Voluntary Testing at school

[RevolvingPivot]

Hi. After some advice. I have a few SEN issues myself so please be kind.

Dd started secondary school yesterday. We had a letter to say they the kids had to go into school on Wednesday to be tested.

Dd went. Thought nothing of it. I've since found out this was voluntary and quite a few kids didn't go. Dd got her negative result within 30 minutes.

Fair enough if their parents decided they didn't want them to have it or if it was difficult for them to get there.

So yesterday they all met in the main hall and I know the bubbles and mask wearing is scrapped.

I'm not scared of the virus and I know if we get it we will. My question is. What if some of the kids that weren't tested do have it? They could pass it onto my daughter even though we think she's negative. I know we have to get back to normal but what's the point testing some but not all. Why bother? Or why not get them to do it at home and register the result online so school can access it.

Thanks

It's voluntary so some people won't do it plus some children will have had the virus and you're not supposed to do LFTs within a certain period after that. Some people might have done them at home but not registered them.

My DC's school is very sensible and is telling the pupils to do their testing at home before coming back to school.

That is how it should be done now that LFTs are so easy to collect/order for delivery to home even.

This avoids - infecting children who test negative, infecting children on the way to school, infecting children in the hall getting tested, infecting children while waiting for results.

It's not that hard, but some schools are still thinking the same as last September 2020 when tests were not widely available to the general public and no-one was vaccinated.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

It's voluntary so some people won't do it plus some children will have had the virus and you're not supposed to do LFTs within a certain period after that. Some people might have done them at home but not registered them.

I know the mums and the kids haven't had it or done a test at home.

@user823445234

My DC's school is very sensible and is telling the pupils to do their testing at home before coming back to school.

That is how it should be done now that LFTs are so easy to collect/order for delivery to home even.

This avoids - infecting children who test negative, infecting children on the way to school, infecting children in the hall getting tested, infecting children while waiting for results.

It's not that hard, but some schools are still thinking the same as last September 2020 when tests were not widely available to the general public and no-one was vaccinated.

I've got a pack at home which we could have used.

It's not that I don't agree with them not taking one but I don't understand how they are letting them mix or couldn't get them to do one yesterday when they started school.

You've got to remember that LFT are not that good anyway and have a huge failure rate.

I know so many people who have got lots of negative LFT despite being positive so I wouldn't worry too much really!

It’s so the government and phe can pretend there’s mitigation in schools. There isn’t any and it’s good you’re not scared of the virus as I’d say your dd is pretty certain to contract it. I hope she’s not too ill when she gets it. It’s state encouraged madness

Yes, your daughter could get it from someone who didnt test prior to returning to school, or someone who was negative on wednesday, but positive today.
What it has done in this school, is alert a number of families to the fact that there is asymptomatic covid in their family, and so some potential spreading points wont be in school for the first week. It has reduced, but not eliminated, the amount of covid in the building.

@CarrieBlue

It’s so the government and phe can pretend there’s mitigation in schools. There isn’t any and it’s good you’re not scared of the virus as I’d say your dd is pretty certain to contract it. I hope she’s not too ill when she gets it. It’s state encouraged madness

...indeed and then blame the schools when everything goes tits up

TBH though it would be really really tricky for schools to enforce testing and even if they tried to they really couldn't be sure that they had all done it correctly. If they said no test no school then imagine how many kids would be missing school.

I think the onus should be on parents to ensure that the kids test properly 'for the greater good', especially now the threat of all the other kids in the class being sent home as well as the poorly kid, has in theory been lifted.

Testing some is better than none as they might find some cases I suppose. My child's year will be tested 3 days AFTER going back to school which seems quite pointless too.
I think with no bubbles or masks, it will spread very quickly in schools and the government know that, the tests are just to make it look like they’re doing something when they’re not really. I feel very sorry for vulnerable children and staff but as most people seems to want the kids back to normal, they’ve seemingly just got to go along with it. Let’s see what happens.

I just think now than ever with all the kids mixing it will spread.

My youngest is in y5 so I'm not as concerned but with my eldest only just starting y7 it will be a nightmare for them to be off and miss out on getting to know the school. I know nothing can be done.

@Frazzled2207 I agree