Am I supposed to send the kids to school?!

[Cocovivid]

4 kids in 4 different schools.

One tested yesterday evening (other 3 were neg)
Today another one has tested positive (other 2 were neg)

DH has just tested positive.

So do we just keep testing the negative kids and send them in whilst they are negative.

The Gov website says under 18s are exempt from isolation if household is infected?

That seems mad that 3 people in the house are positive but I should still send them.

Will the school want me to keep them off?

Thing is they've already had letters about their attendance this year (first time ever in 10 years of schooling that we've had this!) because they've all just had illness after illness and I've erred on the side of caution because of covid (and felt punished because of it)

It's madness.

Sorry should say 'one tested positive for covid last night.'

Would you keep them all at home if DH had flu and two others did? Not saying I agree but we are expected to treat covid the same now.

I see your point but it's gone from 'the whole world stopping' to 'treat it like a cold'.. But still wear a mask when you can, you can't see a Dr face to face, video calls for parents evenings, firework displays cancelled.
It's all so confusing.

I agree. Morally I would keep the others home but schools are still being hammered for attendance

Yeha morally I feel the same but it's not really upto me is it :(

I would email the schools now, and ask them to make the call. Some schools are asking them to pcr first.

Weve been told to keep home until negative PCR.

@trumpisagit

I would email the schools now, and ask them to make the call. Some schools are asking them to pcr first.

PCR for the kids that are neg on LFTs? Before they go in?

Kids in Wales must have a neg PCr if someone in the household is infected before they can go back to school.

My friend is just coming out of isolation after testing positive, his 5yo twins have been neg throughout (LFTs after initial PCR).

I'm in England the advice is to send them in unless they have symptoms then they need to stay home until they are pcr tested

Our school has taken the view that they are happy for parents to take a safer approach - keep the whole family isolated and then come back with no threat of fines.
Depends on your school...
The rules these days make no sense if you are trying to prevent too much onward transmission, but if you are looking to build a population immunity then they are a halfway house that isn't quite opening the doors to no restrictions at all...

I would get PCRs for all of them now. 3 of 4 in our household have just had Covid (PCR positive), but of those three only one was positive using LFT.

They can get PCRs because they are close contacts.

Covid is ripping through our school - parents were informed of situation in the week, but cases have increased since then. The school have agreed to put in a few measures in the hope a mini circuit breaks helps and numbers will be reviewed next week with the authorities.

I'd certainly go down the route of PCRs, and if negative discuss with school - ours are being very supportive if parents aren't sending their children in for covid reasons (pre the massive increase in cases). If they do return, then I'd suggest a LFT every morning for the next week.

I've emailed the schools and booked postal PCRs for the negative kids and myself

Thanks for the advice.

Some areas in England have different rules in place due to rocketing rates a few weeks ago. My LA now requires children to stay at home for 3 days, then take a PCR. They then return to school if the result is negative. This seems like a reasonable compromise between “all isolate” and “ignore it until they become unwell”.
We are also back to masks in communal areas.
I would PCR on Monday and wait for the results.