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Original poster

Whole School PCR testing

32 replies

LagerthaofKattegat · 10/12/2021 13:49

Has anyone else had this request?

Middle School emailed this week to ask that we all test our children within 24/36hrs. A PCR test not a LF.

They went back into bubbles on Monday because of high infections.

OP posts:
itwasntaparty · 10/12/2021 13:51

That's bonkers, they have to be symptomatic to PCR

FreeBritnee · 10/12/2021 13:51

You can test if you are a close contact.

TheEncouragingStranger · 10/12/2021 13:52

We've had specific whole class requests, because of so many cases in those classes that there's no way any child wouldn't be a close contact. And close contacts should get a PCR.

Not whole school yet though

BHX3000 · 10/12/2021 13:53

My company are doing this on Monday, everybody is getting a PCR at 9am. Hundreds of employees. There is a significant surge in cases in our local area and they want everybody to be in the clear, a week before Christmas.

pastypirate · 10/12/2021 13:53

Yes - dd2 primary this week. You just select council has asked you to test on the form. I took dd2 yesterday morning she was asymptomatic.

Whyarewehardofthinking · 10/12/2021 13:54

You don't have to be symptomatic for a PCR. Schools can ask for a PCR test following multiple cases and is build into one of the multiple frameworks we are following to try to minimise disruption.

We have done it twice so far and that discovered multiple further cases in several yesr groups who were negative on LFT.

Tigerwhocameforsupper · 10/12/2021 13:55

@BHX3000

My company are doing this on Monday, everybody is getting a PCR at 9am. Hundreds of employees. There is a significant surge in cases in our local area and they want everybody to be in the clear, a week before Christmas.
And it’s reasons like this why people with genuine symptoms are waiting days for results to come back!

There is only so much capacity in the labs. Testing hundreds of people aimlessly is not sensible.

Original poster
LagerthaofKattegat · 10/12/2021 13:57

Thanks - was quite surprised to be honest. Individual classes maybe but whole school…

OP posts:
BHX3000 · 10/12/2021 14:02

@Tigerwhocameforsupper we are getting private PCRs. A small testing company - with its own lab - is a partner of ours, so they're coming in and doing the tests, we will have the results before the end of the working day. Don't you worry, we're not using NHS resources.

Tigerwhocameforsupper · 10/12/2021 14:04

[quote BHX3000]@Tigerwhocameforsupper we are getting private PCRs. A small testing company - with its own lab - is a partner of ours, so they're coming in and doing the tests, we will have the results before the end of the working day. Don't you worry, we're not using NHS resources.[/quote]
That’s good!

Our local testing centre was closed down last week with no warning. It’s now an 80 mile round trip to the nearest one with results taking about 3 days. And then our school head teacher wonders why more families aren’t agreeing to test their children!

Original poster
LagerthaofKattegat · 10/12/2021 14:06

@Tigerwhocameforsupper Could you use the PCR postal service next time? I think they send them out really quick... save a massive journey. Hopefully there won't be a next time anyway!!

OP posts:
FlopsterFlops · 10/12/2021 14:07

This happened at a school I was working at recently. A fair few asymptomatic cases were picked up this way.

BHX3000 · 10/12/2021 14:10

Yes, there are so many overwhelmed testing sites right now. Are postal tests any faster though? You order it today, comes tomorrow and you then post it, it's not until the day after that you'd get your results (at the earliest). So it's a 48-72h wait either way... Very annoying indeed.

luverlybubberly · 10/12/2021 14:13

We had that request twice, (school with 1800 kids plus staff) in September and October.
Public Health also sent a testing van for 4 days. Y7 needed a parent to stay for their PCR

Infections are down to expected levels for a school that size now. Before half term it was masks all day but the school now has the national guidance of masks in communal areas.

Smartiepants79 · 10/12/2021 14:15

Whole year groups, yes. Not whole school though.
There’s an option when you book to say it’s been requested by an education setting.
It is perhaps a good thing, it will catch all who’ve got it in time to not mess up people’s Xmas plans too much!!

Laurel1 · 10/12/2021 14:25

We've had whole class testing. It's not the school who requests it, it's public health England I believe. Well it was with us.

Original poster
LagerthaofKattegat · 10/12/2021 16:15

@Laurel1 yes the email actually had a paragraph from Public Health … (our county)

Yes I’m glad it’s this week and not next.

OP posts:
NothingIsWrong · 10/12/2021 16:48

What would happen if you refuse to do it?

Original poster
LagerthaofKattegat · 10/12/2021 17:28

Well they can’t force you so no idea.

OP posts:
luverlybubberly · 10/12/2021 17:43

@NothingIsWrong

What would happen if you refuse to do it?
The letter from our school said "strongly advised" My child had Covid in August so I obviously didn't bother testing in the period before half term
Maryann1975 · 10/12/2021 19:26

@Tigerwhocameforsupper Our local testing centre was closed down last week with no warning. It’s now an 80 mile round trip to the nearest one with results taking about 3 days
Are you in a really rural area? I have never thought about those who don’t have a test centre quite locally, ours is 6miles away so not a massive trip out, but thinking it a previous area we lived in, I bet there isn’t a test centre locally to there. What a nightmare for you and I’m not surprised parents are reluctant to do that kind of journey. The worst week we’ve had, I had to go to the test centre 4 times in a week and have been 11 times since September, which if it were 80 mile round trip would be ridiculous.

Abraxan · 10/12/2021 19:28

@itwasntaparty

That's bonkers, they have to be symptomatic to PCR
No, you don't. There are many many reasons for having a PCR.

One can be being asked by an official body to get one - that could be in the form of a request from a school acting on PHE (or it's equivalent now) advice.

Others include things like being a contact, being part of a research group, for work purposes, etc.

EmmaCB1 · 10/12/2021 19:57

[quote BHX3000]@Tigerwhocameforsupper we are getting private PCRs. A small testing company - with its own lab - is a partner of ours, so they're coming in and doing the tests, we will have the results before the end of the working day. Don't you worry, we're not using NHS resources.[/quote]
Take care. I’ve heard that private providers don’t issue inconclusive results, so you’d get a positive result rather than being called back for a re-test. Interested to get that confirmed though.

I got tested through work and got a positive result. No symptoms of any kind. Lat flows have always been negative (secondary aged kids so twice per week). Husband and kids negative LFTs and PCRs. My test was 10 days ago now. Who knows if I’ve had it or not, but it’s been a right pain.

Tigerwhocameforsupper · 10/12/2021 20:03

[quote Maryann1975]**@Tigerwhocameforsupper* Our local testing centre was closed down last week with no warning. It’s now an 80 mile round trip to the nearest one with results taking about 3 days*
Are you in a really rural area? I have never thought about those who don’t have a test centre quite locally, ours is 6miles away so not a massive trip out, but thinking it a previous area we lived in, I bet there isn’t a test centre locally to there. What a nightmare for you and I’m not surprised parents are reluctant to do that kind of journey. The worst week we’ve had, I had to go to the test centre 4 times in a week and have been 11 times since September, which if it were 80 mile round trip would be ridiculous.[/quote]
Not really rural, midlands market town.

We will have to rely on postal testing now but it takes longer.

BHX3000 · 10/12/2021 20:05

We’ve used this company for 18 months now and it’s never been an issue. I’ve personally had inconclusive results myself and they’ve not automatically defaulted to a positive. Where I live you’re also allowed to ‘challenge’ a positive and get a second test if you want (at your own cost) so I guess I’d be doing that Grin

Sorry to hear about your isolation. I hope you’re now out of it, or close to.