Would school accept LF negative

[comfortablyNumb2021]

DS came home Friday after school with a runny nose. It's carried on over the weekend. No other symptoms just a runny nose. I did a LF on him this morning and it's negative. I am going to call the school and explain but does anyone know if they would accept an LF negative rather than PCR? Thanks.

If they have symptoms they won’t but just a runny nose is not treated as a symptom

Great thank you. He is fine otherwise. Just a nose that is runny. He doesn't normally suffer hay fever but does have some allergies.

You cant use LFT for symptoms.
However as he technically doesnt have the 3 so you wouldnt be testing im sure its fine. (England).

If he had any of the 3 then proper pcr as lft miss too many. Legally for symptoms it is pcr.

Though i would say sometimes kids do have covid with just a runny nose.

I wouldn't phone the school, and there's no need to mention the LFT. He has a runny nose, it's not a symptom so he's ok to attend school.

You can use LFTs on symptomatic people, it's a myth that you can't.

The government wants people to take a PCR test if you have one of the Big Three symptoms but there's nothing to suggest you can't use a LFT. Indeed, it's more likely to pick up a positive from someone with symptoms.

@ILookAtTheFloor

You can use LFTs on symptomatic people, it's a myth that you can't.

The government wants people to take a PCR test if you have one of the Big Three symptoms but there's nothing to suggest you can't use a LFT. Indeed, it's more likely to pick up a positive from someone with symptoms.

The UK government does not advise lft test if testing with symptoms.

Why would you need to mention a runny nose to the school? I think it’s extra reassurance for you that you did a ltf on him but runny nose is not one of the main 3 symptoms so no need to get a pcr or tell the school anything.
Fwiw all four of us here also have runny noses

@ILookAtTheFloor you are wrong on this. A lab PCR is much more sensitive than lateral flow. Lateral flow detects high load asymptomatic individuals but not at lower load, hence the need to do it twice weekly. LFT is good for screening and picking up a group of individuals but not perfect. If you have symptoms and LFT is negative need PCR. If LFT is positive you will be asked to do one too, but you’ll already have an idea it will be positive

It’s not more likely than a PCR teat to pick up a positive but more likely to pick up a positive than a LFT on an asymptomatic person, which I think is what the PP was saying. This is what they were designed for. It’s part of the reason the MHRA refused to license them for the purpose the government wanted them for.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

It’s not more likely than a PCR teat to pick up a positive but more likely to pick up a positive than a LFT on an asymptomatic person, which I think is what the PP was saying. This is what they were designed for. It’s part of the reason the MHRA refused to license them for the purpose the government wanted them for.

What was the purpose that the government wanted to use them for? Was it that Moonshot stuff that Boris was talking about last year?

Why would you let school know about a runny nose? My daughter wouldn’t have been in nursery this entire winter if I’d have kept her off with one, her nose has streamed since November & still is now most weeks 🙈

I've had my DS off the same with sneezing which has progressed into a yellow runny nose. Mainly kept him off because he was snotty congested and pale, plus had a bad nights sleep. I'm usually all for sending them, and have in the past to nursery, but the manager commented negatively. So I'm being responsible and not sending to school him until he's better.

What was the purpose that the government wanted to use them for? Was it that Moonshot stuff that Boris was talking about last year?

Mass screening of asymptomatic cases, in particular replacing isolation for close contacts in schools.

@ILookAtTheFloor - totally wrong advice! The DfE has made it clear to schools that Lateral Flow Tests must only be used on asymptomatic people. Anyone with possible covid symptoms must take a PCR test instead. As the OP is talking specifically about a school situation, your post is therefore colossally unhelpful.

But the child in the OP doesn’t have the 3 main symptoms that would require him to get a test. As far as the official testing system is concerned he doesn’t have symptoms. However ridiculous that might be.

Hi everyone. Thank you for all your advice. Sorry, my first post may not have been clear. He only has a runny nose and no other symptoms. However I was concerned that the school may not let him attend, so as I have LFT's I did one of those on him as a pre emptive measure and to be responsible that we wouldn't be spreading COVID (I know LFT are not as sensitive or accurate). They were fine though, as he was visibly fine and just a runny nose he was fine to attend but PCR test if he shows any of the main symptoms but about another 6 kids in his class all have runny noses as well.

I'm not saying the lf tests SHOULD be used on symptomatic people, I'm saying they COULD be, they're not some special test that will only pick up asymptomatic positives.

As you were.

@ILookAtTheFloor - what you are saying is unhelpful and pointless. Who tf cares what they could be used on if they are not permitted to be used for that in relation to schools??!! It’s annoying enough as it is having to explain to parents that when you ask them to organise a pcr test, a lateral flow test result is not acceptable without you muddying the water.