Under 18 don't have to isolate but do daily testing

[CityGirl182]

If I've read it right, after 16 August, under 18s and those double vaccinated won't have to isolate if they come into contact with a close Covid contact, but do a daily test instead? Is that right?

Are they really suggesting we do an invasive test on our children every day for 10 days?! Its trauma to do it once on my 5 year old, we can't do it repeatedly, so looks like isolating is our only option, so we're still going to have kids kissing loads of school and nothing changes? Or have I missed something?

*Ha, missing, bit kissing!

I guess it depends on the child. Both my children are still quite young.

One of mine doesn’t mind the tests but the other gets very upset and distressed.

So what we would do would have to depend on which child was affected really.

Luckily (compared to others on here) we haven’t had loads of tests/ isolations.

We will just have to see how things play out.

I don't think it's been made clear but my understanding was that it would be one test only. And I don't think anyone is suggesting it's going to be enforceable.

I’m not sure how I feel about tests replacing isolation but I am suspecting in time this will be the new rule for everyone.

Assuming everything goes ‘to plan’.

The next few months are going to be ‘interesting’.

No.

Current plan is for no isolation and no testing - though those identified by Test and Trace (ie not those in school, where it has been decided that no contacts will 'count', and only contacts from e.g. sleepovers will be determined to be close contacts) will be 'advised' to take a single PCR test.

Whether that will be what really does happen, especially when schools go back, is not clear, but that is the current post August 16th guidance.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57950930.amp

"From 16 August anyone in England who is fully vaccinated - and unvaccinated under-18s - will be able to take daily tests instead of self-isolating. Similar rules come into force in Scotland from 9 August - and in Wales from 7 August."

@SpringRainbow Seems to suggest it is daily, although I guess we wait and see what the actual announcement is for the 19th...

From Government guidancer (as opposed to the BBC, wgho i think are confused by this:

"From 16 August 2021, children under the age of 18 years old will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.

Instead, children will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We would encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so."

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/23/daily-covid-tests-for-students-found-to-be-as-effective-as-group-isolation

Above article was yesterday.

There does need to be an end to the isolations, particularly now research shows they were no more effective than daily testing would have been.

Adults who are double vaccinated will be able to test daily and avoid self isolation. So children should not be penalised for not being given access to a vaccine that has been approved for them (at least for over 12 years olds).
Plus some over 16s are double vaccinated (CEV/CV or just invited as their areas have spare capacity). So why should they continue to be treated as unvaccinated

And, also from Government guidance:
"From 16 August England
If you’re fully vaccinated or under 18, you will not need to self-isolate following close contact with someone who has COVID-19. You’ll still need to take a PCR test and self-isolate if it’s positive."

greygrass

That study was seriously flawed - but is also irrelevant, as the current government guidance is that no double vaccinated people, and nobody under the age of 18, will need to isolate from 16th August, and will simply be 'asked' to get a PCR.

To be honest I have no idea what is actually going to happen.

I have heard daily lft, just one PCR, and also absolutely nothing.

They’ll probably make their final decision at the last moment after leaking a few possible scenarios a week or so before.

Current published guidance is one PCR recommended.

However, as the PP says, it is entirely possible that the guidance may change, and indeed is very likely to - probably without any publicity, at 10 pm, the day after schools have gone back, and the DfE will say 'but it has ALWAYS said that, didn't you know??'

@cantkeepawayforever

Current published guidance is one PCR recommended.

However, as the PP says, it is entirely possible that the guidance may change, and indeed is very likely to - probably without any publicity, at 10 pm, the day after schools have gone back, and the DfE will say 'but it has ALWAYS said that, didn't you know??'

Too true, they are such a shambles. Fingers crossed, it stays as it currently is though, that sounds far better than the BBC we're reporting...

Just as were previously told children don't transmit or catch Covid19 (🙄), I'm sure they will try to spin it that this is just as effective than isolation.

My Ds' year group were sent home to isolate. He tested negative. On Wednesday Ds started to get a sore throat. He still tested negative. He continued to test negative repeatedly until Saturday.
But would he have been contagious all that time?
Other kids also tested negative until the thur or fri, but many had no symptoms.

How would something like this work when it all varies so much?

It depends what you see as 'better', though - there will be far more infections in children and teens - because those who have Covid asymptomatically or pre-symptomatically (and, IME, with anything other than the most blatant symptoms) will remain in close contact with whole classes of their peers, but fewer isolations.

More teachers will be off ill, for a few weeks at a time, but fewer will be isolating.

Which will end up to be the least disruptive on balance is yet to be seen.

The media seem to have muddled the new guidance for some sectors in business and healthcare and the rule change due in on 16th Aug or earlier depending on where in the UK you are.
The new guidance is that some workers will be exempt and will do daily LFT if they are a contact. This is coming into effect from now for a small group of key workers.
The general end to isolation for double vaccinated / children etc that has been published states that 1 PCR test should be taken if you are identified as a contact and if negative you can go about your business. If you get symptoms then you should test again and at that point you would isolate if positive.
The media seem to have muddled several things and are reporting it as one.

@rainbowunicorn
To be fair to the media the government are pretty muddled themselves on their own policy. Plenty of contradictions always.

Is there not so many different contradictory rules

Nhs and double jabbed daily test excempt isolating.

Low paid essential worker we don't care if you not double jabbed or even single go back to work don't isolate Britain needs you.

Police/ border staff not sure they doing.

Have be double jabbed get onto clubs from sept or other crowded places.

Kids I thought 2 tests at start then optional lft and no isolating unless they have covid themselves.
No isolating close contacts so their parents can go work and siblings still attend school.

Just a thought. If the advice for some adults is that they are going to have to isolate if contacted, how do their children get to school if kids don't have to isolate? The parents won't be allowed to take them

That would only apply to single-vaccinated and unvaccinated adults.

Singe vaccinated would be only the very youngest of the 'parental' age groups, if that - my 18 year old will be double jabbed easily by the end of summer, so with school parents usually being 21+ it is unlikely that man will have not had the opportunity to be double vaccinated.

It may be that currently pregnant women will be the largest group who would will still have to isolate as partially or unvaccinated. With the majority of parents double vaccinated and not having to isolate, it should be possible for the vast majority of children to make it into school somehow with friends / neghbours / relatives.

What if someone in your household tests positive, or has symptoms?
Will we still all have to self isolate for that?

No.

@Wtf1980

What if someone in your household tests positive, or has symptoms? Will we still all have to self isolate for that?

No, anyone that is double vaccinated or under 18 will not have to isolate unless they test positive.

The only people that will have to isolate after 16th of August are those who have a positive covid test. It doesn't make any difference if teh contact is someone you live with or not.

DS’s social group 15-16yr olds have been rapidly circulating the virus with a number of parties. DS had his first vaccine a month ago but has yet to test positive. He has been doing LFTs of his own accord whenever he finds out someone has tested positive and to be fair, apart from DH & myself has pretty much self isolated from everyone apart from this social group (mainly his school yr who have just done GCSEs).
Hopefully by September they will have all either had Covid or both vaccine doses.
Since I had covid in Feb 2020 and I suspect DS had it then, he may well be immune which is why he hasn’t had symptoms or tested positive.
A few of those testing positive have felt ill but most have had mild cold like symptoms.

Hopefully by September they will have all either had Covid or both vaccine doses.

Not if they’re healthy 15-16s. They’re not in line to be vaccinated at all.