DS(17) refusing to get PCR test

[tactum]

DS(17) came home from school today early feeling poorly - main symptom today is runny nose but then said he had a headache on sunday and a sore throat over the weekend. No other symptoms.

He says he's done 4 lateral flow tests since Sat and all negative so he won't book PCR. Just refusing. I said if he's not prepared to then he has to isolate instead. He's absolutely refusing and saying he's going in to school tomorrow and I can't stop him (which physically I can't!). Won't listen to anything I say.
wwyd?

Nothing. He doesn’t have any of the symptoms that are asked for when booking a PCR so would have to lie to get one. He has taken 4 lateral flow tests. Other viruses still exist.

He doesn't have any of the 3 symptoms so I'm not sure why this is a WWYD?

He doesn't have a single coronavirus symptom.

OK thanks, guess I'm just a bit paranoid about the slightest thing. DD had covid a couple of months ago and only had headache and sore throat/slight cough till she lost her sense of smell a couple of days later. Also had negative lf test within an hour of her pcr, which then came back positive!

Tell him that pcr test results are coming back very quickly now. I must say, he seems like he is in the minority. Most teens would jump at the chance of having a day off 😅 hope he feels better soon though!

He may not have any of the covid symptoms but still might be worth getting a pcr as we all know by now that not all people have one of the main 3 especially to start with and the results come back quick now and lateral flows are so inaccurate.

I would tell him he has to. That’s it. No lifts, no WiFi etc. Too important to the household to know.

@PersonaNonGarter

I would tell him he has to. That’s it. No lifts, no WiFi etc. Too important to the household to know.

Even though he is not presenting any of the symptoms on the list?

@PersonaNonGarter

I would tell him he has to. That’s it. No lifts, no WiFi etc. Too important to the household to know.

Even though he has no symptoms and has already had 4 negative LFTs? Possibly a slight overreaction there, geez.

Not an over reaction at all. Our friends have had headcold like symptoms and tested negative on lateral flow until day 4 of symptoms when they tested positive on PCR. Even after PCR they tested negative on LF.
Let the school know. I work at one and we have long forgotten the three symptoms. Kids present with headcold type symptoms and upset stomachs mainly. Loss of smell cough etc may or may not come later.

He may not have the original symptoms determined 18 months ago, but he does seem to have 3 of the top 5 newer symptoms suffered by the unvaxxed as according to the Zoe App -

covid.joinzoe.com/post/new-top-5-covid-symptoms

which are -

Headache
Sore Throat
Runny Nose
Fever
Persistent cough

so I would show him that and encourage a PCR.

These are the most common covid symptoms for children and vaccinated people according to the Zoe covid app, along with loss of smell or taste. However it doesn't sound as though the government has updated its requirements for a PCR test. LFTs only work for asymptomatic cases so you could find that your son would have a positive PCR despite negative LFTs.

@PersonaNonGarter

I would tell him he has to. That’s it. No lifts, no WiFi etc. Too important to the household to know.

Surely not?

LFT’s don’t ‘only work’ for asymptomatic cases. How on earth would the test know if you have symptoms or not? LFT’s are actually more accurate for symptomatic cases than asymptomatic cases, but they’re not accurate enough to completely rule Covid out, which is why PCR tests are advised if you have symptoms.

Point out to him that other countries accept one vaccine plus infection as fully vaccinated, so if that ever happens here it could be really useful to him to know for certain he's had it.

We've all had colds this week.
LFTs do work on symptomatic cases, they just aren't as accurate.
You can't ban WiFi access to a 17yo.

@PatriciaHolm

He may not have the original symptoms determined 18 months ago, but he does seem to have 3 of the top 5 newer symptoms suffered by the unvaxxed as according to the Zoe App -

covid.joinzoe.com/post/new-top-5-covid-symptoms

which are -

Headache
Sore Throat
Runny Nose
Fever
Persistent cough

so I would show him that and encourage a PCR.

If you request a PCR test it still only asks about the main 3 symptoms on the government website and says you should only get a PCR if you have one of those symptoms.

Our school has encouraged us to get kids tested if they have wider symptoms not just the main symptoms so I would want a pcr for the symptoms your ds has. You can’t stop him but I think he’s being a bit selfish to not check as he could spread it

So you want him to break the law - take a test when not entitled, in effect steal money from the NHS!

Say ‘since you don’t have any symptoms requested by the pcr test chill out and feel better soon’

I am just recovering from covid , my main symptoms were runny nose , sore throat, headache . I then went on to develop a cough and a temp and I still have no smell or taste.
My lateral flow was negative , the same day I took a pcr and it was positive.
Please encourage him to take one.

@tactum

DS(17) came home from school today early feeling poorly - main symptom today is runny nose but then said he had a headache on sunday and a sore throat over the weekend. No other symptoms.

He says he's done 4 lateral flow tests since Sat and all negative so he won't book PCR. Just refusing. I said if he's not prepared to then he has to isolate instead. He's absolutely refusing and saying he's going in to school tomorrow and I can't stop him (which physically I can't!). Won't listen to anything I say.
wwyd?

3 of our household had that. We did zero testing of any kind.

If you request a PCR test it still only asks about the main 3 symptoms on the government website and says you should only get a PCR if you have one of those symptoms.

Have you still not realised that the government are not on top of this? The symptoms of the delta variant are far more cold like than the original symptoms.

Take responsibility for yourself and try to protect others too. That means using common sense and getting a test when you display covid symptoms.

@Xenia Are you going to tell @Wonkydonkey44 they've committed fraud?

Ring his school and see if they’ll send him hime for a test?

He doesn’t need a PCR. Get a grip.