Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

DS(17) refusing to get PCR test

53 replies

tactum · 14/09/2021 14:31

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?

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 14/09/2021 22:43

At age 17 I guess it's up to him, not you. I don't know if you are even entitled to breach his confidentiality by notifying the school of your concern.

blameitonthecaffeine · 14/09/2021 22:50

Sounds exactly like Covid is currently presenting. I had Covid with v mild cold symptoms last week and I'd had those symptoms for 2 routine LFTs before the 3rd showed positive and PCR confirmed. I couldn't believe it and felt so guilty that I'd continued to go to school 98% healthy but actually Covid positive.

So I'm with you that he should get one. But he's nearly an adult; you can't make him.

Watapalava · 14/09/2021 22:51

i wish people would stop quoting the zoe app

Its bullshit

Stop making rules up

Follow gov advice or don't

He doesn't need a test OP your reaction is ridiculous

Most parents would be wanting their kids to get back to college and school and avoid testing!

Fluffypastelslippers · 14/09/2021 22:56

@BluebellsGreenbells

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

Why the fuck would school have the authority to force someone to take a covid test Hmm

The guidelines are clear.

MoreHairyThanScary · 14/09/2021 22:56

All three of my dc didn't have the main symptoms but had sore throat runny nose or headaches. All three over the course of 5 weeks ( it's hung about in our house! ) came back positive.

Watapalava · 14/09/2021 23:02

I don’t get why people are ‘looking for positives’

Most parents put the kids first

Why you even testing them unless legally obliged

Madness

suredsun · 14/09/2021 23:04

@Xenia

So you want him to break the law - take a test when not entitled, in effect steal money from the NHS!
Many other countries have a much longer list of eligible symptoms than we do. In case you hadn't noticed, this government is completely inept - they've delayed and flip-flapped around so much on everything, they've lost the trust of many, many people. I have repeatedly made better / faster decisions than the government through the entire pandemic and trust my judgment far more than I trust the PM's. If they're serious about reducing contacts (I suspect they're not, but I am), they categorically SHOULD be testing for milder symptoms, especially with so many people now getting it despite vaccination. DD tested positive with headache and cold symptoms - that was all she had. If she hadn't tested she might well have given it to vulnerable grandparents, but because she knew, she stayed away from them and us. Strongly recommend a PCR for your son.
blameitonthecaffeine · 14/09/2021 23:30

I get the point about tests not off9cially being needed.

But what I don't understand is why, after I'd tested positive - with no official symptoms - I got asked about a much longer list of symptoms which did include mine. Once I'd filled that in my isolation reduced from 11 days to 8 days.

If the cold like symptoms are acknowledged as counting and reducing isolation period after testingthen why aren't they counted beforehand as signalling that a test is needed?

ImNotDancing · 14/09/2021 23:39

Some of you posters Confused

Covid isn’t just showing as ‘the big three’ I have Covid at the moment and my symptoms were headaches, upset stomach, feeling tired. I haven’t spiked a temperature at all and i haven’t coughed.

I was sent to get a test by my work because I felt like I was feverish but as I had no temperature I didn’t think I needed one. Luckily it was caught and it meant I avoided contact with others including my pregnant manager.

Mymapuddlington · 14/09/2021 23:50

@ImNotDancing when you go on the form it asks you if you have those 3 symptoms, if you don’t it says to do a rapid flow test

ImNotDancing · 15/09/2021 00:07

[quote Mymapuddlington]@ImNotDancing when you go on the form it asks you if you have those 3 symptoms, if you don’t it says to do a rapid flow test[/quote]
Okay and my point was clearly that Covid is a lot more than those three symptoms. My lft came out negative. Shock horror, the government are once again doing their own thing.

AntivaxersAreScum · 15/09/2021 01:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

walksen · 15/09/2021 01:19

Quite possible be has covid. Lots of my workplace had wild type covid back in Oct. All started with a thumping headaches a slightly runny nose and ticklish type of sore throat.

BUT

he does not have the 3 main symptoms so is not required to take a PCR yet. Government policy seems to be predicated on everyone catching it eventually. They are relying on the vaccine wall. They are not concerned at all with spread in schools etc. Insisting he takes PCR is like king Canute and the tide.

Fluffypastelslippers · 15/09/2021 07:49

Some of you posters Hmm

Covid isn’t just showing as ‘the big three’ I have Covid at the moment and my symptoms were headaches, upset stomach, feeling tired. I haven’t spiked a temperature at all and i haven’t coughed.

Still, the 3 are what the guidelines for testing are so it's entirely reasonable for anyone to make the choice to stick by that.

I was sent to get a test by my work

When you say sent, you realise they cannot enforce that, right?

because I felt like I was feverish but as I had no temperature I didn’t think I needed one. Luckily it was caught and it meant I avoided contact with others including my pregnant manager.

And lots of people won't even have symptoms so won't test, but that doesn't change the facts here. Nobody is asked to test unless they have one of the 3.

BluebellsGreenbells · 15/09/2021 07:54

When you say sent, you realise they cannot enforce that, right?

They can have a covid policy at work, no pay until negative test or isolation with no pay anyway.

DH policy includes working from home of positive case there.

It’s down to employers now.

Fluffypastelslippers · 15/09/2021 07:57

@BluebellsGreenbells

When you say sent, you realise they cannot enforce that, right?

They can have a covid policy at work, no pay until negative test or isolation with no pay anyway.

DH policy includes working from home of positive case there.

It’s down to employers now.

Ultimately it's up to the individual. Whatever the policy is nobody can force someone to take a covid test - particularly when they don't even have any of the 3 symptoms.

TheGrumpyGoat · 15/09/2021 07:58

@blameitonthecaffeine

I get the point about tests not off9cially being needed.

But what I don't understand is why, after I'd tested positive - with no official symptoms - I got asked about a much longer list of symptoms which did include mine. Once I'd filled that in my isolation reduced from 11 days to 8 days.

If the cold like symptoms are acknowledged as counting and reducing isolation period after testingthen why aren't they counted beforehand as signalling that a test is needed?

Simple fact is that if they asked anyone with a ‘runny nose’ to test, the testing system would soon collapse.
Fluffypastelslippers · 15/09/2021 07:58

@BluebellsGreenbells

When you say sent, you realise they cannot enforce that, right?

They can have a covid policy at work, no pay until negative test or isolation with no pay anyway.

DH policy includes working from home of positive case there.

It’s down to employers now.

Posted too soon.

What's the COVID policy at your DH work? You say they need to provide a negative test, but surely that would only apply if they had one of the 3 symptoms

beautifullymad · 15/09/2021 08:04

Symptoms of the Delta strain are different from the earlier ones.

They are;
Headache
Sore Throat
Runny Nose
Fever
Persistent cough

The government for whatever reason isn't updating its guidance. The first 4 are the ones younger people and children exhibit (if any at all).

So yes, definitely get hold of a PCR test. Can you order one for him to come in the post and just leave it out for him.

Technically He doesn't have to isolate unless that comes back positive.

Is he vaccinated?

Roomba · 15/09/2021 08:05

All those saying he doesn't have a single coronavirus symptom - he has had the exact same symptom as my kids who all currently have Covid (confirmed by PCR).

Delta definitely presents more (particularly in kids) as bit of a runny nose, sore throat, mild headache or just feeling a bit tired.

Only 1 of them tested positive with a lateral flow (before symptoms began). The other two had negative lateral flows even after their positive PCR tests had been taken (but hadn't come back yet). V glad I kept them off school on Monday as they could have infected multiple classes and a bus full of others. I know of approx 15 kids and teenagers who tested positive with these symptoms over the last two weeks.

Of course, it is also likely that it is a mild cold, allergy of similar. But I'd be phoning the school and asking them for advice - if they say no he can't come in without a PCR he will have to listen to them.

This rigid sticking to the 3 symptoms only is why we have over half a million cases at the moment.

BluebellsGreenbells · 15/09/2021 08:12

What's the COVID policy at your DH work? You say they need to provide a negative test, but surely that would only apply if they had one of the 3 symptoms

The government may only have 3 main symptoms, but everyone is aware cold symptoms could also be covid - right?

So yes they can ‘make’ or insist you go hime and get a test or return in 10 days without pay unless working from home.

Hopeisallineed · 15/09/2021 08:17

@xenia you are joking aren’t you ‘breaking the law?!! 😂

Hopeisallineed · 15/09/2021 08:19

@ANameChangeAgain you absolutely can. Who is paying for that WIFI?

Vargas · 15/09/2021 09:12

This is interesting. My older ds (no longer at school) has had congestion, sneezing, headache and cough, no fever. He has done 3 LFTs all negative and I didn't even think of doing a PCR as the LFTs were all negative. I think I'll get him to do another one today. I just assumed he has a cold.

Luckily he's not off to Uni for 10 more days...

Fluffypastelslippers · 15/09/2021 09:25

@BluebellsGreenbells

What's the COVID policy at your DH work? You say they need to provide a negative test, but surely that would only apply if they had one of the 3 symptoms

The government may only have 3 main symptoms, but everyone is aware cold symptoms could also be covid - right?

So yes they can ‘make’ or insist you go hime and get a test or return in 10 days without pay unless working from home.

Right. They cannot force anyone to take a test though. Which is what I said.