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?

Most people I know have been doing twice weekly LFT. All parents were asked to do twice weekly LFT from when the kids went back in March along with all secondary school children.

We've been doing LFTs for the past few months as parents of a primary age child. We have only done one pcr test due to symptoms (my daughter was sent home from school with a temperature - test was negative) and two for the ons study (randomly selected).

So for approximately a year and a half none of you have had a temperature or a cough?

It's not that unusual given that we've all been keeping away from people and wearing masks - nobody in our house has had a cold or temp for 18 months either.

Neither have we, 3 kids aged from 5 to 13. No symptoms at all, we all had a cold this year but no coughs.

My husband had tests because he had to have an operation but has also had no symptoms at all.

@Hallyup6 did you bother to isolate if anyone was symptomatic?

Wow Hally. That sounds very irresponsible.

DD had a PCR in early September as she had a temp, but was negative, and none of us have had any symptoms since then so haven’t done any PCRs. DH and I have tested with LFTs at least twice weekly though as both school and work asked us to (we occasionally go to the office to work, like maybe 1 or 2 days month), we’ve also done LFTs before meeting up with grandparents or going to indoor events.
Not sure how anyone could have missed the memo about wanting us to all do LFTs to be honest, it’s all over the government website and talked about on the news a lot.

@hellcatspangle

So for approximately a year and a half none of you have had a temperature or a cough?

It's not that unusual given that we've all been keeping away from people and wearing masks - nobody in our house has had a cold or temp for 18 months either.

We've not had any bugs either. Last thing either of the kids had was a vomiting bug in March 20 and nothing since then - no cough, no colds. Its actually concerning that theyre not coming into contact with these common bugs.

@SergeiL

Why are people so smug though that they haven’t tested when they were meant to? How can people possibly have missed this? Did you completely miss the memo about symptomless spread?

What do you mean when they are meant to? I'm not meant to do any tests, I don't have primary age children and my work doesn't require me too, it's not a national diktat

I believe you are meant to test if you have symptoms but the LFT is voluntary? So if people havent had symptoms why would they have been tested? I dont think its unusual?

I've never had a test. Not had any symptoms, not been ill, had a cough etc.
My reception child has had 1 lateral flow because she had a cold, negative. No burst bubbles in school or wrap around care thankfully.
Husband has had a couple of colds so has done tests, all negative.

This thread certainly reveals failures in the govt/LA/some schools’ messaging on the need for parents of primary children to regularly test.....

Yeah also find it hard to believe parents of primary age children don’t know they are supposed to be testing regularly.
Ours ram it down out throats to the point of forcing boxes and boxes of tests on us, newsletters, emails home.
The kids only broke up on Friday and they’ve already sent an email home about expectations to test during the summer holidays.
Don’t understand why anyone isn’t doing regular LFTs. I always do them before I see my parents or go to an event bigger then a couple of friends.

@JanFebAnyMonth don't think we can blame Government/schools. It has been talked a lot on the media, on here! Think many people have ignored the messages, for whatever reasons

never tested any symptomatic children
I really hope that’s a typo.

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair I am clearly not directing it at you then. I am directing it at people who are parents of school aged children.

@CakeandGo

Yeah also find it hard to believe parents of primary age children don’t know they are supposed to be testing regularly. Ours ram it down out throats to the point of forcing boxes and boxes of tests on us, newsletters, emails home. The kids only broke up on Friday and they’ve already sent an email home about expectations to test during the summer holidays. Don’t understand why anyone isn’t doing regular LFTs. I always do them before I see my parents or go to an event bigger then a couple of friends.

But we arent "supposed to be" it was always optional. I dont want to induce health anxiety in my kids so we took the decision to only get them tested if they had symptoms which thankfully theyve not had. We stuck to all the lockdowns, done home learning, isolated them when theyve been contacts through school, eldest worn mask at school etc. If I was concerned about seeing a parent (i.e. if they were vulnerable) Im afraid I wouldnt trust the reliability of an LFT. Id rather act like we might have it and carry on with the other measures like social distancing and hand washing. But if other people feel reassured taking the tests I believe thats their call too.

@CakeandGo

Yeah also find it hard to believe parents of primary age children don’t know they are supposed to be testing regularly. Ours ram it down out throats to the point of forcing boxes and boxes of tests on us, newsletters, emails home. The kids only broke up on Friday and they’ve already sent an email home about expectations to test during the summer holidays. Don’t understand why anyone isn’t doing regular LFTs. I always do them before I see my parents or go to an event bigger then a couple of friends.

No, we’ve had nothing like this from school! They haven’t been handing out the tests, and I don’t recall it being mentioned in the letters and emails. Were you in an area with a high number of cases?

Wow yes. Cant believe people are doing lft for colds/symptoms too 🤦🏼‍♀️. I thought it had been clear!

@palacegirl77 my post re LFT testing was the parents of primary aged children not the children themselves.

[quote SergeiL]@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair I am clearly not directing it at you then. I am directing it at people who are parents of school aged children.[/quote]
It might have been clear to you when you typed people that you meant parents of school age children but it wasn't to me. And you're still wrong, it was only primary children.

Keep up

[quote CakeandGo]@palacegirl77 my post re LFT testing was the parents of primary aged children not the children themselves.[/quote]
Yes, but again its not "supposed to be testing" (kids or parents) it was always optional - Im surprised people dont know that?

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@Hallyup6 did you bother to isolate if anyone was symptomatic?[/quote]
No, my younger ones have had colds or the odd temperature for a few hours. My older ones were fine and still went to school. Kept my 4 year old off nursery for a couple of days. Shoot me if you like.

We are fam of 6. Only dc1 at secondary school
He is only one in family who has tested since March 2020

Supposed doesn’t mean “you have to”, but “it’s recommended that you do”.

I was ignoring those who’ve chosen not to and focussing on those here who seem
unaware.