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

[user1471505494]

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.

Are these tests being used to get schools reopened to all or reduce pressure on the NHS?
If it's the first fine. If it's the second how is it going to help? Unless everywhere else who isn't working from home does the test too.

For hospital tests they could be sedated.

"Good question. Because they expect a HCP to be able to do nose only accurately but as schoolchildren will be self-testing they want double the chance of getting a result?"

At my son's school the staff do all the testing because the children wouldn't be able to do it themselves.

How are these administered though?

I have visions of a tester wandering from one child to the next with same pair of gloves on and it getting spread that way?

(I am assuming there will be strict protocols in place but it's easy for people to want to speed things up).

Are these tests being used to get schools reopened to all or reduce pressure on the NHS?

I’m pretty sure the only reason they are being done is to improve attendance percentages in school.

If the plan was anything to do with improving the safety of the staff and pupils, these tests-which have a low sensitivity- would not be used instead of self-isolation for positive contacts.

@jakeyboy1

How are these administered though?

I have visions of a tester wandering from one child to the next with same pair of gloves on and it getting spread that way?

(I am assuming there will be strict protocols in place but it's easy for people to want to speed things up).

Children will self-test, under supervision

@Sockwomble

"Good question. Because they expect a HCP to be able to do nose only accurately but as schoolchildren will be self-testing they want double the chance of getting a result?"

At my son's school the staff do all the testing because the children wouldn't be able to do it themselves.

School staff should not be testing children. I wouldn’t consent my DS for this.

In special schools it will be the only way for many children. Parents of course have to give their consent first.

@nosquirrels from what age?

@Lougle

I understand that NHS staff are using nose only, but I assumed, wrongly, that if school and care home have to do nose and throat, it would be a different test.

What I don't understand, is why the same test is being given to different groups, from the same government, with different instructions.

See I don't understand it at all. I work in social care and it's up nose/back of throat and we do it every single shift and PCR once a week, yet NHS are once or twice a week, nose only. Surely NHS staff are at a bigger risk, as they have more of the public coming and going?

It is interesting. I know that they are being very cautious with patients in the NHS. DD1 had an outpatient appointment and they didn't come near us until they were in PPE. I have a Botox appointment at the end of the month (migraines) and they are treating it as a minor operation and I have to have a Covid test 3 days before.

[quote jakeyboy1]@nosquirrels from what age?

[/quote]
Lateral flow testing is for secondary school, so from age 11.

[quote jakeyboy1]@nosquirrels from what age?

[/quote]
If areas have secondary schools it is 11 years oldOur area has Middle schools and children are being tested from 9 yers old.