PCR or not?

[JemimaMoon]

Just looking for confirmation that my thoughts are right. DC yr6 has developed sore throat, snottiness and feeling 'a bit stiff and achy'. Covid in local schools but not ours.

I have LFT at home so did one this am - negative. I've ordered home test PCRs for the family anyway as I thought it's probably the right thing to do. I know she has no temperature or cough but these really don't seem to be the main symptoms in kids.

Am I being over zealous or a responsible citizen?

Your doing the complete right thing :)

Isolate until PCR results are in.

Thank you x

Do the tests. Stay in until they are done

But on the NHS website it says not to PCR test if you don’t have one of the 3 main symptoms?

My dd had a blocked nose last week and I kept her off Thursday and Friday but was planning on sending her in on Monday.

Are people really isolating for sore throats? Trying to work out if I’m being lax or you’re being over cautious - I don’t mean that in a nasty way, just wondering if I should be ordering a PCR for my DD and isolating us all.

@ASchuylerSister

But on the NHS website it says not to PCR test if you don’t have one of the 3 main symptoms?

My dd had a blocked nose last week and I kept her off Thursday and Friday but was planning on sending her in on Monday.

Are people really isolating for sore throats? Trying to work out if I’m being lax or you’re being over cautious - I don’t mean that in a nasty way, just wondering if I should be ordering a PCR for my DD and isolating us all.

Many local schools to me, including ours, are now asking parents to test for sore throats and headaches. A large number of our symptomatic students have now apparetly started with a headache or sore throat a few days before the cough/temp/loss of smell kicked in.

@ASchuylerSister

But on the NHS website it says not to PCR test if you don’t have one of the 3 main symptoms?

My dd had a blocked nose last week and I kept her off Thursday and Friday but was planning on sending her in on Monday.

Are people really isolating for sore throats? Trying to work out if I’m being lax or you’re being over cautious - I don’t mean that in a nasty way, just wondering if I should be ordering a PCR for my DD and isolating us all.

That's just it! Who knows! I know that children often have different symptoms so was being cautious - possibly too cautious!

My youngest DC had these symptoms, but also then got a fever so we did PCR test - negative.

Re: testing, I totally don't blame people for ordering PCR tests for sore throat / cold symptoms tbh, family members who have had Covid, their symptoms didn't include a temperature and were mainly headache - sore throat.

I think it's fine, tests aren't very stretched at the moment and you've got local cases. I probably would have just got one for her and skipped the family unless she tested positive, but an asymptomatic family member might have given it to her rather than someone at school so it's not the worst idea to get ahead of it.
Hope she's well soon and none of you catch whatever it is.

It's all such a difficult call, isn't it? My ds had typical cold symptoms on Thursday and Friday. We did LF tests on him at home which were negative. Kept him home Friday (probably wouldn't have if it wasn't Covid-times). It is obviously just a cold but still makes you question everything...

That's exactly it @13lucky! We question everything. I couldn't bear it if it was positive and we put others at risk. There have already been deaths in the school community (last year).

I think they need to include some more symptoms on the top 3 test list, especially for children as seems to be they tend to get sore throats and colds more often than coughs with it.