Parents to do covid tests on kids?

[herecomesthsun]

"According to the Telegraph
here-
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/02/17/exclusive-parents-test-children-covid-twice-week/

Parents will be asked to test their children twice a week under plans for a phased return to the classroom, The Telegraph can disclose.

Families of secondary school pupils will be asked to administer lateral flow tests at home during term time under plans being drawn up by the Government.

Schools will only oversee the mass testing of secondary students once, at the start of term, after education unions struck a deal with ministers, it is understood.

All schools in England are expected to open on March 8, but secondary schools will be allowed to stagger the return of some year groups so every pupil can be tested on arrival. Large secondary schools may take up to two weeks to get all pupils back to the classroom, education sources said."

Hmmm. I wonder whether that could work? What do you think?

Why can’t secondary school kids do it themselves?!

I think lateral flow tests are a way to ease out of this to be honest, I know they aren’t 100% but it’ll help keep numbers down somewhat! I wish there was an easier test, I’d happily test my younger child twice a week but she’s terrified of the test after the first one made her nose bleed 😫

Ah, there is an easier test. There is a saliva test being tried out by Southampton University. It is being rolled out across Hampshire at the moment. It is a lot more likely to give a useful result as well

www.southampton.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid19/covid-testing/hiow-testing-programme/about-the-saliva-test.aspx

Saliva test samples analysed using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique have been ‘double tested’ against tests using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing method and LAMP has been shown to be highly accurate in detecting active infections - 100% specific (the ability to correctly identify those without the virus) and over 95% sensitive (the ability to correctly identify those with the virus). This means that false positives are extremely rare and false negatives can occur but are not common.

I'm not sure why the lateral flow tests are being used instead - cost maybe?

Why can’t secondary school kids do it themselves?!

My year 7 son is still attending school so has been testing himself weekly. For what I can tell it's been working fine. I guess it becomes a much bigger operation with all children back at school, at the moment I think numbers are pretty low.

Only about 50% effective.

I would instead have tests every time they have a sore throat or migraine plus something else or d&v.

I would prioritise all parents for the jab making it less likely to get into schools

With the lack of accuracy of these tests I'm amazed this is going ahead. Grim for the kids to have to test so regularly for probably very little benefit. Wonder if the scheme will last longer than next term?

I'm more supportive of mask wearing.

There are a large number of parents at my children's school who would claim they have done it and haven't. There are also some who would get a positive test and send them anyway. There f they are going to do it the kids need to do them themselves in school.

DC's secondary school is planning to test every student (well, they test themselves) weekly. It's a huge undertaking though.

This is a test with a high false negative rate, but as long as it’s used as surveillance (to spot asymptomatic cases that would not otherwise have been detected, so getting done if not all is still a gain) that’s fine.

What’s not fine is using it instead of SI for close contacts of confirmed cases

As it’s nose only, secondary pupils should be able to do it themselves, but a parent should supervise.

I did secondary age DD last week (PCR test as part of REACT study) and I did her throat (quite tricky to do yourself, and she didn’t think she could get it right) but she was fine with her nose

MAkes more sense for the kids to test at home rather than in school.

The tests are much better than nothing-picked up 2 positive cases at my workplace which would have been missed otherwise

The saliva test is very simple and painless, just put 2ml saliva in a pot and hand it in, to a drop off point.

However, the sample has to depart to be analysed and then the result returned back, whereas the lateral flow tests are ready in 30 minutes, so I can see that is an advantage.

They need to take this away from schools. It's a huge burden in terms of time, space and other resources. It makes perfect sense for the tests to be done at home, in the same way that primary staff already are. I know this is what our LA have been lobbying the DfE for.

@Toorapid

They need to take this away from schools. It's a huge burden in terms of time, space and other resources. It makes perfect sense for the tests to be done at home, in the same way that primary staff already are. I know this is what our LA have been lobbying the DfE for.

I agree. It would be impossible to do this at school. You've got to wash your hands twice and do it all on a cleaned surface. The testing of the sample is quite fiddly and then you have to wait half an hour for the results.

I’ve got mixed feelings on this. I can see they are better than nothing at picking up some asymptomatic, but what if I am getting my child to do it and others aren’t but claiming it is negative. Or ignoring a positive and sending them regardless?

Is it definitely nose only for lateral flow?

I wonder what provision there is for those children with Sen in mainstream schools who will not be able to test? Because they won't be able to refuse to attendance according to the Equality Act and Children & Families Act both of which cover right to schooling...

@Eccle80

I’ve got mixed feelings on this. I can see they are better than nothing at picking up some asymptomatic, but what if I am getting my child to do it and others aren’t but claiming it is negative. Or ignoring a positive and sending them regardless?

Is it definitely nose only for lateral flow?

Even if only some families do it, it will still pick up asymptomatic cases that wouldn't otherwise be identified, so it makes everyone safer. Regular testing in school, at the same time as trying to get back to "normal" education just isn't realistic and the alternative is just testing/isolating those with symptoms.

So, as a registered childminder, I can not have lateral flow tests at home because the government have deemed that we do not need them and the council says it is too tricky to teach us all how to use them and we do not have the correct facilities to dispose of the clinical waste that would be created. BUT they want me to supervise my secondary aged child to do those same tests, presumably reading off the same leaflet that I am deemed incapable of reading in a professional capacity?
The way early years is being treated through all of this is dreadful.

FWIW, I have no issue testing my child regularly to keep schools safe. It’s the same reason I think all early years staff should have easy access to tests at home.

@CovidPostingName

I wonder what provision there is for those children with Sen in mainstream schools who will not be able to test? Because they won't be able to refuse to attendance according to the Equality Act and Children & Families Act both of which cover right to schooling...

Test won't be compulsory, just as the in school testing is not compulsory for students or for staff.

@Maryann1975

So, as a registered childminder, I can not have lateral flow tests at home because the government have deemed that we do not need them and the council says it is too tricky to teach us all how to use them and we do not have the correct facilities to dispose of the clinical waste that would be created. BUT they want me to supervise my secondary aged child to do those same tests, presumably reading off the same leaflet that I am deemed incapable of reading in a professional capacity? The way early years is being treated through all of this is dreadful. FWIW, I have no issue testing my child regularly to keep schools safe. It’s the same reason I think all early years staff should have easy access to tests at home.

The home test is different to the test that's being used in schools (which isn't actually that straightforward to use). These things are developing all the time.

@herecomesthsun - that’s what my kids will be doing when they go back. Apparently we are getting 8 weeks worth of tests. The kids do the saliva test in the morning and take it to school with them. Should be interesting!

[quote Pinkmarsh]@herecomesthsun - that’s what my kids will be doing when they go back. Apparently we are getting 8 weeks worth of tests. The kids do the saliva test in the morning and take it to school with them. Should be interesting![/quote]
Are you in Hampshire out of interest?

@Eccle80

I’ve got mixed feelings on this. I can see they are better than nothing at picking up some asymptomatic, but what if I am getting my child to do it and others aren’t but claiming it is negative. Or ignoring a positive and sending them regardless?

Is it definitely nose only for lateral flow?

You're supposed to do throat as well but you can just do a nasal swab if struggling. I can't do my throat so just do the nose swab.

@Shadeelane thank you, think my year 7 would be ok with the nasal bit but might struggle with doing throat regularly

Once you get used to the lateral flow tests they really aren’t a big deal. Less than a minute to do and less than 5 minutes to wait for results. The swabbing is also way less uncomfortable than a PCR.

They may not be hugely accurate on an individual level but it does mean that small outbreak breaks would be more likely to be picked up. Picking up 50% of asymptomatic cases (or more if twice weekly) will significantly reduce further transmission. 50% is so much better than none!

Lateral flow is just nasal and only a small way into the nostril not all the way up. It’s really not too bad apart from making you sneeze the first time or two!

@Toorapid The home test is different to the test that's being used in schools (which isn't actually that straightforward to use). These things are developing all the time
I can’t read the article As I don’t subscribe to the telegraph, but the op has stated that Families of secondary school pupils will be asked to administer lateral flow tests at home during term time under plans being drawn up by the Government
This indicates that the tests are lateral flow tests, to be administered at home. So how are they different to any other lateral flow test that an employee would be given to do at home?

So my point still stands. Why do the government think that as a professional person Working in early years, I am incapable of reading and following instructions to test myself, but as a parent I am competent to test my child?

Complete disregard for early years staff who are working with no PPE and No social distancing to the children we are caring for.