Twice weekly lateral flow tests for households of school pupils

[SingANewSongChickenTikka]

This seems a brilliant step forward, twice weekly lateral flow tests for households and bubbles of school staff and school pupils. Posted or ‘click and collect’. Yes the lateral flow tests have their limitations, but it still should help I think.

www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

Sorry, haven't had time to read the whole thread, but is anyone else concerned about administering these tests so often on a small child?

They're not for primary children, they're for the adults in the household / bubbles.

[quote Frazzled2207]@MrsHerculePoirot
@KatherineOfGaunt

no. these are for parents of Primary aged kids. Obviously primary schools are much smaller. I don't think parents of secondary aged kids are being asked to do them.[/quote]
It is very clearly for BOTH households of staff and students of BOTH primary and secondary school.

And yes as others have said schools have enough on their plate. If households wish to take up this offer they can choose to have them DELIVERED to their home if they don't want to go and collect them. As PP has said it can't be made any easier for those that want to do them.

@ILookAtTheFloor

They are much likely to pick up symptomatic infections than asymptomatic!

As it happens my sister was completely asymptomatic when she took one and was positive. She lost her taste a week later. I have faith in the lateral flow tests.

I think they are more likely to pick up on pre-symptomatic cases than asymptomatic from what I've read.

@ILookAtTheFloor Because you can book a PCR test for the same day so why not just go and get one of those instead of trying a test that's not a effective?

@juliainthedeepwater

Sorry, haven't had time to read the whole thread, but is anyone else concerned about administering these tests so often on a small child? My son will start reception in September, so am working on the assumption this will still be in place. The three PCR tests he's had so far have been increasingly traumatic, to the point he had to be physically restrained last time and it was awful for everyone. He's normally a v stoical child with injections etc. but has an awful reaction to these tests... I understand how beneficial this system will be in lots of ways but god I have a lump in my throat thinking of how we will get this done twice a week.. on top of the upheaval of starting school. I just wish saliva tests were available in this country.

Does anyone have any advice for making the experience less upsetting for small ones? Treats are just not cutting it with mine - very unusual!

There are no plans to test primary pupils at all.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

How do these work anyway? Does the test 'develop' itself like a pregnancy test, or do you need to send them off somewhere?

You out a drop of the solution on the end of the test and it comes up with a C (control line) and then either nothing (-ve) or another line (+ve).

The solution is made by swabbing and then putting the swab into the solution)

It's quite easy but the throat swab does take some getting used to! I've found it easier to put mirror on my lap and look down and it's easier to relax back if tongue that way. And then relax and breathe through nose slowly.

The first time I tried I sounded like I was pissed and gagging in a nightclub loo 🤣

They pick up symptomatic infections not just asymptomatic, of course they do!!

It's just the gov would prefer you to get a PCR if you do have symptoms. Nothing to do with LFTs ability to pick up symptomatic infections.

The PCR picks up dead infections all the time, hence the no test after 90 of a positive.

PCR tests aren't infallible.

[quote Aroundtheworldin80moves]@KatherineOfGaunt thanks. I had in my head there was a machine they went in. So secondary schools, hospitals etc would have a machine. Which makes no sense now I think about it.[/quote]
No, there's no machine. Everything is done at home and disposed in your household waste (they include a small bag to put everything in before binning it). They only part of the process school are involved in in Scotland, is dishing out boxes of tests and you contact school if it is positive.

The government guidelines suggest schools will provide the test kits for children - presumably they will get mass deliveries.

However the BBC reporting makes it very unclear. I'm willing to test my kids if the tests either come home via school or can be (reliably) ordered to be delivered to my home or collected from a local click and collect venue like my local shop. I'm not willing to make an hour long trip to pick them up. My workplace (which I'm not supposed to go to at the minute) is also offering LFTs so once I'm allowed back, I'll willingly test there regularly, but again, not by going an hour out of my way.

They have to make it easy to access (at minimal or preferably no cost, e.g. petrol/bus fares) if they want this to work or people just won't do it.

I assume the comment about reducing the chance of bubble bursting is to catch someone with the virus before bringing it into school. Also if someone tests positive Sunday night/Monday morning who had no symptoms, the bubble won’t burst as more than 48 hours from seeing people at school

[quote KatherineOfGaunt]@ILookAtTheFloor Because you can book a PCR test for the same day so why not just go and get one of those instead of trying a test that's not a effective?[/quote]
I'd know quicker either way! The tests are in the cupboard, of course I'll take one while I'm waiting for my results of this imaginary PCR test situation.

I'd still wait for my results though.

@juliainthedeepwater

Sorry, haven't had time to read the whole thread, but is anyone else concerned about administering these tests so often on a small child? My son will start reception in September, so am working on the assumption this will still be in place. The three PCR tests he's had so far have been increasingly traumatic, to the point he had to be physically restrained last time and it was awful for everyone. He's normally a v stoical child with injections etc. but has an awful reaction to these tests... I understand how beneficial this system will be in lots of ways but god I have a lump in my throat thinking of how we will get this done twice a week.. on top of the upheaval of starting school. I just wish saliva tests were available in this country.

Does anyone have any advice for making the experience less upsetting for small ones? Treats are just not cutting it with mine - very unusual!

He won't need to do them, and in fact he shouldn't. They are for the adults/ secondary aged kids in the household. It is not compulsory but if it means that cases are caught earlier or when they wouldn't have been caught at all it will mean less infections, fewer burst bubbles and safer schools. Please do it!

@ILookAtTheFloor

They pick up symptomatic infections not just asymptomatic, of course they do!!

It's just the gov would prefer you to get a PCR if you do have symptoms. Nothing to do with LFTs ability to pick up symptomatic infections.

The PCR picks up dead infections all the time, hence the no test after 90 of a positive.

PCR tests aren't infallible.

Right, so if someone in your household has symptoms you plan to test them with a LFT. If it's negative you'll carry on as normal, no isolating or PCR?

@ILookAtTheFloor

Fgs, use them as they are intended. If you want to have some at home "just incase", I'm sure you can buy them.

@Frazzled2207 sorry I didn't post the link. School staff get them through school. Secondary pupils get them through school.

Households of either of the above categories can get them on request if they choose to do so. It is most definitely for households of secondary as well as primary students.

www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=ca1c659b-95d6-490e-87c6-d6c09e85ecfb&utm_content=immediately&fbclid=IwAR0p0dohTzw491-K0APYGBctUQ1vLnVlRQTZWASII4LjUyFMS9xqIvl61YE

@Frazzled2207

Thank you! I’m fine now apart from a lingering cough. My 16 year old DS tested first (with very few symptoms). We completed 11 days of isolation (I gave it an extra day) and I was due back to work as I had no symptoms but did the LFT and it was positive. I only started getting symptoms 2/3 days later which was too late. If I’d have gone into work I would have possibly infected all the KW children. My point is they are actually really useful and can stop the spread but it needs everyone to get on board with it.

@ILookAtTheFloor The problem is, you can't guarantee a negative LFT means you're negative. Sure, a PCR doesn't 100% guarantee that either but they're more reliable.

So if you have symptoms, a negative LFT doesn't mean you can skip the PCR test.

So it's pointless. Either result on a LFT means you need to get a PCR test so it's pointless doing a LFT.

Our local council is opening centres locally for lateral flow testing. You can book an appointment at our nearest centre from 10th March and is open to ant one who lives or works in the council area who has to leave home to work. My sil has booked a test for the 10th but having looked at the website every time slot seems to be available so it is not well known the centre is opening.

Although you can only get the test if your live or work in the council area the centre is actually in the next council area!

@MrsHerculePoirot
i get that all teachers and secondary school kids are sorted. And now households of primary kids. But if you look at the below wording it suggests that households of secondary kids are not included. Second sentence.

Members of households, childcare or support bubbles of school staff and pupils
This section does NOT apply to secondary school pupils, and primary and secondary school staff, who should take twice-weekly tests using home test kits provided by their school.
From 1 March 2021, if you’re a member of a household, childcare bubble or support bubble of staff or a pupil you can get a twice-weekly test:

through your employer if they offer testing to employees
at a local test site
by collecting a home test kit from a test site
by ordering a home test kit online

[quote KatherineOfGaunt]@ILookAtTheFloor The problem is, you can't guarantee a negative LFT means you're negative. Sure, a PCR doesn't 100% guarantee that either but they're more reliable.

So if you have symptoms, a negative LFT doesn't mean you can skip the PCR test.

So it's pointless. Either result on a LFT means you need to get a PCR test so it's pointless doing a LFT.[/quote]
But you won’t do a PCR unless you have symptoms? So LFT is better for picking up asymptomatic

Is that correct?

It's so frustrating to read the negative comments about this new step. I'm over the moon and always felt this level of testing is what can get us normality back sooner. Yes they're not 100% but goodness me every case they do find is a win. I know in one of my local areas they discovered one in 68 asymptomatic tests found a case. Extrapolate that to 66 million tests or work out if those people infected 10 who infected 10 ad infinitu!

There's not much more we can do to make schools less of a Covid risk so I honestly don't understand what more people want!?

@ILookAtTheFloor

They are much likely to pick up symptomatic infections than asymptomatic!

As it happens my sister was completely asymptomatic when she took one and was positive. She lost her taste a week later. I have faith in the lateral flow tests.

Good lord. No wonder we’re in such a mess.

The lateral flow tests ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR SYMPTOMATIC TESTING. Your faith is misplaced.

@MarshaBradyo Yes. The poster wants to use the LFT if a member of their household has symptoms. I'm trying to explain that it's not how they're supposed to be used!
LFT for asymptomatic testing, PCR for symptoms.

[quote KatherineOfGaunt]@MarshaBradyo Yes. The poster wants to use the LFT if a member of their household has symptoms. I'm trying to explain that it's not how they're supposed to be used!
LFT for asymptomatic testing, PCR for symptoms.[/quote]
Ok thanks

@Frazzled2207

"@MrsHerculePoirot
i get that all teachers and secondary school kids are sorted. And now households of primary kids. But if you look at the below wording it suggests that households of secondary kids are not included. Second sentence.

Members of households, childcare or support bubbles of school staff and pupils

This section does NOT apply to secondary school pupils, and primary and secondary school staff, who should take twice-weekly tests using home test kits provided by their school."

The second sentence is for staff.