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Original poster

Logic of PCR test for school close contact

51 replies

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 27/06/2021 20:29

Child's bubble has closed, she's off until next week.

Last contact was Thursday.

Letter says we should get a PCR test for her as soon as possible.

Why?

If I do one tomorrow, it doesn't mean that she wouldn't be positive next Sunday, so why do it so early?

If she has to isolate for the full time anyway, why bother testing at all? If she gets symptoms, then we'd cross the 'next isolation' bridge at that point.

Am I being thick?

OP posts:
covidcloser · 27/06/2021 22:49

@Anonawoman

My child’s year is off we haven’t been told to get a PCR unless my child develops symptoms! So I don’t know why it’s different advice for your child.

I'm in Scotland and DS is isolating as a close contact. The text from test and protect says to book a PCR, so I did.

covidcloser · 27/06/2021 22:53

Isolate her, test her if she has symptoms. That's it.

She could have covid without symptoms

I do LFTs twice a week, I'll do them every day this week, so will my partner.

I'm double vaxxed, he's single vaxxed.

The people you come into contact with might not be though!

Wildewoodz · 27/06/2021 22:53

Lft tests aren’t as accurate as PCR ones. And lft tests aren’t sequenced like PCR ones are to track variants.

They want to find asymptomatic cases and track variants. I’ve been asked to do the same for my isolating DC.

Wildewoodz · 27/06/2021 22:55

@Anonawoman

My child’s year is off we haven’t been told to get a PCR unless my child develops symptoms! So I don’t know why it’s different advice for your child.
The advice possibly differed depending on whether they’re tracking the variant in your area. Only PCR can do this. (Because the lft never enters a lab to be tracked!)
Northernlurker · 27/06/2021 23:11

Why do we need to know about asymptomatic or minor cases? We are going to have to stop this increasing tedious testing and isolation some time. It's clear we can't eliminate Covid so we have to seek other ways to prevent it from being disruptive to life. Hospital admissions are flat. The ops sloe cohort are off school. Why should they be traumatised by testing that will make no odds to them.

Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 27/06/2021 23:17

She could have covid without symptoms

Yes. She could also have covid without symptoms on the day before she goes back to school, even if tomorrow's test is negative.

OP posts:
covidcloser · 27/06/2021 23:23

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

She could have covid without symptoms

Yes. She could also have covid without symptoms on the day before she goes back to school, even if tomorrow's test is negative.

You know the isolation period is measured for a reason?

covidcloser · 27/06/2021 23:24

Why do we need to know about asymptomatic or minor cases?

So those people are not spreading covid to other,
More vulnerable people?

Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 27/06/2021 23:27

You know the isolation period is measured for a reason?

Yes. Swap 'day before she goes back to school' for 'day after she's taken the as soon as possible test' if you like. It's not logical.

OP posts:
covidcloser · 27/06/2021 23:30

Yes. Swap 'day before she goes back to school' for 'day after she's taken the as soon as possible test' if you like. It's not logical.

You are focussing too much on your DD and school. She should test because if she is positive that makes other people close contacts. We need to know about this. If you are a close contact I really don't want you just to be cracking on with your day infecting me and my family.

Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 27/06/2021 23:36

But I could be a close contact from the day after she tests negative, and we'd never know that she's a new case and back to school. Or that I've taken it to my school too. My LFT might never pick up my double vaxxed asymptomatic low viral load case, but the kids I teach might.

It makes no logical sense.

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 27/06/2021 23:40

It doesn't makes sense and as for stopping Covid infecting other people - not going to happen. You can't stop an infection which has a variable incubation and variable symptoms inc no symptoms with isolation.

noblegiraffe · 27/06/2021 23:40

Yeah but not doing a PCR at all while she’s isolating will definitely not pick her up if she’s asymptomatic and positive.

It’s not about picking up every case, it’s about being better than picking up none.

covidcloser · 27/06/2021 23:43

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

But I could be a close contact from the day after she tests negative, and we'd never know that she's a new case and back to school. Or that I've taken it to my school too. My LFT might never pick up my double vaxxed asymptomatic low viral load case, but the kids I teach might.

It makes no logical sense.

You are a teacher and you can't understand the need to test a close contact Confused

tapdancingmum · 27/06/2021 23:46

A school near to me are advising the children they sent home as close contacts to have a PCT test so they can go back to school. No mention of the 10 day isolation.

The disparity in advice is so confusing.

Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 27/06/2021 23:58

@noblegiraffe

Yeah but not doing a PCR at all while she’s isolating will definitely not pick her up if she’s asymptomatic and positive.

It’s not about picking up every case, it’s about being better than picking up none.

What about PCR for her before she's let out, but daily LFTs for others in the house. That's more logical. Based on the trust we've apparently given to LFTs for other purposes, not based on their reliability. We're one removed from a close contact, medical staff being allowed to do daily LFTs are actual close contacts.
OP posts:
Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 28/06/2021 00:00

You are a teacher and you can't understand the need to test a close contact

You're not reading my posts correctly, have a nice evening.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 28/06/2021 00:06

Daily LFTs are a trial though, not a general thing, and the results aren’t in as to whether it’s successful.

MrsAvocet · 28/06/2021 00:15

I think it's to do with tracking the particular variants isn't it?
We've been doing the twice weekly LFTs anyway, but there's surge testing going on in our area so everyone between 12 and 30 has been asked to do a PCR as well. The LFT won't detect what variant it is even if its positive, so in areas of concern they're going straight for PCR. That's how I've understood it anyway.
We did it at home. I ordered online on Weds, the kits arrived Thursday and we posted them back on Friday. Results came through this afternoon. It was no more trouble than doing an LFT other than having to go to the post box so I'd be happy to do it again if that's what's needed.

HighlandCowbag · 28/06/2021 08:01

I think the time to track the Delta variant has passed tbh, and forcing a medical procedure on a 6 year old child for no other reason than to track a variant that is now dominant is unnecessary.

I've got a 7 year old, even the thought of doing a test makes him gag. If his bubble closes we will be at home untested.

Watermelon221 · 28/06/2021 08:19

I agree with you op, it’s ridiculous.

If you test her today she could be negative then positive in 3 days time.

She’s isolating anyway so not spreading it around. You are testing yourselves before work, I think that’s enough.

If the test was done to free her from isolating, eg a daily test, then go to school, there would be a good reason to do it.

You’d need to test her daily to guarantee that she didn’t have it and then the tests are only 70% reliable.

frozendaisy · 28/06/2021 08:32

Our eldest PCR came back negative so that means youngster and parents at the moment do not need to isolate.

Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 28/06/2021 10:39

You’d need to test her daily to guarantee that she didn’t have it

Yes, that's the point I'm trying to make. I mean, I'm going to do what I've been asked to do, but I don't get it. The Delta variant is everywhere, definitely in the 2 cities around us, it's going to be here too.

My 'LFTs for adults' plan doesn't really work with the vaccinated either, since presumably even if we had it, the viral load thing would be an issue in a positive possibly even less likely to show up. But it still makes more sense to me than one PCR 'as soon as possible'. Presumably we should have done that on Saturday, so we're already too late. At that point she was staying with her grandparents, so we've done a good job of spreading our close contact around before we knew.

OP posts:
Original poster
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 28/06/2021 10:39

so that means youngster and parents at the moment do not need to isolate

Are you going to do another one? Because it might be positive tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next day.

OP posts:
ifonly4 · 28/06/2021 10:47

OP, something for you to be aware of, but as a contact of a contact, you'll be entitled to a test. I took my DD for a test a couple of weeks ago (she's older, we didn't know until day 5 she had to isolate, so ended up being stressed that she'd passed it on). They offered me one as well, which I accepted as I work in a school - it was piece of mind knowing I wasn't spreading it around myself at that point in time.