School Isolation Letter

[CH79]

Hi all.

Since the changes on July 19 are school isolation letters a legal requirement?

This is taken from the Gov website -

Tracing and self-isolation

Nurseries, schools and colleges only need to trace close contacts up to and including 18 July. From 19 July, as with positive cases in any other setting, NHS Test and Trace will work with the positive case to identify close contacts. This is likely to be a small number of individuals who would be most at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of the close contact. As parents or carers, you may be contacted to help with identifying close contacts.

I read this that if not contacted by test & trace its not a legal requirement to isolate.

What do you think?

Yes that's my understanding too.

Yup.

Some local authorities made agreements with Test and Trace for schools to continue taking responsibility for contact tracing. I don't know which authorities - I believe mainly on those areas with high infection rates.

So you read it that it is not a legal requirement?
Therefore no fines/penalties could be issued.

It will depend on the legalities of the agreement the local authority made with Test and Trace, if they are one of those that agreed to continue as before.

I think it's unlikely anyone will be checking either way.

No it’s not a legal requirement anymore unless you are asked directly by NHS test and trace, some local authorities have asked schools to carry on doing it until the end of term but this is only advisory, as the legal powers for school contacts was given back to NHS test and trace on the 19th of July

You no longer have to isolate unless the child / family provides your child's details to NHS track and trace and you're contacted to isolate.
It's happened this week at our school. A child tested positive on the first day of the holidays. School closed and not involved any more. Child is 5 so can't reliably remember who they've been very close to and even if they could, they aren't necessarily able to provide contact details for the other children / their families if the parents aren't friends.
The risk hasn't changed though so if you know your child was in a class with a child who's recently tested positive, just take precautions such as not visiting people indoors for 10 days / not having granny over for tea etc.

Are you asking because you have received a letter from school telling you that self isolation is required? If so they are still acting on behalf of the ttp system as some other posters have mentioned and ywbu to ignore it. The handover on the 19th has not been as smooth as it was made out to be.

When were you contacted by the school?

The school isolation letters this week are often still legally enforcing, unless they say otherwise. Many LEAs have asked schools to continue with the T&T for them until the end of term.

Most areas are continuing until term ended. If you have a letter that means your child may have been into contact. If you choose to ignore then you are potentially exposing others if your child has caught it

@gogohm

Most areas are continuing until term ended. If you have a letter that means your child may have been into contact. If you choose to ignore then you are potentially exposing others if your child has caught it

Ours specifically said that it was for information only and we're not required to isolate unless contacted by NHS.

@gogohm

Most areas are continuing until term ended. If you have a letter that means your child may have been into contact. If you choose to ignore then you are potentially exposing others if your child has caught it

You are correct but it is no longer a legal requirement unless you are specifically named as a close contact. Our head told us that classmates are no longer close contacts.

Some schools haven’t broken up yet or have only just broken up, so they are still doing the test and trace contacting. I think follow their advice if my child was in this situation, but not if they hadn’t been in school the past week.

We broke up yesterday - whole year bubbles carrying on until end of term, KS1 age group. Heard via the parent grapevine that a DC in another class to mine tested positive this morning.

I'm very comfortable that my DC is not a close contact in the proper sense of the word - any chance that we're going to get contacted by the school on Monday as technically they were still in a bubble the 48 hours previous?

@Iknowwhoyouaretoday

We broke up yesterday - whole year bubbles carrying on until end of term, KS1 age group. Heard via the parent grapevine that a DC in another class to mine tested positive this morning.

I'm very comfortable that my DC is not a close contact in the proper sense of the word - any chance that we're going to get contacted by the school on Monday as technically they were still in a bubble the 48 hours previous?

Has school finished? I would say no. Ours asked us to let them know if any cases by the end of term but did says if any cases after that they didn’t care (words to that effect)

Thanks for opinions all.
We had a school letter on Monday, but as a result of a positive lateral flow not a PCR.
We have isolated since & plan to until day 8, we have plans with friends (outdoors & they are happy to go ahead).
It's the third isolation for our family within the past month & frankly I'm fed up. Mentally drained.

Thanks everyone.

Lateral flow tests are not reliable enough, I wouldn’t be doing anything unless they’ve had a PCR. It all seems so hit and miss. I’m a teacher and a child in my class tested positive for covid (not sure if it was LF or PCR) but the Department of Health said that neither myself or her classmates had to isolate I’ve had a negative lateral flow since then and I’m continuing to wear a mask in public places though.

@VashtaNerada

Lateral flow tests are not reliable enough, I wouldn’t be doing anything unless they’ve had a PCR. It all seems so hit and miss. I’m a teacher and a child in my class tested positive for covid (not sure if it was LF or PCR) but the Department of Health said that neither myself or her classmates had to isolate I’ve had a negative lateral flow since then and I’m continuing to wear a mask in public places though.

We've not heard anything else regarding a PCR result. It's extremely hit & miss isn't it! If you & your class have been told not isolate but then ours have sent the isolation letter home! I'm only going food shopping, we've had 1 day out a couple of weeks ago which was a play farm - all outside. We're continuing to wear masks & doing our best. As I say if we do break isolation it will be on day 8 so minimal risk I feel.