Going to school while awaiting PCR results (no symptoms)

[RoseGoldEagle]

My 2 year old got a positive PCR result this morning and will obviously isolate. His older sister has no symptoms, we all went and got a PCR test this morning as advised. School say our daughter should go in to school while we wait for the the PCR result as it could be days. Is that normal advice? I had planned to wait until I knew her result was negative before sending her in. I know the PCR test isn’t mandatory but since we’ve done it it seems odd to not wait for the result. Would feel awful if I sent her in tomorrow and then got a positive test! But maybe life has to go on and kids can’t keep missing school unless a case is confirmed, I don’t know! Would be grateful for any opinions! Thanks

You are supposed to isolate until you get the PCR result. Crazy that the school are giving out incorrect advice.

You are right, it's odd and dangerous.
Keep her at home until all is clear.

In Scotland you'd need to isolate as a contact while waiting for the result. In England you dont. Its bizarre

They have given you the correct advice. Children who are close contacts do not need to self isolate while awaiting test results unless they have symptoms. Strange, but true.

If you’re in England then yes we can go in without symptoms

It is true but absolutely ridiculous rule which needs to be changed back again IMO.
I have a family member in hospital atm for precisely this reason, transmission from someone who did not need to isolate when family member was positive as they were following rules and did not need to isolate, but subsequently were positive and they have inadvertently passed it on and have created a very serious situation for us.

Incidentally we are double vaccinated as some may wonder, I heard a phone in yesterday and preconception was all people in hospital are unvaccinated which is not true..

That is correct. If you test as a contact and without symptoms then you can go in to school whilst waiting for the result. It's a shambles and dangerous. My son was named as a contact last Saturday (the girl he sits next to at school) so we did a PCR on Sat afternoon and when we hadn't got the result back on Sunday night we were prepared to keep him home on the Monday until the result was back. I'd much rather have sent him in mid morning on receipt of a negative result than had to pick him up mid morning if he had tested positive.

Household contacts don’t have to isolate whilst waiting for PCR results but we kept our son in just because like you we’d have felt awful if his had come back positive. This happened twice over the course of two weeks (two different household members positive) and he missed a day of school each time. Luckily his results came back quickly though - not sure what we’d have done if his had taken 72 hours …

As crazy as it sounds in England siblings can go in if they have no symptoms - even if they are awaiting results. Same as a double jabbed adult. Say I had covid and dp didn't have symptoms, he wouldn't have to wait whilst waiting for pcr results! You can keep her off if you feel more comfortable doing so though... your choice

Thanks all! Her result came back quickly and is negative thankfully. For now anyway!

Pupil I work closely with had a family member who was positive. For some reason they delayed in getting PCRs for rest of household so he came in then got one that night. Was off waiting for result which came back positive.

I've had to do my own PCR and am now waiting to find out if my half-term holiday is going to be spent inside.