"She's fine, we've done a lateral flow"

[Happymchappy]

I just wondered if anyone else is coming across this more and more amongst parents at school. The vast majority of people I chat to seem to be relying heavily on lateral flows these days - less so PCRs for close contacts, coughs etc.
I'm just intrigued how common this is more widely?
I'm sure if a child was visibly ill with symptoms the school would send them home and they'd get a PCR then - I've come across it more in social interactions like playdates etc.

Mines by post too. I sent it Tuesday morning. I hope they've not bloody lost it !!!!!!😫

We send dc home from school with a request for a PCR if they are symptomatic. It's not enough to send them back the next day with a ltf. I do hear if people saying it a lot though. Tbh it is frustrating though having to keep isolating when a household member has symptoms even though you'll be allowed out even if they test positive as long as you are negative.

There are a lot of colds around atm. My DC has had one on and off for the past month. We've done three PCRs (all negative) and have been testing DC with LFTs every few days. My DH and I also have to take them if we're going into the office. I don't see what else we can do.

@emmathedilemma

I've just had this conversation with a friend by text who says they're fine (despite a headache and feeling like crap) because their LFT 3 days ago was negative! 18 months and people still haven't got it!

People generally get it alright. They just aren't really that bothered.

@emmathedilemma how frustrating! DD had a negative lateral flow on Sunday night, and a positive one on Tuesday night. A boy in her class was clear last Wednesday night and positive when they did mass testing in school on Friday morning. Proves you can't rely on a test from 3 days ago!

@Toottooot

My local NHS trust is telling people NOT to take PCR tests for ‘wider symptoms’ ie headaches and common cold symptoms as it’s cold season. I’ll take their advice over someone on here.

how sensible. PCR test if covid is most likely given the core symptoms.

If laterals are good enough for travellers then they are good enough for schools. They are supposed to be highly reliable.

PCRs involve you getting into the process of handing over personal data to a third party. Lack of trust in the government and private companies is relevant here.

PCRs take too long to get a result and you are supposed to keep kids off school whilst waiting for a result. This isn't feasible for a lot of parents on the bread line. Its just not going to happen.

For some 'oh I've done a lateral flow' is a euphism for 'piss off. I'm not bothering to test'.

You are supposed to do a PCR for a new cough. Thats kind of problematic if you've got a kid who has had a cold/cough for the best part of a month or longer. How many times are they supposed to do PCRs rather than lateral flows?

Also if you've done a lateral flow on a young child and it was traumatic for both you and them, why would you wish to repeat the process just to tick boxes? Arguably its cruel and disproportion on children who will spend most of the winter with a dripping nose and cough of some description.

I have to say the lack of realism over lateral flows v pcrs is telling.

Ultimately, if lateral flows are highly effective thats better than relying completely on pcrs - you would get even less take up if it was just pcrs.

I have to say I have got very pissed off by the lateral flow evangelicals who seem to love shoving sticks up their nose not just once or twice a week, but once or twice a day (yes I know several - not in healthcare) and seem to think this is something we should all be aspiring to. Personally I find it troubling, a sign of being overly anxious, virtue signally nonsense and concerned about how much its costing to indulge this level of going over board for no reason.

I think we are starting to become almost over reliant on testing. Whilst also having other nuts official policies. For example sending kids back into school after a household member has tested positive - the whole thing is pissing in the wind given they don't seem to be testing positive until 4 days later anyway - by which time there is a fair chance they've already passed it on thus defeating the whole point of testing anyway!

You are supposed to do a PCR for a new cough. Thats kind of problematic if you've got a kid who has had a cold/cough for the best part of a month or longer. How many times are they supposed to do PCRs rather than lateral flows?

The guidance said a NEW continuous cough. Dd2 always has a cough sometimes worse than others - a legacy left by having whooping cough as a baby so I don't ever test in a cough alone. I guess I would if it was very different to normal but that hasn't been the case so far. I've tested when she's had headaches etc on top though.

@liveforsummer

You are supposed to do a PCR for a new cough. Thats kind of problematic if you've got a kid who has had a cold/cough for the best part of a month or longer. How many times are they supposed to do PCRs rather than lateral flows?

The guidance said a NEW continuous cough. Dd2 always has a cough sometimes worse than others - a legacy left by having whooping cough as a baby so I don't ever test in a cough alone. I guess I would if it was very different to normal but that hasn't been the case so far. I've tested when she's had headaches etc on top though.

Exactly. New.

If you've had a lingering one for a while you are not obliged to take a pcr, though it might be prudent to do laterals in the meantime.

But you'd be amazed how many people don't get this as much as others who aren't testing at all.

There definitely is a puritanical bullshit coming from testing evangelicals every bit as there is bullshit coming from testing refusers.

Everyone has completely lost their minds over testing and in the process seem to think that we can abandon all other sensible measures.

@Marelle

Loads of symptoms don’t qualify you for a PCR. Plus it’s a right hassle to go and get one, you need a car and it takes up an hour of your time.

You can get a home test delivered. Gets to you the day after ordered and results back the same as a walk in.

@Marelle

You can order one online from the same site you book the drive through ones So I have to isolate for 24h until the test arrives. Assuming the postman can fit it through the letter box. Then I have to trail all the way to the postbox. Then wait another 2-3 days for a result, and probably have to isolate during that time too. It’s just not feasible. I have LFTs in the cupboard and can use them and get a result right now.

The result comes back as fast as a walk in, lots of post boxes around. LFTs not reliable.

I have a lot of complaints about school parents but this isn't one of them. They're all good at getting PCRs. I don't know if it's helped by the fact a parent was confused about when PCRs were needed so a few medical parents explained exactly when people should get PCRs from a medical pov (slightly different from the government position which is currently ignoring lots of opportunities for contact transmission).

@CuriousUnderTheStairs

Can't you just wait for your PCR result to go to the Post Office?

I'm pretty lax with it all but once you do a PCR test, you really should isolate.

I tested positive with a lateral flow test. Had lost my voice, I did a PCR which was positive, and at that point I still didn't have the three main symptoms, which came later. Presumably I caught it from someone who either didn't test, or was negative on a LF and thought they just had a cold? So spreading it around. I'm double vaccinated and normally perfectly healthy, but it's knocked me for six.

Not at school but work. This happened yesterday. He came in coughing but said its OK I've a LFT but that was negative. We persuaded him to home and he's tested positive today. When are people going to get it that if you have symptoms do a pcr test. Fucking dickheads. I'm annoyed cos I sit opp. Him and have been contacted by test and trace now.

@Peanutsandchilli

How did you get your DC back in school without her PCR test results? With my school there is no way a child, with symptoms and confirmed to have taken a PCR test, would be permitted back without the negative test.

I'm in the south west, I think alot of people here that I know are now more confident of lateral flows than PCRs due to recent problems. I know people who were ill, got positive lateral flows and negative PCRs and pretty sure they have got covid.

Not sure if other places have had the issues.

Just don't meet up with people if it's an issue for you.

There are kids with “colds” being sent to school from covid positive households at my kid’s school. For us vulnerable parent’s who are waiting for a booster vaccine, it’s not only inconsiderate, it’s bloody dangerous.

The new nose only lateral flows say they can be used when someone has symptoms.

@Alwayswonderedwhy

Just don't meet up with people if it's an issue for you.

How do you see that working with your school age children?

You’re ignoring the fact that people literally can’t afford for their children to have covid. Since the rules changed (and even before they did for many people) parents don’t legally have to isolate if there children are positive but they have been double jabbed. This means they would lose all of their income whilst their child isolated. I would be penniless if I couldn’t work and so no, I don’t get my toddler tested every time he has a sniffle.

This annoys me too, LFT are for people without symptoms but they still aren’t reliable. My dd tested positive on a LFT, I was negitive, booked us both in for a PCR and we were both positive. Tested myself many times with the LFT in the ten days I was isolating, never got a positive.

@Alwayswonderedwhy

Just don't meet up with people if it's an issue for you.

I find it’s also an issue with patients coming to the surgery with a cough that ….. “Can’t be Covid because my LFT was negative” I despair.

Tested myself many times with the LFT in the ten days I was isolating, never got a positive.

Why? What a waste of tests.