I don't know what is the right thing to do any more!

[Brackenandbramble]

My youngesr ds was sent home from school as he was in close contact with a child who tested positive. Ds did a lateral flow which was a clear positive. I have a pcr booked for him tomorrow morning.
Both dh and I are double jabbed so don't needed to isolate according to guidelines (we'll not be going far though if anywhere). We both did lateral flow and both negative.
My other ds has had one jab and is at the same school as my youngest. He wasn't sent home but did a lateral flow when he got home which was negative. My dilemma is if my youngest was sent home due to close contact does the same rule apply to my oldest who is now in close contact with his brother? Guidelines from 16th Aug say no but the schools are sending kids home based on close contact. Do I need to keep older ds off and get him pcr tested or not? I've read so much and none the wiser. What would you do?

I think you order a pcr for ds1 only if ds2 is positive but happy to be corrected.

I don't think you do until the test comes back as positive

*unless it comes back positive even

I'd personally keep him home but it might be a bit early for a PCR to show as positive, if he is going to have picked it up from his brother. Do they share a room?

They don't share a room but we all ate dinner together last night and travel in the same car and generally being in the same house might be enough.
I had initially booked older ds a pcr too but now feel I should cancel as it's maybe unnecessary and someone else might need it. Especially if younger ds comes back negative (but that lateral flow was a stark positive) I'm so confused!

If England . You are correct you don’t need to isolate as double vaccinated. Then if a positive case in the household a PCR is advised for all. As far as I am aware no child has to isolate if in contact with a positive case ( in fact up to 18 years 6 months don’t). But schools are different and as they have all just gone back I’d expect a few different decisions whilst the ever changing govt guidance beds in. Schools have it tough at the moment with very little support and whist I realise it doesn’t always make sense they are often working off advice from DfE or local authority who are constantly being asked to change things by central govt. I know of a case here where a teacher and child are in school today whilst they have a positive case in their household - that’s within the rules! I hope your DC recovers soon and you are all ok - I realise I haven’t helped much info just for context really.

Why was he sent home, I didn’t think kids had to anymore after close contact ?

Sorry no one currently has covid in this situation in your household?

If so Close contact child should have a pcr and back to school

Sibling of close contact should be at school now and never sent home.

Those are the England rules I believed they were the same in Scotland too. No one has to isolate unless they have covid (or over 18, not vaccinated and identified as a close contact themselves of a positive case)

If he's clear positive on lft, it most likely to be positive on pcr too, I would imagine. So I would order the pcr for other ds too and keep him home. But you don't have to.

Thanks all for your replies, I thought I might get told to go and look through guidelines up!
@OnlyFoolsnMothers some of the schools are sending kids home and asking they get pcr tests done. I'm completely fine about this, dh and I was so don't need to go anywhere, its just my older son I'm in a muddle about.