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Covid

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Original poster

Children who don’t consent to a lateral flow test should be treated as positive and sent home

263 replies

user1471505494 · 09/01/2021 14:26

Schools now have much higher numbers attending than in the first lockdown. The lateral flow test was brought into schools to try and keep Staff and pupils as safe as possible.

If a parent or child refuses consent is absolutely their RIGHT to do so and I appreciate that there are many varied reasons for this. It should therefore be the RESPONSIBILITY of the schools to safeguard others and send the child home to self isolate.

OP posts:

BrokenCircle · 09/01/2021 14:34

We’ve had children come to school while waiting for test results, and even children come in who have tested positive but ‘felt well’. I am expecting lots of parents to not give consent for the tests so that the children stay in school, and for that reason, I agree with you.

Bixs · 09/01/2021 14:42

Dn is autistic, having the test would cause her a lot of distress. She cannot engage with online learning. Do you really think it would be right to deny her an education?

Original poster

user1471505494 · 09/01/2021 14:55

@Bixs

Dn is autistic, having the test would cause her a lot of distress. She cannot engage with online learning. Do you really think it would be right to deny her an education?

Are you saying that stopping your DN suffering distress is more important than her being asymptomatic and risking infecting more people at school

OP posts:

vickibee · 09/01/2021 14:57

My ds is also autistic and he would have a major meltdown if asked to do the test. From a sensory perspective

Pandemicpanic · 09/01/2021 15:02

It's absolutely right that children and teens can refuse this test and I'm not giving consent for an untrained medic to do younger dd.

However, it's also absolutely right that staff in school are not put at risk of covid and other pupils. What the answer is?.. I don't know.

HouseofBrieandBanter · 09/01/2021 15:03

I think you should be boss of the world for your excellent shouting at internet strangers OP

jakeyboy1 · 09/01/2021 15:05

I don't understand when this is coming in, how it's going to be done and even why given it isn't a reliable form of testing?

Yes it would be great to have everyone tested and know results but from what I've read this is not reliable.

user1471530109 · 09/01/2021 15:10

Those saying they wouldn't give consent...would you do the test if you could do it at home? Administer the test to your child yourself? Also, those saying you wouldn't, have you had a test at any point? It really isn't as bad as all the hype. Both my dc have had two now and one of my dds is suspected asd. Yes she needed a lot of reassurance, even the second time, but she did it and she agreed it wasn't that bad.

user1494055864 · 09/01/2021 15:16

So my teens can't go to school unless tested, but I'm free to come and go as I please at primary school every day with all the other untested staff and kids.
It's all utter bullshit. Who bloody cares about testing. It doesn't work, and the more false positive cases the more likely the panic and more shut down. Why can't people just wake up.

wingingit987 · 09/01/2021 15:20

I would hate to sound harsh but if teenagers 11+ don't want to do it. They need to understand the reality of what it does and hopefully it's not there grandparents dying on their own in hospital.

I have lost 2 very close members of my family during this pandemic. I can't even describe how awful it was.

They have the test so they can go to school for education, able to mix with friends safely and so they don't pass it on to anyone else. As the reality is it spreads and kills people.

These people aren't numbers there someone's family.

user1471530109 · 09/01/2021 15:22

user

Also, the guidance says students are only to be tested twice 3 days apart before they return to school. They are not repeatedly tested (staff will be regularly) but only if they become a close contact.

I am sure that if this does happen when schools open, primary staff will be doing the same. I'd be happy for both my primary DC to be tested but I think my dc would prefer I did the test for them. Testing is one of our ways out of this. Ifwe get the cases down to a manageable level again, and we are all waiting months for a vaccine, this will allow schools etc to reopen.

Original poster

user1471505494 · 09/01/2021 15:24

@HouseofBrieandBanter

I think you should be boss of the world for your excellent shouting at internet strangers OP

If I had been shouting all my words would have been in capital letters rather than trying to emphasise a difference between the words Rights and Responsibilities

OP posts:

SionnachRua · 09/01/2021 15:25

Yanbu. I feel the same way about anti-vaxxers tbh. Fine if you want to refuse it but you shouldn't be allowed into mainstream school.

SionnachRua · 09/01/2021 15:26

And I guess what I mean by mainstream school there is, if you want to set up homeschooling pods or something then crack on. But the state system shouldn't have to take you.

Sinful8 · 09/01/2021 15:27

No as it would compound disadvantages.

Imiss2019 · 09/01/2021 15:28

Email from ds’s school said that they identified 3 people as positive from the lateral flow tests in the first week back (teacher and 2 pupils) all three asymptomatic all three confirmed positive with follow up test.
Imagine if all 3 had refused a test

pinkpetal2 · 09/01/2021 15:29

My DD has additional needs no way would I ever be able to test her it would be impossible.

B33Fr33 · 09/01/2021 15:29

Schools aren't obliged
To support the learning of an individual child over the safety of the whole school community. YANBU.

Mumofsend · 09/01/2021 15:30

It will be discriminatory towards predominantly SEND pupils who are also often the least able to achieve home learning. The policy stacks against SEND kids.

Mumofsend · 09/01/2021 15:33

And I would pursue it every single step of the way if my child with parents who follow the rules religiously and doesn't go anywhere other than school was to lose her access to education because other parents aren't following the rules, still having sleep overs and parties. I would be more inclined to accept it if parents were prevented from acting like dicks

NoSquirrels · 09/01/2021 15:35

I’ve given consent for my secondary aged DC, but to be honest I’m not at all happy about it. Because the school has specifically said they won’t be isolating close contacts any more if the DC are using lateral flow tests, and that is a major concern to me. They just aren’t accurate enough for that.

I am happy to consent to my DC taking a LF test to pick up asymptomatic carrying.

I am not happy that if an asymptomatic carrier is identified, their close contacts can continue to go to school, incubating and potentially also spreading the virus until their viral load is high enough for the LV test to pick it up, at which point it’s too late.

It’s a dumb strategy. So I don’t judge those who haven’t consented.

parkpoolplunge · 09/01/2021 15:38

@wingingit987

I would hate to sound harsh but if teenagers 11+ don't want to do it. They need to understand the reality of what it does and hopefully it's not there grandparents dying on their own in hospital.

I have lost 2 very close members of my family during this pandemic. I can't even describe how awful it was.

They have the test so they can go to school for education, able to mix with friends safely and so they don't pass it on to anyone else. As the reality is it spreads and kills people.

These people aren't numbers there someone's family.

Yet staff in primary schools are just numbers and their family don't matter.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 09/01/2021 15:40

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Deux · 09/01/2021 15:42

I think it would make more sense to offer education staff the vaccine before any lateral flow tests.

Pyjamaface · 09/01/2021 15:44

@SionnachRua

Yanbu. I feel the same way about anti-vaxxers tbh. Fine if you want to refuse it but you shouldn't be allowed into mainstream school.

So basically ban a large proportion of SEND children from attending school then?

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