Is anyone planning on refusing to allow their children to have the lateral flow tests.

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I'm really not looking to start a bunfight. Just tying to better understand the reasons if you are not planning on allowing your child to be tested.

witchcraft

However in practice teachers wouldn't be able to teach in classrooms and provide remote learning at the same time

I was doing this from September to December pretty much every lesson. It was exhausting as we have to move rooms every lesson rather than being based in our own classroom. So faffing about getting set up every lesson, sorting out materials for lesson then having to make sure all materials have been uploaded for those at home.

I fear this will become the norm if isolating becomes more common. And parents who decide to keep children home will expect lessons to be streamed home.

My DD goes in a few days a week as we're both key workers. She's not autistic but I would say on the spectrum. I think that she's finding the testing makes her feel safer. I thought she would refuse the test. But I'm glad she's on board with it. I think the testing will make a big difference in keeping schools open.

For those of you saying that you wouldn't consent for your NT kids to have a test, would you feel different if it meant they wouldn't be allowed in school?

I think other countries are much stricter. I think it should just be compulsory if we have any hope of catching asymptotic cases (many are and continue coming in to school)

I feel if the majority of parents refuse for their DCs to have the tests done the schools will close again which I really don’t want!

@toocold54 - if the schools are going to close again, they will even with some children not being tested. More testing, is going to increase case numbers and case numbers seem to be what drives the lockdowns and closures. Not people not having tests.

[quote VienneseWhirligig]@itsgettingwierd SEN children can absolutely have support to administer. The schools and colleges have to keep their ATS centres open for circumstances like this where the student can't self administer at home or needs support.[/quote]
Yes I appreciate they can however it's a nightmare when we do the flu vaccine in school.
95% of our pupils will not tolerate it without a huge input from 2 staff and the nurse.

Our children aren't refused tests if parents wish them to have them.
We just decided not to make it something we asked parents to consent to. We said to contact school if you wished is to arrange it.

So far no one has asked. That may change when we return to full opening on the 8th and those who have chosen to arrange a leave of absence return their children?

We won't refuse to do it.

TinaYouFatLard
My children cannot and I do not consent to any regular, invasive and dehumanising procedures to be carried out on my perfectly healthy children.

If they show any sign at all of illness, then I would test.“

Most children are asymptomatic but are still quite capable of passing infection to others who are not so robust.

Wondering where you’ve been for the past year, that you don’t know this?

(Little voice telling me that of course you do, you’re just being bloody minded).

@TheChip

The more information the more we are informed obviously. In a pandemic live and accurate data is key as to trend and direction of infection rates and geographies in order to implement more appropriate risk mitigation measures.

If you don't test you don't have much necessary data and therefore you may not be able to separate and treat the ill from the healthy. Therefore without testing in an ongoing super spreading mutating pandemic - you would have no option but to close activities to all including the majority healthy.

Testing helps to keep things moving in the right direction. If tests are positive then lives can be saved with treatment. Without testing more lives will be lost as no diagnosis. There is no point keeping activities open which may increase super spreading unless there are checks and balances to monitor medical progression with reopening of such in person facilities.

You need to test test test not pretend all is well until someone is so ill as to necessitate emergency hospitalisation.

@TheChip
I think that they will just try and make the bubbles isolate like they tried to do before the second lockdown unless cases got really high.

Most cases spread because they were asymptomatic but if they get caught early it should mean that less gets spread so in theory the schools wouldn’t need to close, only the positive ones would need to isolate but if they don’t know who’s positive and who’s not then they will have to close.

All of it is voluntary so children will have complete choice
"Children are not under any obligation to wear face masks, the Government said on Wednesday night, telling schools not to send pupils home if they refuse to wear one.

While masks and regular Covid tests are strongly encouraged, they are not legal requirements and pupils should not be "denied education" as a result of non-compliance, officials said.

This week, Boris Johnson announced that secondary school students will have to wear masks in the classroom when they return if it is not possible for them to keep two metres apart.

Pupils are also being asked to take four lateral flow tests during the first two weeks of school, three of which will take place at school and one at home. After that, they will be asked to take two tests per week at home and report the results to their teachers.

But ministers have said both these measures are voluntary and pupils must not be kicked out of classes if they refuse."

The tests are bollocks, they put a massive burden on schools, are unpleasant and invasive for the kids, and they are inaccurate. I won't be consenting, Gavin Williamson and his gang can fuck right off

@Planetzog

So do elaborate further with your more ideal master plan to save the world. Critical thinking is best when backed up with a logical solution!

There is no ideal best solution as we are here to share and learn.

The plan is not to save the world. Its to stop hospitals from being overwhelmed. We are part way there with vaccinations being given to those most vulnerable, who are the ones most likely to end up needing hospital support.

For those refusing "just because"

I'll point you towards JVT on GMB this morning.

He said the biggest thing he'd wished they known and done was realise that unlike previous SARS and MERS they'd realised the level and rate of asymptomatic and pre symptomatic spread and disease as it would have made such a difference early on.

We have that data now. Why are people ignoring it and refusing to do their part in preventing it so our children have have a better chance at uninterrupted education and lockdown reversing at the timescales they've set.

It just beggars belief

Simply put prevention is the only game in town. Prevention is always a scientific logical preference to the curve.

To prevent hospitalisation ie the curve along with vaccination - you need prevention.

Further in person mixing is a vector for more disease as the virus needs at least one infected and contagious and another otherwise healthy so two human vectors or more to spread. To stop the asymptomatic spread you need to diagnose the infected contagious from the healthy. You therefore need accurate compulsory and frequent testing to preempt this is retain continued healthy people mixing.

W we had a meeting about this today... you cannot van a child from school for refusing a test. We want everyone tested but we cannot enforce it

Regrettably a few typos due to auto speed typing correction! You understand the message despite the typos.

Same 😂

My year 9 and year 13 will be tested but with asd if there are any issues then I'd rethink but I'm not expecting there to be. I've tested weekly for ages and am testing students at work going forward. Once we have had 3 tests they can administer them at home anyway I believe 👍

I’d welcome the school refusing my son entry. He doesn’t feel safe there, he’s worried about catching virus, he’s constantly cold due to increased ventilation, his hands were cracked and hurting due to so much sanitising, and the teachers were clearly stressed out and beyond annoyed all of the time. He also gets a bit panicky after a while wearing a mask. It produces a rash on his face that he finds embarrassing because kids are horrible bullies. I could go on. Homeschooling should remain an option for those who have genuine concerns about going back at the moment.

Tell that to the teenage DDs of a TA at our school, 51, no underlying conditions, now dead. Caught it at school. Don't be a selfish knob and test your kids. It's not an infringement on their human rights any more than a breathalyser for drink driving is.

babbaloushka

Completely agree....1 dead in my school. My colleagues best friend dead. 8 parents dead at my other friend's school. No underlying conditions in any of them.

2/3 of the staff in my school are ECV or CV - not one is eligible for the vaccine. ECV/CV kids on site - none of which will be vaccinated.

We should be trying our hardest to protect everyone where possible and reducing the chance of it spreading and shutting schools again. Kids need to be in school and not playing yo-yo games of in and out and people need protecting. It really isn't much to ask from people who can.

Vallmo47 I’d welcome the school refusing my son entry. He doesn’t feel safe there, he’s worried about catching virus, he’s constantly cold due to increased ventilation, his hands were cracked and hurting due to so much sanitising........

As far as I'm aware home schooling is and always has been an option.

Both tests and masks should be compulsory for all kids. Anyone who does not like these things should be permitted to keep their child at home longer for 2021 without deregistering. I'm strongly in favor of schools opening but parents and children need to be cooperating with sensible measures that will help keep them open.

How could sticking a cotton bud up your nose or down your throat not be invasive? It's not comparable to a vaccine at all.

just because they can not do the test at home, does not mean they are not capable of doing the test with peers at school, as i have experience of this. parents can consent and child can refuse and they will not force them.

I’m happy with it. I’m not happy with masks in a population of children who have supposedly been screened.