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.

@saraclara

Teaching your children to be fearful of having a cotton bud up their nose is really not going to help them manage their medical procedures in the future

Absolutely. Some parents are being unnecessarily precious, and to be honest, seem to have a very low opinion of their own children, in assuming they won't be able to do it.

In most schools, it's simply a nasal test. They've been going on for a while in some schools and the vast majority of pupils have just got on with it without fuss - even in a special school that I'm familiar with. Like anything else, the adults around them set the tone, and I bet nearly all these parents refusing on behalf of their children are doing so unnecessarily. If they were matter of fact about it, their kids would be too.

I bet that a lot of those kids will actually feel a bit left out when their friends are doing it. Kids want to be part of the group.

But what is the point of testing? Do don't carry out testing just for the sake of it. I would also think regularly sticking a cotton bud up a child's nose is more likely to make them afraid of them than not. Done correctly the test is uncomfortable - how can we ethically subject children to regular uncomfortable procedures for no benefit but potential additional harms?

Our local schools have all said if parents don't consent then children can dial in on zoom end of

I don't get why people wouldn't just do what was necessary unless ofcourse children have special needs but for everyone else just follow the rules back to normality

Then it’s not lateral flow. I understand, those are terrible. However, I work in pharmaceuticals and I take a PCR (what you’ve described) 3 times a week. It’s not that big of a deal. But it does suck.

Then it means lateral flow has not been administered yet. In that case, yeah that sucks. Sorry.

@RandomGrammarPun I hope that will be the case and that contacts don't have to be isolated until after a positive pcr.

That will remove a lot of problems with false positives after the initial batch.

Still think it seems like a total waste of money though because of the false negatives. I think we would be better off doing pcr tests on children who feel newly unwell.

I think it's wrong to accuse others of being selfish for not wanting their children to participate.

@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.

I am not allowing any tests to be done on my children, nor will I allow them to wear masks all day in school. Look beyond the government agenda, it dips not about a virus, please protect your children.

@cuddlymunchkin

Refuse the test and homeschool instead.

Going to school = consent to testing, the testing is to keep all children safe.

Please tell me how testing is keeping them safe?

@KatyR090909

The NHS disagrees

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/11/LFDNHSStafffA41611200.pdf

Really dont get why you wouldn't encourage it! Anything to help prevent spread of covid surely, especially as they say 1 in 3 people with covid are asymptomatic. Dont want kids spreading it unnecessarily.

I have told my DC and students that we encourage them to take the tests but in no way do they need to. If they want to try it but can’t go through with it at the time then that’s absolutely fine.

All of my VKW students including those with SEND have one every week and now find it really easy which is why I would encourage people to try it once or twice before completely refusing (unless you know for certain they wouldn’t cope obviously).

It’s like going to the dentist for a check up. Everyone hates it and the anxiety can be awful but actually once it’s done it’s not that bad.

I feel a lot of parents will be adding to their child’s anxiety by calling it degrading and dehumanising etc. They will be anxious enough just by coming back to school so I making a big deal out of it is just going to make it worse!

@Changethetoner

I have already not consented. Reason is I am on zero hours contracts with 2 places, and will simply have no income if I cannot work. I'm not prepared to risk DC getting false positives on those tests, meaning I have to isolate. (get no benefits, totally in a loophole of worry and no income). DH similar scenario.

You will not be asked to self isolate on the results of this test, you will be then asked to do the other test, not sure what the one is called. This one is just easier and quicker as it does not need lab work.

@tiredmum2468

Our local schools have all said if parents don't consent then children can dial in on zoom end of

I don't get why people wouldn't just do what was necessary unless ofcourse children have special needs but for everyone else just follow the rules back to normality

That would be out of line with government statements today.

Is it legal to do this?

Personally I'd be ok with that as it would mean we couldn't be fined for non-attendance presumably.

@tiredmum2468 I think that will turn out to be an illegal exclusion

[quote SpringHasSprung12]@RandomGrammarPun I hope that will be the case and that contacts don't have to be isolated until after a positive pcr.

That will remove a lot of problems with false positives after the initial batch.

Still think it seems like a total waste of money though because of the false negatives. I think we would be better off doing pcr tests on children who feel newly unwell.

I think it's wrong to accuse others of being selfish for not wanting their children to participate.[/quote]
No PCR - you have to isolate after a positive LFT - the guidance for schools is clear

Genuine question. To those who aren’t planning on giving consent - do you think the schools have re-opened too soon?

Do you think the schools should remain closed until vaccinations etc have all been given so the children don’t have to have tests/wear masks or do you think the schools should just re-open as normal with Covid and without masks/tests?

It’s not compulsory at all!! You don’t have to consent to send your child back to school! Not sure why you wouldn’t if they are capable though, I defiantly want to know if my children have Covid-19 so we can isolate and protect others!! I suppose ignorance is bliss though for you!! 🙄

@toocold54

Genuine question. To those who aren’t planning on giving consent - do you think the schools have re-opened too soon?

Do you think the schools should remain closed until vaccinations etc have all been given so the children don’t have to have tests/wear masks or do you think the schools should just re-open as normal with Covid and without masks/tests?

No, I don't think they have opened too soon I think the masks and testing is to appease the unions that's all

This is from Monday's guidance. If test done at home, you do need to get a follow up PCR.

@toocold54

We have declined the ones in school before 8 March but will happily do the homes tests after that

I believe that the idea is to do the first 2/3 at school to make sure they know what they’re doing and then they’ll be done from home. I’m not sure what happens if you don’t do the initial tests at school - I assume you’d have to if you want to do the home tests as they’d be no point doing the home tests if you’re doing them wrong if that makes sense.

My ds has asd and a physical disability. He needs me to do the swab and his college have agreed to testing from home from the start.

I said when I asked I'd be happy to provide the result in photo if they required.

They know as school staff (secondary) I'm doing my own twice a week at home anyway so I'll just do him at same time!

@RandomGrammarPun

This is from Monday's guidance. If test done at home, you do need to get a follow up PCR.

Do you have a link to that as opposed to a screenshot please?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Scroll down to the "From 8th March" download. Then it's on about page 29?

@toocold54

Genuine question. To those who aren’t planning on giving consent - do you think the schools have re-opened too soon?

Do you think the schools should remain closed until vaccinations etc have all been given so the children don’t have to have tests/wear masks or do you think the schools should just re-open as normal with Covid and without masks/tests?

I think the tests are mostly pointless really and worry about the impact of the 50% of positive cases wandering around thinking they are 'negative'.

I don't really know where to start with what I want, I wish the government had invested in school measures. It feels to me secondary schools are going back too soon, I would have preferred after the Easter hols.

I will probably end up sending my kids for tests but I just worry this whole exercise is mostly futile.

Sorry, too if page 31.

@RandomGrammarPun

www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Scroll down to the "From 8th March" download. Then it's on about page 29?

Thanks