Should there be an option to opt out of lateral flow tests for secondary school students?

[Dailywalk]

Assuming a child has no issues in terms of SEN, should it be optional?

Personally i don’t have a problem with my children being tested. If that’s what is required for schools to reopen and for staff to feel a bit safer then that’s what has to be done. It will be time consuming and it isn’t a pleasant experience but it’s playing your part in society and staying home if you are found to have the virus but not displaying symptoms.

Or...if rates are low, is it unnecessary?

Wondered what other people think?

I think it should be compulsory, what is the point otherwise.

@BlackbirdOtto

Maybe she won’t get paid to self isolate if her daughter tests positive. Will she be able to pay her rent /mortgage with no income ? Unless you are already on benefits there is no help in this situation. A lot of people fear poverty and can’t afford to do the right thing unfortunately. Maybe ask her kindly.

Hadn’t considered this. Though definitely not the issue for my friend maybe a reason for some.

If children haven't done any of the tests at school will they then be able to opt in to then have the twice weekly ones at home, I thought the reason they have to have 3 at school is to ensure they know how to do them properly (I think there may be special concessions for children with SEN)

I won’t be consenting to my child being tested either. No explanation is required other than its personal choice.

I know legally that consent is required from parents for Under 16s. But I'd hope for secondary school children it actually was personal choice - i.e. if a child wants to take a test, they should be able to, regardless of their parent's feelings.

For a lot of children, covid is either asymptomatic or presents with non-standard symptoms.

Regular testing of children raises the possibility of covid detection and this introduces things like isolation/quarantine, potential childcare issues and may impact day to day life of the child's immediate family - imposing a defacto quarantine situation on a parent who cannot leave a young child home alone.

There will come a point when a majority of people start treating a cough/fever exactly as they did before (i.e. lemsip/calpol and bed rest).

I suspect that a year into this, a decent minority of people have already reached that point, are ready to get back to normal, and some of these will have children who go to school.

(I'm not arguing in favour or against the above. It's just to give some insight as to why there will be parents who don't consent to the tests).

There was another thread about this yesterday, and most of those saying they wouldn't consent seemed to use words like 'invasive' and - in one notable post - 'dehumanising'.

Being charitable, with some it may come down to lack of trust in the government/ school system, or previous trauma.

But some people are just... (I'll let you fill in the blanks).

Oh yes, and as PP pointed out, there seems to be misunderstanding amongst some parent groups that the LFT make schools more likely to find cases and therefore close.

@RedskyBynight

I won’t be consenting to my child being tested either. No explanation is required other than its personal choice.

I know legally that consent is required from parents for Under 16s. But I'd hope for secondary school children it actually was personal choice - i.e. if a child wants to take a test, they should be able to, regardless of their parent's feelings.

And on the same vein if the child refuses to have the test they can regardless of how the parent feels.

Yes, there should be the option and I'm glad it's there and very clear where I am because body autonomy and consent to medical procedures is a really important and, for some, a hard fought for right that too many still experience getting rode over.

At my DDs' secondary school they've been very clear that first parents/carers give consent and then, for those with parental consent, the children will be asked for their consent and either can be withdrawn at any time. Personally, I had mixed feelings on the parental consent being so emphasised about a medical test for children old enough to consent themselves, but as the information came out that after three weeks of doing it at school, we have to monitor them doing it at home, it made more sense - we're essentially saying we're going to do that.

Testing or not doesn't change when they go back or anything much and they'd still self isolate with close contacts and so on so it kinda feels like a cheap bandaid used because there are little resources for anything else - I'm not against it, but I don't see it as vital or game changing.

I've been very clear to mine that while I've given consent, I'm absolutely fine with the test, but I'm not and cannot give their consent for a medical test - that is their choice and I will 100% support them (which is a bit funny for them as I'm usually the 'I'm not arguing with the school or anyone over behaviour or dress code, suck it up buttercup' type). Their reason doesn't really matter to me.

Having had medical tests against my will, even ones viewed as "harmless" and being held down for an "internal" to "teach [me] a lesson" (never did get that test result back), the idea of them being compulsory for children not adults for a job they chose but children in school baffles me. For those who want this to be compulsory, what are you advocating for if a child doesn't consent?

@MrsWhites

I won’t be consenting to my child being tested either.

I thinks it’s horrible that people seem to think that they deserve an explanation from those who don’t consent. No explanation is required other than its personal choice.

We don't "deserve" an explanation, but I am interested in what has led you to that decision. I haven't spoken to many other school parents, because obviously I haven't seen any for months, so I am interested in what would make someone decide to not have their child tested. This is an anonymous forum, I have no idea who you are, and am certainly not judging your decision just wondering what has led you to it.

I opted DS out of the in-school weighing programme. Now people might think that is because my son and I are overweight, but that isn't the case. I didn't want him to be weighed in front of others, and I didn't want him to have a judgement passed on his weight by an external agency who don't know the circumstances that have led to this position where he is severely underweight, and make useless suggestions about adding cream or eating peanut butter to gain weight. He's an intelligent child, and he can work out that someone is weighing him for a reason.

I do want him swabbed for covid, because if he has it, I want to know so I can plan how to care for him best, and how to isolate DH so he doesn't get it.
We're all in differing circumstances, I'm just trying to understand other people's positions.

@JoeBidenIsGreat

I’m hoping someone can shed some light onto the reasons why you might opt out.

the moment anyone says those reasons, they'll get called "selfish twats" and their reasons are wrong. Stop the premise that there is any respect for dissenting opinions. There's no benefit in someone like me saying anything truthful. Satisfy your "curiousity" elsewhere.

This is an anonymous forum. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks or says on here. It would be interesting and helpful for others to know why you don't consent to build empathy for others opting out, and help them be kinder to those in rl they know have opted out.

@Dailywalk

Assuming a child has no issues in terms of SEN, should it be optional?

Personally i don’t have a problem with my children being tested. If that’s what is required for schools to reopen and for staff to feel a bit safer then that’s what has to be done. It will be time consuming and it isn’t a pleasant experience but it’s playing your part in society and staying home if you are found to have the virus but not displaying symptoms.

Or...if rates are low, is it unnecessary?

Wondered what other people think?

There is... you have to give consent for your child to be tested. If you don't give consent, they won't be tested.

Rates are a lot higher than they were in September.

I'm not sure how useful LFT is really, but the option to "opt out" is definitely there.

I know the option is there to opt out. I’ve clearly not worded my question well. I’m asking what are the reasons people have for opting out?

My child’s school send out an email yesterday. It’s starts of very much writing as if it is mandatory but at the very end says it’s voluntary.

I haven't consented. I wouldn't consent to any unnecessary medical procedure: and it is unnecessary.

it’s no more a ‘medical procedure’ than blowing your nose!!! Honestly, if you don’t want your child to be tested, fine, but there’s no need to try and make up pseudoscientific excuses!! It’s also ‘necessary’ to determine whether someone has Covid or not, standing on one leg whilst doing it would be ‘unnecessary’.

I’d imagine some will opt out due to distress, sensory issues, medical issues.

I worked with a woman once who was an anti vaxxer, she was anti everything really and was in to everything that wasn’t mainstream in an attempt to not be mainstream, not a sheeple as she put it. I can imagine she will be plastering it all over SM in an attempt to stand out. She will remain forever regardless of whatever she chooses to shout about a rather uninteresting individual nothing more and nothing less.

I fully support people with special needs and individuals who have suffered trauma, I used to work with victims of DV not having this test if they can’t manage it. I personally don’t fancy it but will have it if necessary.

I've given consent for my kids to be tested. However one of them is prone to nose bleeds so if he starts getting them due to tests I'll withdraw consent.

@Wakemeuuuup

I've given consent for my kids to be tested. However one of them is prone to nose bleeds so if he starts getting them due to tests I'll withdraw consent.

I think that's the sensible approach most parents are taking: unless we already have good reason not to, we are consenting, and if things change and our dc are negatively affected we will re think.

I have not consented for several reasons, firstly we all had covid this month. I am not allowed to do lateral flow at work for 90 days following a positive PCR so will follow the same for DC, secondary he has asd and this will be very traumatic for him. Lastly (but not in my decision making) my lateral flow for work was negative one hour prior to my positive PCR, so I'm not convinced they will help much... although do appreciate it may pick up a percentage. I also have concerns parents will use these instead of a pcr test if child has mild symptoms and therefore making the problem worse, as they will send them in.

I have consented, but DD (15) is adamant that she’s not having the tests and as far as I’m concerned, if she doesn’t want to when she gets there that’s fine, but if she’s happy to give it a go then they’ve got the consent

I’ve had a chat with school and they’re happy with that.

DD has Tourette’s with pretty severe physical tics. She’s really quite frightened of doing the tests in case she tics while she’s doing it.

Her tics are always exacerbated by stress and anxiety - and she’s very stressed and anxious about returning to school. Her tics are quite suggestible so if she’s already in the process of sticking a swab up her nose/down her throat, the tics are likely to involve the swab/test somehow.

I’ve offered to go into school with her and do the test on her but school won’t allow it, and they can’t do the test on her either so there’s not much else we can do.

I'm not consenting because my DD has said she doesn't want to. I am not going to force her.

@Dailywalk

I know the option is there to opt out. I’ve clearly not worded my question well. I’m asking what are the reasons people have for opting out?

I think you could just ask your friend? Given that all sorts of people have all sorts of reasons.

Provided there is no medical reasoning why it would cause distress (frequent nosebleeds, ASD etc) I would not opt out for my children.
It’s uncomfortable but aren’t many things we deal with in life, and far from being a medical procedure.
I would be discussing with my children how participating not only impacts on their own learning by allowing the schools to open safely but also the learning and wellbeing of all of the other pupils who they go to school with, should they schools need to close. I’d also explain that not everyone has the safe environment at home that they have and that others may have vulnerable family members who need protecting.
For 30 seconds of discomfort they are playing a part in getting the system back up and running again.
I’d hope that I’d raised mature, empathic, and practical children who could decide that they wanted to be part of the solution.

3 kids - one I have consented for with her agreement, the eldest has consented for himself, my middle daughter is old enough to consent for herself but has decided not to.

The LFTs are not very sensitive in any case - and are no longer going to be used to keep contacts of covid positive cases in school, thankfully.

I also work in a school and have been doing one LFT a week. Not all my colleagues have however and AFAIC that’s their business only. I have a colleague who notices who isn’t having one and moans about it to me, but they are by consent and people’s privacy / decisions should be respected.