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Covid

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Original poster

Work are making me test. Do we need to?

92 replies

Dandylioness1 · 17/05/2021 14:26

DS (15 months) has been absolutely full of cold for 5 days now. Really grumpy and just not himself.
He also has 2 teeth coming through.

He had a really unsettled night last night. Temp was fine.

This morning he seemed okay so I sent him to nursery as normal.

Just after lunch they called to say he had been down for a nap (doesn’t usually have a morning nap at nursery so he must’ve been shattered) and he’d woken up with a temp of 38.4

I went to collect him. The nursery have said they don’t need a negative Covid test for him to go back.

Glad of this to be honest. He doesn’t go anywhere apart from nursery, he’s in the baby room with 6 others, all staff test, me and DH test twice weekly and are vaccinated.

Work have just called me to say I won’t be allowed back until both me and my son have had a negative PCR test.

Can they make us test?

OP posts:

freddiethegreat · 17/05/2021 15:55

FWIW I had my first PCR on Saturday (pre-hospital procedure tomorrow) & found it far easier than a lateral flow. Medical professionals definitely do it better than amateurs self-inflicting.

Original poster

Dandylioness1 · 17/05/2021 15:57

@Fitforforty

Your son needs a negative PCR test AND has to wait 48 hours after his last high temperature before he can return to nursery

Who says he has to stay off nursery for 48 hours?

OP posts:

Bibidy · 17/05/2021 15:57

Sorry OP but I think you've got to test him.

We all know kids get temperatures and illnesses, the majority of which aren't COVID, but equally at the moment we all know we've got to be extra vigilant.

It's a pain but it's not that that bad for him to get tested, not sure why you're so against it. It's not ideal but not the end of the world, and at least you will be sure yourself that he hasn't caught it from one of the other children at nursery.

Original poster

Dandylioness1 · 17/05/2021 15:59

@Fitforforty

Also FWIW our nursery have not had any cases since September 20.

OP posts:

PinkDaffodil2 · 17/05/2021 15:59

Sorry but you really should get him tested, like you say lots of other young children have had loads of these, it’s just part of the downside to having them in a nursery setting. Nursery really shouldn’t be having him back without a negative PCR so I completely understand your works stance.
Lots of young children have very few symptoms so he could easily have caught covid from one of the other children (especially with the relaxed stance nursery are taking).
Of course it probably isn’t covid, but if everyone with symptoms carried on as normal because it ‘probably’ isn’t then we’d be in a much worse mess than we are.

Invisimamma · 17/05/2021 16:00

He has a covid symptom so he needs to take a pcr test. The rest of the household needs to isolate until you get the results. If it's negative then you can return to work and nursery. That's the rules.

No test = 10 days isolation for the whole household.

jupitermars1345 · 17/05/2021 16:00

I had to get my daughter tested last week for just a runny nose which I think is ott of her school but the 3 main symptoms yes absolutely you need to PCR and isolate.
Why do two lateral flows? They aren't for symptoms and are just more unnecessary tests. If I had a child at your kids nursery Id be annoyed at allowing him back without one. If he tests negative you don't actually need a test to return to work thoughh

jupitermars1345 · 17/05/2021 16:01

Also FWIW our nursery have not had any cases since September 20.

Neither has my daughter's school
They still wanted a test for a runny nose 🤷‍♀️

rjacksmiss · 17/05/2021 16:01

Just get the flipping tests. Christ. Drama over nothing.

Original poster

Dandylioness1 · 17/05/2021 16:02

His temp is normal now too. He had a temp after lunch and hasn’t had one since.

I’m not against testing him. Just don’t want to be making us all isolate for no reason.

OP posts:

Fitforforty · 17/05/2021 16:02

[quote Dandylioness1]@Fitforforty

Your son needs a negative PCR test AND has to wait 48 hours after his last high temperature before he can return to nursery

Who says he has to stay off nursery for 48 hours?[/quote]
It’s on the PCR test results.

yikesanotherbooboo · 17/05/2021 16:02

I don't understand your point of view.
Everyone knows what we should be doing; cough or temp or loss of taste means a test and everyone isolates until it is clearly negative. In actual fact it is common for DC to just have 'cold' symptoms with COVID. It sounds as if your SIl's baby's nursery are more professional than your's.

palacegirl77 · 17/05/2021 16:02

[quote Dandylioness1]@Fitforforty

Also FWIW our nursery have not had any cases since September 20.[/quote]
How do you know if they dont require tests and take them back regardless???

PinkDaffodil2 · 17/05/2021 16:04

Also if his nursery bubble haven’t had any covid cases since September there probably isn’t any immunity amongst the kids so please don’t send him in without a test.
It may well be there have been cases amongst the kids during the last wave but they haven’t been picked up due to the nursery’s policy. Nursery workers and a lot of parents are vaccinated so wouldn’t necessarily have become unwell.

KangarooSally · 17/05/2021 16:06

@Dandylioness1

His temp is normal now too. He had a temp after lunch and hasn’t had one since.

I’m not against testing him. Just don’t want to be making us all isolate for no reason.

If you don't get tested you'll have to isolate for ten days. You say you don't want to isolate for no reason; get tested.

NerrSnerr · 17/05/2021 16:06

I’m all for following the rules but surely some common sense has to play a part here too.

The problem is that too many people are selfish and would use 'common sense' not to bother getting tested. The easing of restrictions will only work if people don't take the piss and get tested or isolate if they or their family get symptoms.

I have one school child and one in nursery- they have had so many Covid tests between them, all negative. Our nursery has remained Covid free for the whole of the pandemic. I will continue to test as long as required. I don't want to be the cause of an outbreak because I was too selfish to go for a test.

Original poster

Dandylioness1 · 17/05/2021 16:06

@palacegirl77

How do you know if they dont require tests and take them back regardless???

I didn’t say they don’t require and take them and regardless.

I said in my sons case, they were happy for me not to test. He’s full of cold, and teething and had a temp spike after lunch.

OP posts:

NerrSnerr · 17/05/2021 16:07

You and your husband should be self isolating right now as well until you get test results (or 10 days after the symptoms).

Whichjab · 17/05/2021 16:07

This could be in AIBU, everyone is telling you that you are but you keep coming up with reasons why you are not. Tbh I'm with Twickerhun you are an idiot and this is why it keeps spreading. It probably isn't covid but without a PCR you can't know. Go on tell me to fuck off, least your employer is taking it seriously, if an employee of mine was incapable of following instructions I'd be considering their position.

Sittingonabench · 17/05/2021 16:08

The line in the sand is based on symptoms. Yes children get bugs and some of them share symptoms with Covid but might not be Covid - that’s why you get them tested. You can say how unfair it is but you can’t say it is absolutely not Covid until you get a reliable test. So whether you test or self isolate it isn’t for no reason and just because you think it is unlikely - doesn’t mean he isn’t carrying it (which of course means he can pass it to you and you carry it to work). Your works policy/request appears entirely reasonable and if you’re not against getting him tested, and you follow the logic I’m not sure why you’re against it.

MiddleParking · 17/05/2021 16:09

My nursery have done the same as your SIL’s OP and I think it’s an utter disgrace. Five times my wee girl has had to be tested, and she finds it so distressing. She had two in a week because they insisted on it with symptoms of the same cold. I completely agree with you - little kids get cold symptoms, where do we draw the line? It’s clearly not about protecting people who are vulnerable to viruses, because she’s allowed back in as soon as whatever cold virus it is has been proven not to be Covid.

Bibidy · 17/05/2021 16:09

@Dandylioness1

His temp is normal now too. He had a temp after lunch and hasn’t had one since.

I’m not against testing him. Just don’t want to be making us all isolate for no reason.

But surely if you don't test then you can't go back to work for 10 days?

If you test you'll have the results back within 24 hours and then you (hopefully) won't need to isolate at all?

WeatherwaxLives · 17/05/2021 16:09

OP covid presents more as a cold in small kids, rather than the typical cough in adults, I'd definitely be getting him tested.

Nursery are very wrong to not require a test following a temp, and PP is right that the rules are 48hrs post last temp, even with a negative test. That's the information given on the negative result email you get when you do a PCR.

As PP said, if they're telling parents that kids don't need to test then how on earth would they know if one of the kids was positive??

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 17/05/2021 16:11

The baby is teething. He had a temperature and now doesn't. Unless you are living in an area with high transmission rates or the Indian variant, a test seems like overkill to me. Given that people can have Covid and be completely asymptomatic, we might as well all be having PCR tests every day, by their logic. I'd he happy with a negative LF, personally.
But seemingly you have no choice OP.

Fitforforty · 17/05/2021 16:13

[quote Dandylioness1]@Fitforforty

Also FWIW our nursery have not had any cases since September 20.[/quote]
If they are saying the kids don’t need to test then they have have had cases but no one would never know.

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