Why is Matt Hancock not 7 day testing?

[Cocopogo]

Why does he get to stay home and isolate when the rest of us who have been in contact with someone who tested positive have to go to work and test every day for 7 days and carry on regardless and risk our colleagues and families?

It's happening in Secondary schools now.
Though if DD is a close contact she'll be isolating for 10 days, I'm not putting her through the test every day for 7 days and they give false negatives too frequently.

Yes, it is happening. DH has been in contact with a positive colleague and do is 7 day testing. Finishes today. On the days he is due into school, he tests first thing, then off he goes.

PHE advised my school that 7 day testing only applies if the contact tests positive on a lateral flow test. If they test positive on a 'normal' test it's 10 day isolation still.

I'm surprised people haven't heard of the daily (letters like flow) testing instead of SI

It's what was proposed for schools, if they had gone back in January, despite older teens having adult type patterns of transmission

*lateral flow testing

(Seems like my keyboard hasn't heard of it! Or my morning typing is worse than usual)

Happens in care homes according to a friend of mine, but only if the contact was a positive case in the care home not outside the care home.

This isn’t happening to ‘the rest of us’.

Don’t disagree that it isn’t happening in some places, but it most definitely isn’t for everyone as the OP suggested.

@froomeonthebroom

PHE advised my school that 7 day testing only applies if the contact tests positive on a lateral flow test. If they test positive on a 'normal' test it's 10 day isolation still.

Testing to enable work is so, so wrong. Lateral flow tests aren’t reliable at all.

Sorry I misquoted

@QueenofLouisiana

Yes, it is happening. DH has been in contact with a positive colleague and do is 7 day testing. Finishes today. On the days he is due into school, he tests first thing, then off he goes.

Testing to enable work is so, so wrong. Lateral flow tests aren’t reliable at all.

Dh is a secondary teacher today is day 10 of 10 days of testing after close contact.

He has to go into school each of those ten days and potentially spread it around.

This will be the protocol once the kids are back in..

My DC's secondary school is not 7 day testing - they are only doing the regular weekly testing. So not widespread. Looks like it won't happen now anyway (thankfully).

@scaevola

I'm surprised people haven't heard of the daily (letters like flow) testing instead of SI

It's what was proposed for schools, if they had gone back in January, despite older teens having adult type patterns of transmission

I don't think it's the people havent heard of it, it's the OP's assertion that everyone gets it instead of isolating which is odd

PHE advised my school that 7 day testing only applies if the contact tests positive on a lateral flow test. If they test positive on a 'normal' test it's 10 day isolation still

As everyone whomtests positive on lateral flow testing is sent for a full test, this amounts to the same thing.

And the original plan for schools in January was for classroom contacts of confirmed cases to have daily tests, not SI.

A policy that, it seems, won't go away, despite very clear statements about the risks it brings.

It would be a good question for a press conference. Given that older teens have adult pattern of transmission, why is the SofS not using the 'daily' test monitoring rather than SI - for if it is safe enough for the transmission vector of secondary schools, why is it not universal.

Note that this question concerns secondary schools, not younger children, and the role as community vector, not how mild the disease is in older teens.

The DfE have currently knocked on the head testing instead of isolating, following advice from PHE, while further studies are carried out.

I think op is pointing out what a dangerous, ridiculous idea it is that if children or teachers in school test positive then the close contacts carry on going to school but get tested by these stupid 60% accurate tests for 7 days. I read somewhere this is on hold. I bloody hope so as it's madness.

31ineedaholidaynow

The DfE have currently knocked on the head testing instead of isolating, following advice from PHE, while further studies are carried out.

Good what an absolute mess the government is still making over schools. I'm a TA. If I could afford it I would quit today.

Pretty sure they did daily testing instead of SI at Landrover, had big outbreaks and Unions are now on to them.

This is what the DofE was wrongly advising Early Years settings to do.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/alliance-criticises-conflicting-self-isolation-advice-being-given-early-years-settings

However, those who spoke to Public Health England were told in no uncertain terms “that there is no guidance/policy to allow for contacts of a positive case to return to the setting with the condition of undertaking LFD tests”. They were also advised that “the Children Young People Schools and Universities Team within PHE will follow up with DfE partners to ensure that incorrect information is not issued again”.

It is a disgrace that the dfe contravened public health advice. I would advise any staff in schools where the 7 day testing instead of self isolating is still taking place to contact public health England for urgent clarification.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55733327

Serious questions need to be asked about how this scheme was rolled out before regulatory approval.

It's an education thing I expect..... I'm in a sixth form and we are now expected to just test everyday. I think it's dangerous tbh and by the time it takes to show up on a test you could already be infectious I imagine!

Yes so happy that they have canned the testing instead of isolating.

It’s not been canned yet!

LF testing generally hasn’t been stopped, but the 7 day consecutive testing of contacts of a known covid positive case instead of self-isolation has been is what I meant sorry. Though schools won’t yet have had time to put that into action as they received the letter from Gavin Williamson yesterday.