I can't be expected to send my son to school, can I?

[Hollup]

My husband and I both had positive pcr test results last night, so we're both now isolating until next weekend. Our son (year R) woke up with a runny nose this morning, which was my first and only symptom. He's had a negative lateral flow but I'll test him again tomorrow. We can't break isolation to take him to school and we've no one else who can do it for us. Also, even if I could get him there it feels like he's probably going to catch it soon (if he hasn't got it already) and I'm sending in a covid carrier.

He's never had a day off sick for anything and we're new to school and all the rules. We won't all get a telling off for keeping him home when he doesn't have covid, will we?

He needs to be PCR tested as a close contact anyway, rather than LFT. I would just say he coughed slightly and due to identical symptoms to you you are going to hold off on sending him until PCR back.

@KoreyBay18

My son is in reception and his school have very much said that even though its not official guidance, use common sense and don't send in children from covid households unless absolutely necessary.

Youll probably find the school are grateful for you keeping them off.

Our school have said the same. Too many cases atm, so they want family contacts to stay at home.

I think I just heard him cough from here.

If your going to test a young child, you might as well do a PCR.

We have had 3/4 household members test negative on Several lateral flows, only to then have positive PCR On the same Or following day.

All 3 of us started with runny noses, followed by sneezing and hoarse/sore throat.

If you have any cold/viral symptoms no matter how mild, get a pcr!

Track and Trace told my friend and her husband who tested positive that they are not allowed to leave the house to take their kid to school. The only time they can leave is in case of an emergency.
HTH

I’m a Governor for our school and plenty of parents have had to keep their children off for the same reason. They just work at home.

I'm a primary school teacher, pregnant. Currently Covid positive. I've caught it from a child in my class in this exact situation. We do ask that children don't come in without a negative pcr if the family have Covid in the household. This family didn't do this and I now have Covid for the second time this year.

In your situation, I would keep my son at home while isolating. This is what we did earlier this month with our year 6 child. Ring school and explain the situation, I'm fairly certain the school staff would prefer you to keep him off.

What bingbong21 said

It's reassuring to hear we're (most likely) not going to be penalised for doing the right thing. I don't want anyone to catch covid because of us so wouldn't have sent him in even if I could. The conflicting rules seemed like a sure-fire way to infect others in his class. I will however get him a close contact pcr test rather than another lateral flow and follow through with my plan to have him isolate with us for the coming week.

Definitely get a PCR in the first instance as LFT is only for asymptomatic anyway. That will buy you some time but it would be entirely reasonable to keep them home even if PCR is negative if both parents are positive.

We'd have to do the same. Could possibly get MIL to do drop off in morning but would have nobody to do afternoon pick up so we'd have no choice.

Op, schools hands are tied.
It's usually not them it's the government. Don't send him in.

If you don’t want to send him, a postal PCR buys you several days. There’s an attendance code specifically for covid related absence so the school don’t have to mark him as unauthorised.

I drove mine in when I was positive. School were fine about it. A friend met DD from the car & walked her in. But school also had teachers meeting kids from cars & the deputy head was actually collecting one child from down the road for a week!

DD had no symptoms & negative PCR’s on day 3 & day 9 and daily negative LF. I wasn’t very well & so very grateful for a rest in the day! & also, very grateful she continued to have an education because she wasn’t ill..

He won't be of compulsory school age yet, so there's nothing they could do, even if they were grumpy about it.

I'd definitely keep him home.

He needs a pcr anyway a) close contact b) same symptoms as you. That buys you a bit of time at least. I know our school isn't bothered about keeping children off if people they live with are positive.