Cannot cope with this constant testing

[TuesdayRuby]

DS (20 months) has just been sent home from nursery for what must be his 10th time in the last few months for a “temperature”. He has a bit of a runny nose but is quite well in himself, happily playing etc. I actually took his temp myself when I got home and it was fine! Nursery won’t allow him back until he has a PCR result meaning I won’t be able to work for the next 2 days. It’s a bloody nightmare. Am I the only one who thinks this is getting a bit ridiculous, testing toddlers for every bloomin snotty nose they get?!
GRRRRR

Yes, it's shit, especially if you have a child who is prone to temperatures. DD never gets them, but a wee friend of hers gets them with every cold or minor bug and has had so many tests and missed so many days, and his parents have had to juggle so much work around to accommodate. It's crap.

I completely feel for you. My DD (19 months) has had two tests within 2 weeks, first for a temperature she had with a cold (the temperature was a 5 minute spike and then fine) and the second because she's been a close contact at her Childminder's.

At least we don't have to self isolate as a close contact now but I sent off her precautionary PCR test on Monday and still haven't had the results. Have to do postal as the only way I can test her is when she's asleep. Luckily I'm not waiting on results for childcare but if I was she would have been off all this week!

It’s my husbands birthday this weekend and I’ve made so many plans. I’m almost terrified to test him as I can see everything I’ve worked so hard to organise slipping away
I’m so fed up of this bollocks!!

My nursery now asks only for lft for temperatures etc. Not the officially sanctioned approach but it has probably saved my career given that DS has a temperature or cough around once a week at the moment. I’ve still missed huge amounts of work though and can’t see it being sustainable long term. Can’t imagine tests on toddlers are remotely accurate anyway - the most I ever manage is gently touching the side of his nose with the swab for less than a second.

Wales have stopped testing for under 5s unless advised by a doctor and issued guidance that says that testing for under 5s is distressing- hoping England will follow soon.

Sounds like Wales have taken a sensible stance on this occasion. Hopefully England follows suit with the under 5s. By the way, nursery can't demand to see a PCR teat result. Can you find somewhere which is a bit less ridiculous about caring for children?

Yes it is bloody ridiculous and unworkable. Here in Wales the differing guidelines on testing infants is one of the very few things they're getting right.

@TuesdayRuby

DS (20 months) has just been sent home from nursery for what must be his 10th time in the last few months for a “temperature”. He has a bit of a runny nose but is quite well in himself, happily playing etc. I actually took his temp myself when I got home and it was fine! Nursery won’t allow him back until he has a PCR result meaning I won’t be able to work for the next 2 days. It’s a bloody nightmare. Am I the only one who thinks this is getting a bit ridiculous, testing toddlers for every bloomin snotty nose they get?! GRRRRR

I would be contacting them to say you've checked and he doesn't have a temperature.

I do also think that different nurseries differ and mine is a bit more relaxed than yours now e.g last time DS had a temperature they put him down for a nap and only asked me to fetch him when he still had it on waking up. Gave me a couple of hours to frantically finish some work. My nursery’s covid policy sounds very strict but there is a bit more leniency in practice. Hard to know that when choosing a nursery though.

PCR back, negative… yet again.
Two days unable to work, and a traumatised toddler with a runny nose sigh

Well it's crap but I'm not sure what else they can ,they may have medically vulnerable children at the nursery .

It's hard isn't it. Have to do so many

It’s crap our nursery has been ok so far and have been fine with them going in with colds and thankfully my 14 month old hasn’t been sent home yet since July when they started However we had a very aggressively worded email last week stating they now require PCR tests for “severe colds, coughs and temperatures” well been as colds aren’t an official symptom on the form to request a PCR quite frankly they can take a run and jump. Babies and toddlers especially those who spent the majority of their lives will pick up colds when they start nursery and in winter! There is no way I am PCR testing for every runny nose and loosing two days at work while we wait for the results plus traumatizing my very young child with the test while still paying full fees for days they aren’t even at nursery. They have also requested we keep children home when teething as them being unsettled places extra pressure on staff safe to say they will be getting some feedback from me at drop off next week!

@x2boys

Well it's crap but I'm not sure what else they can ,they may have medically vulnerable children at the nursery .

Nursery aged kids are no more vulnerable than any of the common or garden viruses in circulation. If you have a child that is unfortunate enough to be so vulnerable that every infection would be a big risk, then you shouldn't be sending them to nursery as it's totally unrealistic to expect a nursery to be a sterile environment for young children.

".... more vulnerable to Covid..."

Yes it’s unworkable long term. We cannot keep testing for every little thing toddlers pick up. Thankfully my nursery have got a bit more lenient recently and understand that kids get slight coughs and/or temperatures with minor colds.

There’s been leaks that testing will be dialled down in the spring so hopefully no more of this come April.

@Overthebow

There’s been leaks that testing will be dialled down in the spring so hopefully no more of this come April.

Where are these leaks?

@FestiveMayo it’s been on a few news sites, example www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/14/uk-officials-have-compiled-covid-exit-strategy-from-april-report

[quote Overthebow]@FestiveMayo it’s been on a few news sites, example www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/14/uk-officials-have-compiled-covid-exit-strategy-from-april-report[/quote]
Thanks! Interesting reading.

There was a MN thread on here discussing it recently too