Teens self testing

[Perfect28]

Has anyone got a clue how this is going to work? I see lots of jokes and memes but seriously, what are the practicalities of this? Having just read the lateral flow instructions I would be seriously surprised if any students besides top set year 11s will be able to manage this properly. Does anyone have any further information?

Really?

I do the rapid tests at work. The instructions aren't hard to follow.

I think for adults/ healthcare workers they will be fairly simple but anyone who works with teenagers will tell you that they will really struggle with this, yes.

Really, the swabbing is not difficult. Most teens can brush and floss their teeth , this is hardly much different. Dd who has a strong gag reflex managed it.

Can I just clarify, I'm not just referring to the sticking the swab up your nose (although yes many will struggle and make a fuss with that bit). It's the following all the instructions & not contaminating.

Some of my colleagues are teens. They're nailing it.

My son is a teen and he'd also have no problem following the instructions.

Honestly, they will be fine.

How hard is it? I thought it was very simple.

My Year 6 11yo can do it very easily. I cannot understand why this would be a problem for anyone other than those with additional needs.

My 16yo DD (Y11) and 15yo DS (Y10) can do it without a second thought.

If your children manage fine, is that in your own house with you on call to assist? It's a little different. Do any of you actually work in schools?

Is lateral flow test the one we've had all along where you have to swab your tonsils and your nose? My 14 yr old failed at the first hurdle of locating his tonsils. He was convinced they were somewhere else and the leaflet was wrong.

But once we got over that and he read the instructions properly he was fine. You just have to take your time. Surely there will be a teacher or supervisor or someone there to ask if they get stuck?

I was really looking for people who have more information regarding the practicalities of this. Where do the cups come from for the tests? Where do the children wait for the 30 minute time? What happens if the test is inconclusive? And those who have replied I'm sorry to say you are clearly overestimating the students. Even getting them to boil water safely in science is an undertaking. I think you are being a little naive.

Actually on second thoughts if it was my other teen he would be a nightmare. He'd be gagging all over the place and spilling the wee test tube and just randomly sticking the swab anywhere without reading the instructions first at all.
I would hate to be the adult supervising a few hundred teenagers doing that.

My ds couldn't do a test on himself, he struggled to get his tongue out of the way and he would never have put the nasal one up far enough. He's 13. I would not expect any other adult bar someone medically trained to try to do it for him.

Also once one kicks up a fuss, they’ll all join in, see school vaccines.
I’d trust year 6 over year 9.

I would be seriously surprised if any students besides top set year 11s will be able to manage this properly.

You don't need to be highly academic to follow the instructions

So DSS is pretty challenging and has an EHCP and is very prone to being 'unable' to do basic tasks like remember to brush his teeth, but we have been for two covid tests and whilst SH and I have had to do the throat swabs for him, he has otherwise been completely capable of doing the nasal swab and putting things in the right containers etc.
if he can do it (he is 12and y7) then I really doubt NT children would have significant challenges following the rules.

If it involves reading and following a set of instructions a very large number of them will fuck it up completely. I both work and volunteer with teenagers.

Every class is likely to have around 3 or 4 dyslexic pupils. That doesn't mean they can't read the instructions, but they will often struggle with following a set of instructions due to poor working memory.

Sensible kids of around 10+ - no problem. Large groups of kids in school whove got themselves either panicky or over excited waiting, or want to impress their mates, or have some sort of SN / behavioural issues - its going to be an absolute shambles. The flu spray up the nose is bad enough and they're used to that. This is going to be chaos

And those who have replied I'm sorry to say you are clearly overestimating the students.

You are clearly basing your opinion on a very narrow range of teenagers.

It really isn’t hard, Swab your tonsils, stick it up your nose, hand it over.

I’ve done a few times as have both my kids.

Now whether they actually do it properly or arse around and mess it up is a whole different issue.

@ItsIgginningtolookalotlikeXmas

Every class is likely to have around 3 or 4 dyslexic pupils. That doesn't mean they can't read the instructions, but they will often struggle with following a set of instructions due to poor working memory.

My DS has dyslexia and an atrocious working memory but managed fine following the instructions and swabbing himself.

OP, I think you are underestimating our youngsters.

schoolsweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Schools_Colleges_Testing-Handbook_version-3.3-Copy.pdf

This is the testing handbook.

I think it’s going to be a nightmare to administer. I’ve taken my own pretty sensible teens several times to test and despite me watching them and telling them what to do, they still came back as inconclusive!

The lateral flow tests to be used in schools are highly unreliable and have been rejected by care homes for this-but they are apparently fine to replace self-isolation for close contacts of positive cases in schools.

Imagine daily testing of large numbers of potential positive cases in the hall? Once the large scale operation of the testing itself is over and the kids all hang around for half an hour waiting for their results, which is a huge issue in itself...

Who will be on hand to tell the children they have tested positive? I can guarantee they were be shocked, upset and want their parents. I don’t think anyone has thought through the logistics of imparting this news without parents being there.

Honestly why do we have such low expectations of teens, perhaps they are playing to their stereotype. It saddens me.

With the lateral flow tests you don't hand the swab over do you? You have to process it yourself - or that's what we do anyway. And then wait for the line to appear or not, so not that easy. Obviously teens (alone) could do this in the main if they pay attention to the instructions, but in all honesty a group of them together and I can see them getting each other into a muddle or a panic.

Where do the children go whilst waiting to get the test ?
Will they need separate areas to stop contamination ?
How do we stop them mixing whilst they wait thirty minutes for results ?
What happens to the kid who tests positive ?
How many people will it need to scan the test / input reports / print out the barcode ?
Will kids take it seriously and not mess around / cry / be dramatic / try to stick it up someone else’s nose etc ?
Will each area need cleaning down after each test ?
Which lesson will it be ok for children to miss to do this , especially when it’s everyday for seven days ?
Probably a few questions I can think of on top of my head.