunteers and gazebos, I can only assume it's going ahead. Apparently DS's school has had upward of 60 volunteers already, many of these are medically qualified (grammar school in affluent area). Unfortunately I think this is another way in which inequality will be exacerbated.

Completely agree that yet again the inequality will be exacerbated. For every school fortunate enough to have parents willing to volunteer and have the skills and resources to hand, there will be hundreds of schools who do not. Then the guilt tripping and sneering 'Well St Winniefred's down the road have done it so why can't you' starts. I've seen all the fb messages from friends who are getting gazebos etc.

I thought the tests had to be done in an area with a particular type of floor

@ineedaholidaynow

I thought the tests had to be done in an area with a particular type of floor

Yes in the guidance it stipulated a non porous floor.

I won't be consenting to these tests for my DC, because (1) they're not particularly effective at detecting asymptomatic cases, (2) the proposed use of them is instead of rather than in addition to isolating positive bubbles, and therefore (3) they'll be worse than useless at the really important aim for wider society of reducing COVID spread.

@TheElementsOfMedical

I won't be consenting to these tests for my DC, because (1) they're not particularly effective at detecting asymptomatic cases, (2) the proposed use of them is instead of rather than in addition to isolating positive bubbles, and therefore (3) they'll be worse than useless at the really important aim for wider society of reducing COVID spread.

In a nutshell.

Sorry haven’t read the full thread but I saw on the news that teachers weren’t expected to do the tests in students.
Has this changed?
I’m not a teacher, but if I was asked to do a test on someone else’s kid I would refuse. It’s hard enough doing it on myself and almost impossible doing it on my kids. When they make that face that they are about to vomit/gag it sets me off 🤢

Also these tests aren’t even accurate. So easy to get false negatives. All this fuss over tests that won’t even achieve what we need to achieve.

@2boysand1princess

Sorry haven’t read the full thread but I saw on the news that teachers weren’t expected to do the tests in students. Has this changed? I’m not a teacher, but if I was asked to do a test on someone else’s kid I would refuse. It’s hard enough doing it on myself and almost impossible doing it on my kids. When they make that face that they are about to vomit/gag it sets me off 🤢

I work in a school and we are going to be taught how to carry out lateral flow tests on Monday. I assume this means that we will then be testing pupils but it's not been made clear.

The test gave my daughter a nose bleed, so they aren't always quick and simple. (The nurse giving it was bloody rough too)

I'm confused about isolation. Current guidance say contacts SI for 10 days and CANNOT return just by virtue of going and getting a negative test from some testing centres (as they could still become positive).

BUT they can continue to wander around a school for 7 days with unreliable LF negatives, but wouldn't be allowed back with a PCR negative. Nope. Makes NO sense.

I am not consenting for my DC as a kind of one woman protest against the stupidity of the whole thing.

So many holes in this plan, Gavin just isn’t up to the job. We need an ex Head to be in charge at the Department for Education.
Anyone who has involvement at schools or works with kids could see this was a non starter.

At the Dcs school if they test positive at school they have to go home until they get a negative NHS test.
Still don’t think most of the Y7s are going to be able to do it properly themselves

@RubyViolet

So many holes in this plan, Gavin just isn’t up to the job. We need an ex Head to be in charge at the Department for Education. Anyone who has involvement at schools or works with kids could see this was a non starter.

I don’t think Gavin has talked to a state school head since he’s been in post.

There is much talk in the media of ‘we are working closely with unions, teachers and heads’ or we are ‘battling left wing unions to save our children’s future but in reality, I think he just makes a plan up based on a quick chat with a few MAT CEO mates (if he can be bothered) and that’s that.

My children would be very concerned about wandering around school potentially infecting others if they had been identified as a contact. They would rather isolate.

@mrshoho

We have to ask why? Why are the government deliberately ploughing ahead? It makes no sense if their aim is to limit the spread of infection so why? It can't be to ensure our children receive an education as this scheme will cause so much chaos. If we though last term was disrupted it will seem like a walk in the park after a few weeks of this.

Probably several reasons.

1. They have lots of LF tests to get rid of.
2. They want to improve attendance figures so they can say "See? We're keeping kids in education"
3. When schools are eventually forced to close due to lack of staff or too many cases making attendance poor, they can say "We did everything we could to keep schools open, it's not our fault"