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Covid

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Original poster

We were sent to a “Covid ward” even though we don’t have Covid.

55 replies

Dandylioness1 · 19/05/2021 23:21

My son (15 months) hasn’t been well and has a had a high temp since Monday.

We went for a PCR test yesterday morning and it came back negative.

Today his temp really spiked and I took him to A&E.

We went to the children’s assessment unit.

When we arrived we were told there was a red and green area (Covid and non Covid)
I was directed to the red area.

I told them we’d had a negative test and showed them my email with the result.

I was told it didn’t matter and because he had a symptom of Covid he we had to go to the red area.

They examined my son and he has tonsillitis.

I can’t help but feel we’ve been put more at risk being on a “Covid ward”, especially since we know that his temp wasn’t related to Covid and was confirmed by a negative test.!!

Not really a point to my post but just feeling a bit narked by it.

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 19/05/2021 23:33

The test is not infallible. You can test negative one day and positive the next. A patient with an unexplained temp should be in a red area. They did the right thing.

Original poster
Dandylioness1 · 19/05/2021 23:42

@Northernlurker

@Northernlurker

But it the most reliable thing we have. If we can stop self isolation (for symptoms) with a negative test, then surely it’s reliable enough to not have to send a 15 month old baby to a Covid ward that puts him more at risk. ☹️

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 19/05/2021 23:47

You weren't on a Covid Ward. You were on a red area where people are deemed to be more likely to have Covid than those in the green area. The kids in green had no covid symptoms so they defo need to be kept away from your child who does have that symptom. I know it's worrying but this is how it is atm.

HesterLee · 19/05/2021 23:47

[quote MercyBooth]www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safety/covid-infections-caught-in-hospital-rise-by-a-third-in-one-week/7029211.article[/quote]
This is from December 2020. Things have changed quite a bit since then.

PutTheCakeDOWN · 19/05/2021 23:50

It’s not about putting you in a red area. It’s about NOT putting you in a green area until they’re sure it’s not Covid. It’s standard practice now.
I wouldn’t worry, the chances of Covid patients actually being there would be very slim. But they have to call it red if there’s a chance.

Original poster
Dandylioness1 · 19/05/2021 23:54

@Northernlurker

The kids in green had no covid symptoms so they defo need to be kept away from your child who does have that symptom

Perhaps you’re not understanding where I’m
coming from.

I know my son had a symptom of Covid, and had we not done a test, I would absolutely agree that we should be sent to a red area, to not put anyone else at risk.

I just think that as we had only done a test yesterday, and it was negative, the chances
of my son actually being positive were incredibly slim, and he was more at risk from others in that ward that they were from him.

OP posts:
ThuggeryAffair · 19/05/2021 23:55

I think you're right, you were more at risk being on the red ward... But looking at the situation as a whole, your son is just one person. If they'd allowed him, with covid symptoms, onto the green ward, he could potentially have infected 20 or more people (number entirely guesswork obviously, but a lot more than 1). I know it's hard but they have to make policy judgements to protect the greatest number of people and unfortunately this was the right choice.

Original poster
Dandylioness1 · 19/05/2021 23:57

@PutTheCakeDOWN

It’s about NOT putting you in a green area until they’re sure it’s not Covid. It’s standard practice now.

Ah, I see. Were they supposed to test him again then? Because they didn’t.
They diagnosed him with tonsillitis, gave us antibiotics and sent us home.

OP posts:
ThuggeryAffair · 19/05/2021 23:58

It's also worth bearing in mind it's extremely hard to get an accurate result from a swab test on a toddler. I wouldn't feel at all confident about a PCR test conducted on a 15 month old. My 9 year old struggles with it and I'm not convinced the results of his LFTs are correct!

Northernlurker · 19/05/2021 23:58

No I do understand where you are coming from and you don't want to be anywhere near Covid. Neither does any parent. BUT a negative test yesterday does not mean he would be negative today and he had a symptom of concern. That's why this happened.
We now know if you test too early you can miss positives. This is why inpatients are tested repeatedly and believe me, you do get positives pop up after a negative.

Northernlurker · 19/05/2021 23:59

If they had kept him in they would have swabbed him again.

Skyforce1000 · 20/05/2021 00:01

Op child was negative, why can't people understand that.

No covid symptoms.

So many stupid people around, sigh 😕

3cats4poniesandababy · 20/05/2021 00:01

If your son had been staying any period of time he would have been tested. For you/your sone to have been tested and waited for the results before seeing doctor would probably have taken longer than just seeing the doctor in the red area.

I know you showed proof but how can the NHS know you did the test properly. I don't doubt that you did but how can they know. In the green area could have been an immuno compromised patient - they can not take that risk when someone is presenting with symptoms

Original poster
Dandylioness1 · 20/05/2021 00:02

@ThuggeryAffair

It's also worth bearing in mind it's extremely hard to get an accurate result from a swab test on a toddler. I wouldn't feel at all confident about a PCR test conducted on a 15 month old. My 9 year old struggles with it and I'm not convinced the results of his LFTs are correct!
@ThuggeryAffair

Confused oh gaaaawd.

Well they could see the inflammation in his tonsils.

He doesn’t have cough either. Just very inflamed tonsils and a temp. 😓

OP posts:
3cats4poniesandababy · 20/05/2021 00:02

@Skyforce1000

Op child was negative, why can't people understand that.

No covid symptoms.

So many stupid people around, sigh 😕

But he had covid symptoms.... a temperature which is one of the 3 symptoms which means you must test.
Original poster
Dandylioness1 · 20/05/2021 00:05

@3cats4poniesandababy

But he had covid symptoms.... a temperature which is one of the 3 symptoms which means you must test

We did test, and it was negative.

OP posts:
CharlotteRose90 · 20/05/2021 00:05

I went into hospital last week for something non Covid and was sent into an area similar to your red area. For me I was tested there and as soon as I tested negative I was transferred to the normal waiting room. After being admitted I was tested every 2 days . It’s standard practice in my trust and as an immune compromised person it made me feel safer knowing the risk wasn’t there.

noblegiraffe · 20/05/2021 00:06

My DC went to hospital with something that could have been covid but wasn’t, and they wouldn’t accept a community test then either. Until they were cleared by a hospital administered test, they acted as if it was covid, which meant far more PPE.

Once their in house test came back negative they wore less PPE.

Seemed fair. I did the first test and I could have completely messed it up for all they knew.

3cats4poniesandababy · 20/05/2021 00:11

The previous poster which I was replying to said he had no symptoms of covid. Yes they were correct you had negative test but he still had symptoms.

I know you tested but as many people have explained the tests can be false negatives, done too early, done slightly wrong. The hospital have to treat all as covid until provided to be covid free.

Are the nurses meant to go you look like a respectable mum I will trust you did it correctly? And go that mum looks dodgy put that child in red.

MercyBooth · 20/05/2021 00:11

Yes @HesterLee 18 December 2020. The day before they "cancelled" Christmas. Due to the rise of people catching and becoming ill with Covid.

strangeshapedpotato · 20/05/2021 00:36

[quote Dandylioness1]@Northernlurker

The kids in green had no covid symptoms so they defo need to be kept away from your child who does have that symptom

Perhaps you’re not understanding where I’m
coming from.

I know my son had a symptom of Covid, and had we not done a test, I would absolutely agree that we should be sent to a red area, to not put anyone else at risk.

I just think that as we had only done a test yesterday, and it was negative, the chances
of my son actually being positive were incredibly slim, and he was more at risk from others in that ward that they were from him.[/quote]
I just think that as we had only done a test yesterday, and it was negative, the chances
of my son actually being positive were incredibly slim

Sorry but you're wrong.

A PCR test does not prove the absence of an infection. It's unlikely that someone would have symptoms caused by covid when they take a test that returns negative, but from the hospital's perspective, they have a symptomatic kid and a test that's out of date because yesterday may have been day 2 of an infection and today it's day 3. (Tests on days 1 & 2 are often negative).

SherryPalmer · 20/05/2021 00:54

They are protecting the very vulnerable on the green side - the people undergoing chemo or with chronic immune conditions. That’s why they have the belt and braces approach.

LittleRen · 20/05/2021 07:18

Another point of view... I was in a&e last night with my 7 year old after an injury in school. There were two children with high temperatures in there and I felt uncomfortable. I think what they did is correct as PCR tests are not 100%.

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 20/05/2021 07:28

Green areas need to be kept clean.

If you put a symptomatic person in a green area, it becomes red by definition. Because red is where symptomatic people go until they are tested by that hospital (they never take a home t st result because of the possibility of user error)

Now, what do you do with highly vulnerable, definitely tested people? Are they all really meant to be left in areas where new, symptomatic arrivals are placed? The ones we call 'red'