Do we lateral flow primary children / preschoolers?

[Causewithoutarebel]

Apologies if this has been covered before. I’ve heard mixed messages about whether we should be lateral flow testing primary and preschool age children? Especially relevant now as the preschooler is currently isolating due to a case in her preschool. Or do we just PCR if they’re symptomatic? DH and I do lateral flows anyway, but we’re both double jabbed.

I’ve not heard of using lateral flow tests on primary age children (and below). You should use a PCR test if any symptoms, though.

Good luck with the self-isolation for your little one. It’s not easy for them. At least it’s 10 days now and not 2 weeks.

You can use them if you wish, infact it is even in the instructions on how to swab them but there is no national scheme involving lft in children. We were advised by our consultant and also at the walk in PCR site to test then regularly if possible, mine are young primary.

I'm not doing them on DS. I do them myself for work.

We do test ours with LFT but not as regularly as the twice a week we do it ourselves.

I wouldn’t.

Our primary school has had all of year 6 isolating. Apparently the school makes up a quarter of all positive tests in the borough. So the council spent 3 days art the school gates handing out LF tests. We have been asked to test twice a week until further notice. The school then has PCR tests that they will give us if we get a positive Lateral flow test.

A big clamp down on parents wearing masks in the playground too. People have started not bothering about masks for drop off and pick up.

No, the test is horrible to do, it’s not fair to do that to children regularly when they haven’t got symptoms.

I have used an LFT on my 4 year old once. She was ill but not covid symptoms. She ended up developing a cough, so had to take her for a PCR test too. She hated both, so I won't bother with LFTs again. Only PCR is she has covid symptoms.

Me and hubby do LFTs twice weekly and keep our 4 year old off nursery if she is ill at all, so hopefully that is enough

Our school told us they aren't meant to be used on under 11s (DH and I are doing the twice weekly tests through DC school)

No, you don’t have too but you can if you want. My DD is terrified of covid tests (literally hyperventilates at the sight of the swab 😣) so we certainly aren’t but if you wanted too, there’s no reason why you couldn’t.

Interestingly my DD’s nursery have just issued updated guidance saying we no longer need to wear masks at drop off .. I was surprised! But it is nice to chat to people in the queue without them!

I do my 11yo (y6) but not the younger one. We all test twice a week apart from him. The older dc was happy to do it , wouldn't do it if they didn't want too

I wouldn’t unless symptomatic and in that case you need a pcr as more reliable

Thanks everyone, I’ll just get a PCR arranged if any develop symptoms.