Do I really need to test children?

[Peculiartimes]

I have tested positive after having symptoms. So my household is isolating according to the government's advice and all my work contacts too. Some people think that my family needs to get a test because my children went to school and there is a chance that they carried a virus asymptomatically. The thing is my DH and children are entirely asymptomatic, with literally zero symptoms of any kind. How am I supposed to get a test for asymptomatic children? It's not what the system allows to do. What's your opinion on that? I feel like we are doing our best by following the advice and isolating and I can't really cover all the possible scenarios.

@Peculiartimes ask yourself what is worse you lying on a form, or someone dying from Covid-19 because your child’s class is not self isolating.

You don't need to test them, but they DO need to self isolate. No school for them next week. And yes, inform the school.

@Peculiartimes

It's not my fault that the system is not perfect, I follow all the rules since this pandemic started. How is it ok for me to lie, break self-isolation to the test center and to test family basically against official advice? I do understand your point, I really do. If the system involved testing asymptomatic family members, I'd do it with no hesitation.

Why start this thread when you’ve clearly decided and will ignore the majority response anyway.

As a teacher I would want to know if I’ve been teaching kids who have covid. So I wouldn’t see my mum for 10 days and someone else would drop off her shopping.

[quote StacySoloman]@Peculiartimes yes, you just tick the box. No one checks up on you and you won’t get in any trouble. You can order a home test.[/quote]
It wouldn't change the situation if I tick the box now as I've just discovered they have symptoms because we are isolating for more than 48 hours anyway and their bubbles won't need to isolate (only the last 48 hours count). They can also test negative tomorrow but test positive a week later due to contact with me, what is exactly the point of wasting a test if they are isolating anyway? Maybe there is something I am missing.

If they went to school on Friday and you book them a test which happens say on Sunday. Even if the test is positive I don’t think it would trigger the class to self isolate would it? Because they weren’t symptomatic or positive on the Friday. Yes I’d warn the school but presumably they will know if your kids are self isolating anyway

How lucky they developed symptoms exactly in the right time frame for you OP

@Againstmachine

Because if they kids gets positive and have been at school 2 days before they tested positive their whole bubbles would need to isolate... that is why.

You only test if you have symptoms that's why, you are now doing the same as someone who doesn't wear a mask when they should, you aren't following the guidelines.

Don’t be soft.

I’m self testing twice a week because I work in a school and am exposed. I am testing while symptomless to help others.

@OverTheRainbow88
So maybe you can tick the box and test yourself then, so your mum is not in danger. Makes more sense.
Unfortunately, if we started to test all the children who are currently attending school, you'd find that lots and lots of them are positive but asymptomatic. So it's almost a given that you are at risk of contracting a virus every day at work. It makes more sense for you to test before meeting your mum than my already isolating child. My children's classmates are aware that they are isolating due to their parent being sick. I am not arguing with you and I completely understand your fears.

How long have you all been isolating and when were they last at school?

If they’ve been isolating for quite a few days already testing now won’t show whether they were positive when last at school.

Presumably they've already been isolating for more than two days, so if you rang up school and told them they'd tested positive now, they wouldn't make anybody else isolate anyway. It wouldn't make any difference.

Sorry, I could at least have read the post above mine, couldn't I...?

@rozzyraspberry
More than 2 days already. I of course could invent the story like many people suggest that their symptoms have started before, but then there would be a question of why I didn't order the test before.

Seriously are you such a sheep you’ve lost the ability to engage your own brain and think outside the narrow box?

No not a sheep I don't agree with a lot of what's going on.

Just amused that people froth on here about people not following the rules, happily also don't when it suits.

*Don’t be soft.

I’m self testing twice a week because I work in a school and am exposed. I am testing while symptomless to help others.*

And that is a completely different procedure that has been set up so has no relevance.

This happened in DC's school bubble in November. The child's mum got a positive test on the Friday, said their DC had symptoms even though they didn't and ending up with a positive test on the Sunday evening. Whole bubble closed for a fortnight and not one of the 32 children that had to isolate developed any symptoms at all. I said if they had followed the guidelines and not tested their DC would have been at home isolating the other 32 families carrying on as normal, posted on here and got my arse handed to me on a plate.

Or any of their family members ^

If there is an outbreak at a place of work /school, the staff are told by PHE to test any slight symptom. There is no box to tick for headache, sore throat, muscle aches, so the person needing a test of course has to tick one of the other boxes in order to get a test. While I know the person in question is not showing any symptoms, this is just in response to those people berating anyone who suggests "lying" to get a test. This is from my personal experience right now with my place of work.

I would definitely get DC tested, symptoms or not (in the OP's circumstances) but bare in mind it is not a pleasant experience and you may not be able to persuade them to have another test in the future if they need to.

I’m not testing my 3 year old again, I cannot explain how traumatic she finds it., & yes, it’s that bad, she literally hyperventilates. On our 3rd horrific trip to the test centre last week they had to call a paramedic because she couldn’t breathe and her lips went blue 😳. The paramedic told me it wasn’t worth the trauma it’s causing her v the likely affect of covid on a young child. And to seriously consider just isolating instead. And I agree. If we both get symptoms, I’ll test myself instead. And isolate until the test is negative or the 10 days is positive. If only she does, we’ll just isolate for 10 days.

You don’t need to test them if they don’t have symptoms. But you could lie. Your decision I’d say.

If OP caught it off her dcs then it was already in school. If dcs catch it off OP they'll only just have caught it so the risk that they'll have passed it in to someone at school is minimal - hence no need for them to test. It takes a few days from catching it to having enough virus to shed and hence transmit.

I completely understand what you are saying @TellerTuesday4EVA. I wish that all the key workers' parents lie 2 times a week and test their asymptomatic children to protect the teachers and the support staff who look after them.
Lots and lots of people are asymptomatic and have to get tested using this logic, but just a short while ago we faced a shortage of tests when symptomatic people couldn't get a test at all. We got blamed for irresponsibly ordering the test "just in case". It's too late for us anyway and will make more sense to test children at the end of the self-isolation period.

@Peculiartimes

It's too late for us anyway

So why start this thread?

@OverTheRainbow88
Why start ANY thread? Why replying to my thread?
I'm just surprised how just a month or two ago there was an outcry "please don't order the test if you don't need to" and now it's just a responsible thing to lie to get a test.
Answering your question, it's not the last day of the pandemic and I want to understand the logic behind other people's opinions so I could reflect back and change mine if necessary. For now, I'm following the law and the government advice.

@titchy

If OP caught it off her dcs then it was already in school. If dcs catch it off OP they'll only just have caught it so the risk that they'll have passed it in to someone at school is minimal - hence no need for them to test. It takes a few days from catching it to having enough virus to shed and hence transmit.

I'm a KW myself and work in a high-risk environment so it's not a given that it comes from my children.

No symptoms no symptoms test but isolate for 10 days, ideally a bit longer

Some areas have asymptomatic test centres precisely for this situation - have you checked online? If there isn't, the school should have some tests for this situation. My school does, and has tested asymptomatic children of parents who tested positive. Each time the children have tested positive despite not having symptoms. So bubbles have been sent home to isolate because parents have sent their children in to school