Confused about secondary testing

[bathsh3ba]

So we have received information from school about the testing (secondary). If anyone gets a positive result, they have to be collected and then isolate for 10 days. But it says you don't have to follow it up with a PCR test and I thought you did? And also it doesn't say if siblings would be sent home. Presumably the whole household would have to isolate?

Whilst I agree people shouldn't have to isolate if a PCR shows negative after an lft positive...

The problem (in terms of not being in pandemic hell for the next year or more) is the false negatives. Listening to the radio today they were saying people are getting negative LFTs and having parties, then having covid outbreaks.

The BMJ says that LFTs are ONLY useful if the false negative issue is well understood, which it's not. My daughter's friend told her she 'definitely doesn't have covid' because she'd done a negative lft. Given this is a 10 year old testing herself I'm the opposite of reassured by this statement. Apparently she was hugging everyone in school today saying 'it's fine, I definitely don't have covid'.

www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n238

This study done by Birmingham Uni showed that lateral flow tests detected 2 positives in a school testing but missed 60 (detected through PCR). Only finding 2 out of 62 positives is rubbish and possibly (if the 60 who were positive but were falsely reassured by the negatives and stopped social distancing / mask wearing etc) could make outbreaks of covid significantly worse.

www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4941

There have also been studies showing that false negatives are lower when HCPs do the testing but much higher when others (i.e. parents, students) do it.

I think this could be a massive misstep and could result in an explosion in covid infections if they don't explain that a negative doesn't mean you are 100% definitely covid free and can kiss and hug your friends - which seems to be what some people think.

@Poundaminute i'm sorry, but the school has misinterpreted the guidance. PCR tests are not required after a positive LFD, but if taken, the result of that will overrule the result of the LFD, as long as the tests have been registered with test and trace. The self isolation rules only apply where told to isolate - so where a negative test result is subsequently delivered the notification from that has to be accepted by the school.

Absolutely l@IloveJKRowling .

The problem (in terms of not being in pandemic hell for the next year or more) is the false negatives.

Definitely

It is all here @VienneseWhirligig

At the moment, the RULES are that a negative PCR test DOES NOT override the requirement to self-isolate following a postive LF test, and you could be fined for not doing so.

This was confirmed THIS morning by the minister for education.

Boris has come out and said the opposite, but that's Boris for you - he also said there would be no checks on trade between NI and rUK.

In short, it's a mess, but until PHE issue fresh instructions, the original rule stands. A +VE LF means self-isolate no matter WHAT happens next.

@notrub the minister misspoke. The DfE confirmed this today on the helpline. There will be comms to schools on this tomorrow or Wednesday.

"I think all positive LFT should have a PCR",
so you would believe a potentially false neg PCR test rather than a false pos LFT. Even tough false pos test has a lower risk of occuring (as it's less dependend on a poor swabbing technique) than a false neg PCR test.

and yes, I can imagine employers who pay their employees (full) salaries when they have to self-isolate for a pos test, to insist on a more "verifiable" test.

@VienneseWhirligig
I am still hearing reports of dc who have tested positive at school having to isolate for 10 days, regardless of a negative PCR test. Is the U-turn on this definitely happening?

@Poundaminute
If they test positive at school a pcr does not over turn it
If they test positive at home they can