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Covid

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Original poster

How long are we supposed to keep kids home?

22 replies

Porthia · 22/03/2022 07:02

DS had a temperature on Saturday and I had a lateral flow test so tested him and it was positive. He is now totally fine - bouncing around, no temperature. I will definitely keep him home today but tomorrow will be day 5 and since he is ok would it be irresponsible of me to just send him in?

Do I need to keep him home for the 6 days? Or should I send him back to nursery since he is now totally back to normal?

He absolutely HATES me doing the tests (I had to do it when he was asleep) but I could do one tonight - is everyone testing until negative?

I’m so confused about what I’m supposed to do! Don’t want to spread things unnecessarily but equally work is piling up so I don’t want to miss it if I don’t have to.

DD was also positive last week and is on day 8 today but she is still feeling unwell so it’s an easy decision to keep her home!

OP posts:

thunderonlyhappenswhenits · 22/03/2022 07:04

Our school wants two negative tests on day 5 and 6

Original poster

Porthia · 22/03/2022 07:06

I should say, DD is much older (10) so having her at home is much more manageable work-wise - it’s only really DS who makes work almost impossible.

But of course I would keep them home if n ended regardless.

OP posts:

Frosty1000 · 22/03/2022 07:07

Your school probably has a policy so check with them, ours wanted the 2 negative tests as per DfE guidelines. I had a youngster bouncing off walls as we didn't get the negative until day 9 and I was super poorly.

Original poster

Porthia · 22/03/2022 07:07

I don’t think nursery or school have mandated requirements about testing now that lateral flow tests are less available but I will check

OP posts:

thunderonlyhappenswhenits · 22/03/2022 07:11

Ds is off all week as he tested positive Sunday , I've just tested positive this morning and can guarantee he'll be flying round the house all week 😩

Phillipa12 · 22/03/2022 07:14

I messed up my ds's lft tests as also had covid and took him to school on day 5, he had negative results on day 4 and 5 but they wouldn't allow him in as it supposed to be day 5 and 6. Most schools are following DfE guidelines and being very strict about it.

Dammitthisisshit · 22/03/2022 07:21

I think Saturday would be day 0, so day 5 and 6 would be Thursday and Friday…. So off all week then (assuming negative tests)

Mindymomo · 22/03/2022 07:23

I think schools are still requiring negative tests on days 5 and 6 and can return to school day 6 if negative.

LethargeMarg · 22/03/2022 07:23

I think you'd be Friday back at nursery at the very earliest . Technically I think it's a week after positive test if you get lucky with lateral flows ??

LethargeMarg · 22/03/2022 07:24

Yes my understanding is Saturday I'd day 0 so Friday would be day 6 which is earliest return

Onlyhonest · 22/03/2022 07:27

Yes Sunday would be day 1. I had to look it up for my dc who is desperate to get back to school.

Original poster

Porthia · 22/03/2022 07:33

Oh ok, thanks!

Urgh so sounds like I have to keep him home all week?

I actually wish they had just kept the rules in place for when you caught covid because the situation now is so confusing! Some people just testing positive and ignoring it while others isolating.

I have checked and can’t see any recent covid guidelines from nursery so will just give them a ring!

OP posts:

kittensinthekitchen · 22/03/2022 09:43

🙄

After a positive test, you isolate for ten days. You can start testing daily on day 5, and if you get negative lft on consecutive days, you can end isolation early.

You don't just pick a day that you're bored and go back to work/school/nursery.

DistrictCommissioner · 22/03/2022 09:46

It’s supposed to be negative tests on day 5 & 6. However nobody at our school seems to be buying into that. The kids DC sits next to were back on day 3 & day 4. He caught it obviously school say their hands are tied as there is no legal compulsion any more.

kittensinthekitchen · 22/03/2022 12:23

@DistrictCommissioner

It’s supposed to be negative tests on day 5 & 6. However nobody at our school seems to be buying into that. The kids DC sits next to were back on day 3 & day 4. He caught it obviously

school say their hands are tied as there is no legal compulsion any more.

This is what happens when they rely on people using what is known (to some) as common sense. Remember this is the Government who used their own common sense to host parties whilst the rest of us were legally bound to distance ourselves from people we didn't live with.

Selfish gits who'll just do what they want so they aren't inconvenienced, with zero thought or empathy for who those actions inconvenience.

I'm alright, Jack.

Original poster

Porthia · 22/03/2022 12:32

I’m certainly not trying to be cavalier about it, but I genuinely thought all legal requirements to isolate and the testing on day 5/6 thing had stopped and you were supposed to go back when you felt well enough. Hence they are getting rid of free tests.

Of course I will keep them home while I need to but was just checking what I should be doing

OP posts:

ohmylordylord · 22/03/2022 13:11

I didn't think it was a legal requirement to isolate anymore? Are you in England?

sheusesmagazines · 22/03/2022 13:15

Our nursery wanted 2 negative LFTs on 2 consecutive days from day 5 onwards or 10 days.
My DS hates having the tests done so we only did an LFT on days 5 and 7 - both strong positive so we gave up and did the full 10 days.

givemushypeasachance · 22/03/2022 14:11

@ohmylordylord - it's not a legal requirement to isolate just means that now you aren't actually breaking the law, committing a crime, if you don't. That was a drastic and unusual set of public health laws, to cope with a pandemic situation.

The current public health guidance, in England, is:

If you have COVID-19, you should stay at home while you're infectious to others.

This can be for up to 10 days from when your symptoms start. Many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days.

You can do a rapid lateral flow test from 5 days after your symptoms started (or the day you had the test if you do not have symptoms) and another the next day.

If both tests are negative and you do not have a high temperature, you're less likely to pass COVID-19 to others and you can go back to your normal routine.

If your test result is positive on day 5, you can carry on doing rapid lateral flow tests every day until you get 2 negative test results in a row.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/

Madmog · 22/03/2022 14:34

Our school is still saying, test from day 5 onwards. If two daily LFTs are negative, they can go back in. Otherwise off until day 10. Any child coming in believed to be positive or with symptoms is isolated and a phone call made for immediate pick up.

jupitermars1345 · 22/03/2022 15:31

My daughter started with symptoms on Thursday
She's negative now on day 5 and no symptoms at all
Tomorrow is day 6 and even if negative school won't have her in until day 7 fgs.
It's stopping nothing now imo and I'm fed up of it
Shes perfectly well

ohmylordylord · 23/03/2022 09:10

@givemushypeasachance thank you for explaining that to me

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