Are we unusual?

[MattDillonsEyebrows]

Are we unusual in that the four of us in our family have never done either a lateral flow or PCR test?

We are a family of four, me, DH, DD5 (just finished reception)& DD4 (just going into reception after the summer).

We had one period of isolation for DD5 before Christmas and DH had to isolate last year when a work colleague tested positive but at the time, the advice was just to isolate, no need to test.

Since then, we’ve had no symptoms no school, (DD5 continued school during lockdown 3), nursery or work bubbles burst, and no pings on the app. I don’t think we’ve been reckless, we are double jabbed, and wear masks but we’ve never had symptoms so never tested.

I feel we have been exceptionally lucky, but also, a part of me feels a bit weird because none of us have ever done a test and I’m wondering if if we are unusual or others are similar to us?

So for approximately a year and a half none of you have had a temperature or a cough? I would say that is fairly unusual for young kids. My kids have both had a cough at some point since the pandemic began (neither was Covid but still warranted a test)

Are you working from home? If not most work places encourage people to do a lateral flow if they’re going into a work place, same with schools - I thought kids were asked to do them a few times a week irrelevant of symptoms, maybe that’s older kids?

I think its unusual, most people I know with kids were doing a LFT at least once a week as a precaution. Nurseries and schools kept sending home groups so it seemed the safest thing to do.

Only secondary children were asked to test twice a week with lateral flow devices.

However, the parents of primary were asked to test themselves as a way of trying to avoid asymptomatic spread into their children’s schools.

I have no idea how unusual that is but one of my siblings is the same, they both work from home with no school age children. My parents never have, both retired and not been seeing many people and I have a single friend who was just saying the same thing the other day

I guess if I can think of those off the top of my head there must be loads of others

(The kids in seconndry school had to do one anyway)

Lateral flow tests are for asymptomatic testing. Normally twice a week. Advice is for adults to test twice weekly. I do husband doesn't but he isn't working currently. We've tested loads pcr and Lateral flow but I work in the NHS and have had covid. Lots of colleagues still contracting covid. It's unusual not to have tested atall yes.

Have your children really gone for over a year with no bugs with temps or coughs? Especially a reception child, that's an amazing feat!

It's very lucky I think. I've not had a PCR but do LFT for work, the kids have done at least 4 PCRs over the course of the last year.

@JanFebAnyMonth

Only secondary children were asked to test twice a week with lateral flow devices.

However, the parents of primary were asked to test themselves as a way of trying to avoid asymptomatic spread into their children’s schools.

Yes, this is what most the parents I know had been doing, testing themselves.

We’re two adults and an 11 month old and the only time we’ve had a test was me when I had a temperature in Labour (turned out to be an unrelated infection). DH has been wfh throughout and we’ve kept healthy and well. I think people forget it’s only been since April that LFTs have been available for all.

We are a family of 5, 3 secondary age children and the only person who has had a PCR is me - once. Not because I had any symptoms at all, but because I was going to a specific place of work with lots of other people for one day only in February and needed a negative PCR first.

Never done LFT tests. None of us have ever had any symptoms which indicated Covid.

Wow I'd think very unusual.
Lots of workplaces encouraging regular testing.
Lft are sent out free/picked up free so most school parents I know test occasionally/before seeing older people etx even if not every 2 weeks!

And not have had any cough/coldy symptoms/anything in all that time with reception kids is amazing! Does show how all these measures make a difference though. Mine were always snotty in reception/caught everything!

I think it's very unusual as most people are testing using LFT due to asymptomatic cases. We are a household of 5 none of us have tested positive and only DH and DD 7 have had to have PCR tests due to either illness or hospital visits.
We've had no bubble closures but I put that down to parents who haven't been testing rather than there being no cases.

*We are a family of 5, 3 secondary age children and the only person who has had a PCR is me - once. Not because I had any symptoms at all, but because I was going to a specific place of work with lots of other people for one day only in February and needed a negative PCR first.

Never done LFT tests. None of us have ever had any symptoms which indicated Covid.*

Why did you decide your 3 secondary age kids shouldn't take the lateral flow tests?

We haven't, we had covid in March 20. No children (kids at university) and wfh until feb when I started new job but I have own office.

We’re a family of four and have never needed to test either! The only illnesses they children have had were classic colds at a time when most of their cohorts had returned to school and also immediately picked up colds. DP and I haven’t been ill since the first lockdown.

Yes, I think you are unusual. When asked by the government to do regular testing most people compiled, especially those with young children who were specifically requested to test.

Sounds like that's in you tbh. The lateral flow tests are there to pick up asymptomatic cases and keep others safe from asymptomatic spread.
I test for work but also when I'm meeting a high risk person or going to a higher risk activity EG choir practice. Most of my friends and family do similar.
Your family aren't doing this and you have every right to make this choice but it's not really an achievement

I'd say this is unusual, for a family with primary age kids. Not unheard of, but certainly in the minority. Are you not encourages to do the biweekly lft where you are? Every child from DDS (yr1) class has had to test at some point due to cough, temp, sickness, to be allowed back at school after an inevitable kid cold. Just the way it usually is with small kids. I work in a customer facing role, so haven't been able to avoid the public fully and have picked up colds from work/the kids, so have also had to test probably about 6 times. We've also been doing bi weekly lateral flow tests, as our school asked for this when the kids returned. Partner working form home he's only tested once when he caught one of the kids colds, but also does the bi-weekly lfts.

Same
No tests yet of any kind
No burst bubbles at school for eldest or nursery for youngest (until last week at preschool but he’d already finished when the positive test was confirmed and he wasn’t in with the child so no need for him to isolate)

I do a test if I am going to a meeting in person (usually WFH), taking my elderly DM in the car, or going to medical appointments, hairdresser etc.

For those of you who have never done LFT have you never visited elderly, vulnerable relatives?

Yes, I think you are unusual. When asked by the government to do regular testing most people compiled, especially those with young children who were specifically requested to test.

This, I dont think its necessarily the kind of thing you want to shout about. You are basically saying we are quite happy to potentially spread covid as long as we don't actually get ill with it ourselves.

We both work in the NHS and DD has been at nursery throughout the pandemic. We have only had to isolate once at the very beginning before tests became available. DD has never been tested and we have only had work tests but never been tested due to symptoms or had app pings. I always forget to turn my app off in the hospital too!

I think you're very unusual! My dad and in laws haven't had to test at any point but I would have thought most families with such young dc don't go a full 18 months without a bit of a cough or a temperature. We've done many lateral flow tests because our dc are primary school age and we've all had a pcr for symptoms, ds had had 3 because he has asthma and is particularly prone to coughs.

It's pretty unusual that non of your family have had a cough or temperature in nearly a year and a half, especially with 4 and 5 year olds.

However parent’s of a primary aged children have been asked to test twice weekly in case of asymptomatic cases, so it's not a case of you coincidently never needing a test, it's just you choosing not to test when asked. Unfortunately that's not that unusual based on uptake of rapid test kits.