Covid & DD back to school

[Ithoughtyouwere]

Hi just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on kids in school with covid? I get the impression that most people aren’t testing therefore there could easily be covid+ kids in school without knowing. We’ve all currently got covid and DD1 tested positive on Thursday so kept her off Thurs & Fri last week. Per government guidance, kids are only supposed to be off for 3 days after they test positive unless they’re still unwell. DD1 is asymptomatic so that means she should go back tomorrow but she’s still testing very positive!

It’s been a nightmare with all 4 of us quarantined for a week already, no childcare and me and DH somehow have to try and work this week 😭.

My DD tested positive Sunday, she was ill for the first 3 days, tired on day 4, but we let her stay off the rest of the week as she was still positive and the rest of us also tested positive by then

She was adamant she didn't want to go in and infect her friends. She's tested very very faintly positive today (and it took over the 10 minutes) so she'll be negative and going in to school tomorrow.

Please keep her home if positive.

If we keep her home, we’re stopping ourselves being able to work. I’m already going to have to take unpaid leave to look after DD2 for part of the day whilst DH works and then try and do a couple of hours wfh where I can (my normal hours are 8.30-4pm). So having her at school helps, plus she’s bored out of her mind having been at home for the past 4 days. And it’s her last week of term! But I feel terrible knowing she might still be contagious.

That's not a rule

Please be decent people and keep her at home.

Covid I expect is increasing because of people gathering in pubs over the last fortnight to watch the World Cup. So Olivier Giroud may have helped reduce Covid in England by his goal for France yesterday.

You technically could send her in but it is a bit selfish, you could be ruining someone else's Christmas if she passes it on

You don't need a negative test to "release" from isolation and haven't for ages. I've been told the recommendation is 5 days adults and 3 days kids then back to normal if well enough.
So many people are walking around with it now because they're not testing.
Also, I believe current variants can take 2-3 weeks to show a clear negative so people telling you to keep her at home are being a bit ridiculous 🤷🏽‍♀️

But she could be positive for another week or more?

I would just follow the guidance, which says that she can return tomorrow is she is well.

If it's that difficult for you, maybe compromise and send her back but make sure she's properly masked up (FFP2) at all times? Discuss it with her - she sounds mature for her age and as you say doesn't want to infect her friends.

I didn't say it was. But it should be. The government should be supporting people to be able to do this. Unfortunately they are hopeless.

A person who is contagious will infect others. Some could have serious outcomes. I know it's not easy and everyone's situation is different but at the moment there is so much illness in schools and if people don't try to do the right thing it will continue to get worse. If she goes to school she should at least wear a good quality mask. I'm not talking about rules, I'm talking about infection control. It's clear our government don't have our best interests at heart so sticking to their guidance makes no sense.

She will also likely be susceptible to other illnesses if she hasn't recovered. My daughter developed bacterial tonsillitis (probably strep) immediately after covid in the summer and she ended up in a&e.

My husband had it recently. He was negative by day five. It is not ridiculous to keep an infectious child home from school.

Just follow the guidelines

Then guidelines are inadequate. Our government have repeatedly shown they aren't bothered about us so why trust them? The poor guidance on infection control and the state they have let the health service fall into in partly responsible for the mess we are in now.

I get the impression that most people aren’t testing therefore there could easily be covid+ kids in school without knowing

Think that's correct. I certainly don't think routine testing of asymptomatic DC is happening much any more, to the extent that it ever did. Ill kids, sometimes, particularly if their parents still have any free tests left.

She may have to stay of a while (hopefully not). Yes it is inconvenient. But it will also be inconvenient for all the other kids and families that she infects if she returns. People are still having serious problems from this virus and people are still dying. We have to learn to think of others. If people stay home when contagious everyone benefits eventually.

So how long are people suggesting she stay off for? Because she doesn't have symptoms and could test positive for another week or more?

Is there some sort of Mumsnet approved time frame?

In Scotland, day Zero is Thursday, she is advised to be off fri, Sat, Sunday (3 days). Ok for school on Monday…. If no fever and well.

Please think of the vulnerable staff and students. We know the government talk shite 99% of the time, why believe them on this? There’s no scientific reasoning to these arbitrary timescales.

Out guidelines are similar to most of Europe
You are aware lots of work places even tell people to come in with covid etc incl teachers if well
Its everywhere , they have stayed home and followed the guidelines and a few days more

I work clinically in the NHS, if we feel well we can still work. Mask wearing of course.

when my DD had covid in July, the school guidelines were no need to isolate if well.

Now that we have to pay for tests you really can’t demand people test.
if she is well send her in, she he missed enough school already.

I have three teenage children - two at school, one at university - and they haven't tested for a year. We are definitely not routinely testing.

She’s feeling well so she goes in.

Ideally until she tests negative. That means she is unlikely to be infectious. Likely to be between 5-10 days. I know it's inconvenient. But surely (if possible - and I recognise everyone's situation is different) we should be prepared to inconvenience ourselves to protect the health and lives of others?

Wouldn't your school treat it as unauthorised absence though? I think my daughters would, but I've already had a shitty email because her attendance is just over 90% due to her almost dying from quincy and then having time off for heart palpitations and ecgs, blood tests etc.