Ridiculous isolation rules for school kids

[Vargas]

So my friend's dd was playing football outside at school with a child who subsequently had a positive lateral flow test. My friend's dd now has to isolate for 10 days which now means no school until after Easter after only 1 week at school. This is even if she has a negative PCR test. Both children asymptomatic of course. Surely this is completely ridiculous??

Um no.... HTH.

Sharing a ball, tackling each other, celebratory shouting at each other.

Isn't it good that they picked it up if they are asymptomatic?

A person has come into close contact with someone who is positive for coronavirus. Should they self isolate for 10 days?

Well yes, if that’s what you’re asking. Yes they should.

Surely this is completely ridiculous

Nope. HTH.

A negative PCR test ought to allow them back and it is utterly ridiculous that the DfE guidance is contrary to the DfH guidance. Dh is a hospital doctor. He does a home LFT twice a week. If he has a positive LFT he isolates until he has the result of the follow up PCR test. If the PCR is negative he is straight back to work. To require students to isolate regardless of PCR is stupid and makes me seriously question our engagement with the LFTs.

So the football bit is just for context, it's the negative PCR test not mattering at all that I find ridiculous.

It is because it can incubate for up to 28 days, but 7-10 days is the usual. How is that ridiculous?

It's because you may have contracted the virus but it's too early for the test to pick it up. It's the same for any close contacts, it's not just for school pupils.

I thought everyone knew how the isolating thing worked by now?

Because I thought the PCR test was the 'gold standard', but is ignored for one positive LFT in schools.

DH does LFTs for work and if positive then does a PCR to confirm. Negative PCR means he goes back to work. But not in schools, even if ALL the children get negative PCRs they all have to continue isolating because of one positive LFT.

But that’s always been the case, because the incubation period is longer and might not show up. That’s how it’s worked for a year, for everyone, not just school pupils...

I agree it seems odd if NHS workers can return after a PCR but children can't.

@hanahsaunt

A negative PCR test ought to allow them back and it is utterly ridiculous that the DfE guidance is contrary to the DfH guidance. Dh is a hospital doctor. He does a home LFT twice a week. If he has a positive LFT he isolates until he has the result of the follow up PCR test. If the PCR is negative he is straight back to work. To require students to isolate regardless of PCR is stupid and makes me seriously question our engagement with the LFTs.

Yes, and if one positive LFT trumps any subsequent negative PCRs then won't many parents/kids not bother to do the LFTs at home?

A false negative PCR is more likely than a false positive Lateral Flow

@twinkletoesimnot

I agree it seems odd if NHS workers can return after a PCR but children can't.

There’s a big difference in risk/benefit there though. The recent winter crisis was primarily down to very high numbers of patients but it was also compounded by numbers of staff off.

Schools are being ultra cautious. Good.

Just found this on BBC:

Covid-19: False test results 'ruining' return to school www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56349116

At my son's school if a child has a positive lateral flow test then a negative PCR test they can return to school so I suppose it depends on the result of the other child's PCR test following the positive lateral flow?

@Vargas

So my friend's dd was playing football outside at school with a child who subsequently had a positive lateral flow test. My friend's dd now has to isolate for 10 days which now means no school until after Easter after only 1 week at school. This is even if she has a negative PCR test. Both children asymptomatic of course. Surely this is completely ridiculous??

I agree 100%.

A year on and still people don't get it!

@Earlgrey666

At my son's school if a child has a positive lateral flow test then a negative PCR test they can return to school so I suppose it depends on the result of the other child's PCR test following the positive lateral flow?

The school have said that no children can return to school regardless of whether the original child has a negative PCR.

If the other child tests positive on the pCR the yes your friends dd should isolate as she would be a confirmed contact. Is this what you are talking about?

Possibly totally irrelevant, but that’s very early to break up for Easter. Schools in my part of England don’t break up until 23rd - so even 10 days isolating would give a week back at school.

Just seen your update that is ridiculous but is unfortunately gov policy. The school has no option but to follow the government rules.

@cansu

If the other child tests positive on the pCR the yes your friends dd should isolate as she would be a confirmed contact. Is this what you are talking about?

No, the other child tested positive on LFT. But if the child subsequently tests negative on PCR it makes no difference and that child and ALL their contacts still have to isolate for 10 days.

What they should have done
1 make lateral testing compulsory
2 offer a fast track pcr to anyone testing positive of the lat test.close contacts isolate until pcr result is known.

1. Make it compulsory for parents to then share pcr test result with school. If neg then all kids affected return to school.

Of course instead we have the usual Bagshot, half hearted fuck up we have come to expect from this shower.

False negatives from PCR tests are more common than false positives from lateral flow tests.

People seem to be ignoring the stats and putting a greater value on convenience.

I was hospitalised with covid, the hospital still tested all patients even if they had a positive result, I was only on day five of symptoms and my hospital PCR came back negative. My negative result didn’t magically make my covid vanish.

@Flipflops85

Possibly totally irrelevant, but that’s very early to break up for Easter. Schools in my part of England don’t break up until 23rd - so even 10 days isolating would give a week back at school.

Mine break up 26th but my friend's kids at different school, they often break up earlier. Her dd might get 1 or 2 days back, not sure.