Resuming lateral flow tests after Covid

[SallyOMalley]

My 11yo ds recently tested positive for covid. He had a few mild symptoms (headache/runny nose) for less than 24 hours, didn't think any more of them, and then his lft was positive 3 days later.

We followed the lft up with a pcr a couple of hours later and it was positive. We're in an area with a relatively low number of cases so it was a bit of shock! Our first day out of isolation was today.

Sooo here's my question: is it correct that my ds should now postpone taking LFTs for 90 days? I've seen this mentioned on NHS trust guidance for healthcare providers but not specifically for school students. Does anyone know? Thanks!

I'm a teacher and when I asked school they said it was up to me, but if I tested positive I would have to isolate. I therefore waited the recommended 90 days before starting testing. There is a small chance you can still test positive up to 90 days post-covid and it is very unlikely you have covid in that time so no real need to test. If he gets symptoms then obviously do a PCR but otherwise I wouldn't test for 90 days.

No asymptomatic testing for 90 days

I’m in the SIREN study so I’ve been regularly tested for months. My first PCR as part of the study was within 3 months of having Covid so I was told if it was positive I didn’t need to isolate because the assumption would have been that it was old virus (it was negative anyway in the end and I’ve been negative ever since) so there would be little point in doing a LFT within that period either because it wouldn’t ‘count’.

That's really helpful. Thanks all

Yes our whole family tested positive last month and I was told several times not to test again for 90 days or we could get a false positive and have to start our isolation again.

After our family's brush with covid I tried to find info online regarding testing in schools. I didn't find anything published bu the DfE but found the two screenshots below which refer to it

it's 90 days for a lf and a pcr.

Yes my workplace looked into it for me and said I can do them 90 days after i had covid

Brilliant- I knew the mumsnet posse would know!

Slightly odd that the guidance for school students is particularly hard to find...