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Covid

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

863 replies

Witchcraftandhokum · 24/02/2021 13:57

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.

OP posts:
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5
Jamboree01 · 24/02/2021 16:36

@ineedaholidaynow

If DC are 16 then their consent will be required not parents
Yes but consent is still required either way. My point was that attending school is not consent to by tested as it is voluntary.
Lindy2 · 24/02/2021 16:38

My children will be tested. They've both had several tests anyway for various reasons.

The safety of many people around them is far more important than 10 seconds of a slightly unpleasant swab.

Globe22 · 24/02/2021 16:39

I've been involved with the testing of keyworker and vulnerable kids in my school. It is not de-humanising and all children from yr 7 upwards have been amazing and just got on with it with little or no fuss at all.

TomDickAndHarrods · 24/02/2021 16:39

@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.

Dehumanising?

You know what the test involves, right?

Do you consider eating (things going all the way down your throat) invasive?

Lorieandrews · 24/02/2021 16:40

My daughter was hysterical when we had to give her one

No way would she cope with twice weekly testing up the nose. It’s both nostrils in children too. Not down the throat and up the nose. It’s both up the nose

We hone achool full time anyway. So thankfully we don’t encounter these problems. It’s at times like these I think thank god. I realise not everyone can be as lucky as we are

I’m group 4. So when this first started. The school we went to would t allow me to keep the children off to keep me safe. But we’ve realised how amazing home schooling is.

So if it was me. I wouldn’t consent.

Bagamoyo1 · 24/02/2021 16:43

@Whatisthisfuckery

I won’t be giving consent to test my child, and as far as I’m concerned I don’t owe anybody any justification for my decision.
Why did you post then?! OP specifically asked what people's reasons are, so there's not much point in saying you won't consent but you're not giving reasons!
SteelMack · 24/02/2021 16:50

@MoriParty

One in three cases are asymptomatic.

The lateral flow test is nowhere near dehumanising, what a silly comment to make.

Yes and lateral flow tests are next to useless if you don't have symptoms. Even if you do research has shown them to be around only 50% acccurate when performed by non professionals. They work best on people with a high viral load but pretty useless for those without symptoms.

You're totally missing the point. High viral load doesn't automatically mean symptomatic Wink
ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia · 24/02/2021 16:53

We shall never refuse any test or any other medical benefit like vaccination. It is pure scientific protection and mutual benefit to society. We even double down dosed on seasonal influenza vaccination (periodically spaced apart vaccination),

We are proactively periodically PCR asymptomatically tested. The disease is not being contained (let alone eradicated or naturally ceased) so therefore each test adds to the scientific knowledge database and can only be a good thing to test, trace track and isolate as necessary including alerting of evolving mutations.

The lateral flow are scientifically agreed to offer less accuracy compared to PCR polymerase chain reaction.

My child's central London primary school has already communicated the return to a whole reopening of school on Monday 8 March 2021 (subject to a decrease in local infections etc) as all 300 children and not just the current fifty supposedly vulnerable can return. This is based on the previous system of hand hygiene, staggered year groups and bubbles but no social distancing as physically impossible without additional Nightingale classrooms/schools. I am however still somewhat perplexed as to lack of use of all risk mitigation measures particularly lack of tests and face coverings (even clear ones etc). There is only a mention of vigilance for even minor pupil illness symptoms but children Covid disease is generally agreed to be asymptomatic or mild. Masks are and have been mandated for adults outside the school gates are not required by staff nor pupils inside!?

Is there an expectation for continued repeat periodic testing for all family members old and young? There is no reference from the school. In the Autumn full in person schooling term there were only two reported positive cases. Both very young children and remarkably reported the Saturday after the last school day of year. Otherwise either no testing or possibly no actual cases. However if no testing one would not know and we are concerned about a central London setting within short walking distance of a major TfL hub. More perplexed as to why some commute from way way out of borough pass their endless next door local schools using Covid tag high throughput hop on hop off TfL services playing Covid roulette being an obvious weak link to the school bubble.

Evidently Covid only "discriminates" again those with most likely potential of exposure - frequency and duration. This is particularly in any indoor or enclosed (eg public transportation) setting with no ventilation and over crowding.

Test test test!

SteelMack · 24/02/2021 16:55

@RMRM

I haven't consented yet. I don't think they are accurate enough and I strongly disagree with them being used instead of isolation as a result. I would and have test if there were symptoms.
They're not used instead of isolation Confused
Bagamoyo1 · 24/02/2021 16:55

I may be wrong, but I assumed that one of the purposes of testing is to rule out infection, thereby meaning that contacts of a confirmed case don't necessarily have to isolate. My teen DS missed a month of school last term due to repeated positive contacts (he was never positive himself), and he would happily consent to testing if it avoided that situation.

gamerchick · 24/02/2021 16:56

My kid is autistic and has them regularly at school. Of course I consented because I'm not obstructive in an already difficult time for schools.

ittakes2 · 24/02/2021 17:03

My children are not keen but I think it would be unfair if we opted out since we want schools to be as safe as possible. Although for those of you who say your kids are healthy and will only test if they have symptoms...does that mean you don't accept lots of kids wth Covid are asymptomatic?

ineedaholidaynow · 24/02/2021 17:03

The using of tests instead of isolation has been cancelled in schools

NewYearHere20 · 24/02/2021 17:04

@rawalpindithelabrador
Because they don't want to have an invasive medical procedure on their body that they don't consent to hmm.

Oh for goodness sake - a cotton bud up the nostril and throat isn't an invasive procedure!!! Its a minor inconvenience at worst.

As for what @TinaYouFatLard said I question what society we're developing here!!!

rawalpindithelabrador · 24/02/2021 17:06

[quote NewYearHere20]@rawalpindithelabrador
Because they don't want to have an invasive medical procedure on their body that they don't consent to hmm.

Oh for goodness sake - a cotton bud up the nostril and throat isn't an invasive procedure!!! Its a minor inconvenience at worst.

As for what @TinaYouFatLard said I question what society we're developing here!!![/quote]
It is to some people. It is invasive to some people. So no one can or should be forced, much less shamed, bullied or coerced.

My child has autism, too, gamer, there's no way he'd have one of these.

hiredandsqueak · 24/02/2021 17:10

Dd has been in school throughout (independent specialist) In upper school then it's the children that consent or not regardless as to what a parent might have written on the consent forms. From what dd says the majority consent most weeks. There have been no cases in her school, so far anyway.

Vallmo47 · 24/02/2021 17:11

What society are we developing. Clearly one where it’s acceptable to be a bully. I feel so sorry for children who are genuinely terrified with people like you about. The kids have already suffered enough. I’m clearly not alone in feeling like I do, I will defend my child as I know his fear is genuine.
Are we testing every single person who is going into the supermarket next? Where does it end?

Happy to home school my son if his refusal means he’s not fit to attend school until it’s safe for him to return. Just give me the option, I will sign up.

ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia · 24/02/2021 17:13

For mutual civic duty awareness and concern are there entitlement exceptionalism snowflake schools?

BoyTree · 24/02/2021 17:14

For those pointing out that homeschooling is an option, I think posters mean that they want to be able to homeschool for longer without potentially forfeiting a place at their child's school. I can completely understand that.

gamerchick · 24/02/2021 17:14

My child has autism, too, gamer, there's no way he'd have one of these

Has he tried? Sometimes we can underestimate our kids. I just wanted to point out that autism isn't a reason for not trying.

homesickinscotland · 24/02/2021 17:17

Why can't they work on getting a saliva test done? Surely compliance rates would be higher if it was less invasive? I'm very squeamish about noses after childhood experiences and have a child who suffers nosebleeds easily so although I'd give it a go I am not sure whether I'd stick with it, depends how it went.

FreekStar · 24/02/2021 17:17

It's only secondary school pupils to be tested at the moment you know? I'm more worried about what sort of society we are raising when children who are 11 or over are 'genuinely terrified' about a nasal or throat swab?

rawalpindithelabrador · 24/02/2021 17:17

@gamerchick

My child has autism, too, gamer, there's no way he'd have one of these

Has he tried? Sometimes we can underestimate our kids. I just wanted to point out that autism isn't a reason for not trying.

Yes. Again, a few years ago he had a nasal flu vaccine. After, he had severe nosebleeds for months. Finally had to have his nostrils cauterised. Since then, he cannot tolerate anything going up his nose.
Toddlerteaplease · 24/02/2021 17:19

Unless your child has special needs. Why wouldn't you allow it? It's just a quick nose swab.

twinkletoesimnot · 24/02/2021 17:20

@enjoyingscience

LFT is much less uncomfortable than the PCR nose and throat swabs. It’s not perfect, but surveillance like this is a very sensible way of keeping asymptomatic people out of circulation. Symptomatic people should be at home isolating.

As for dehumanising, I mean really? Who does it help to freak out to that extent about sticking a cotton swab up your nose a couple of times a week?! Whipping up that sort of hysteria is not helpful to anyone, especially the kids being tested.

They are carried out in the same way - a swab of throat and nose.