Name changed for this as it is outing.
@NatoPMT, I really hope your friend is able to get properly tested now, I cant believe he was misled like that 
.
@ofwarren Those figures seen too low, I'm glad they are, but they cant be accurate.
With regards to school, I had been considering for some time about what it would take for me to remove DS from school and today I actually did it 
. Hopefully by me posting this it will help other parents who are considering doing the same.
I phoned the school absence line and left a vague message that DS would not be in today and unlikely to return by the end of the week but I would be assessing him daily. The attendance officer called back almost immediately (that has never happened before) and asked why I was keeping DS from school.
I admitted it was because of the risk to him and myself of him wondering around a school with over 1000 other people all touching desks, chairs, taps, doors, canteen items and being in close proximity to 30 other children for 6+ hours a day, but what had really forced my hand into taken action now was the recent events that have unfolded at a local school.
(The local school in question decided to set off on their planned skiing trip to Northern Italy on Sunday with full reassurance from the head that it would all be fine and that the children and teachers would not be isolating on their return - utterly stupid, but it was the parents who had sent their children that were so blase about the need for them to isolate, as well as the 'It's only flu / they'll only get it mildly' brigade. That really made me think that the people with this attitude are the same people that will in some way be connected with my DS school or just generally in the our community, who will probably catch it and just carry on as normal. Why are people not taking this seriously? it may be mild for them, but they have absolutely no consideration for those around them. I know people have differing views and the virus will be everywhere soon, but this was close enough for me to decide now was time).
I have only reported DS as long term sick for now, not full de-registration. The school were actually quite understanding and said DS was the third child to have now stopped coming to school whilst citing coronavius as the reason for not attending. The attendance officer had to contact the LA for advice as this is a new and grey area for them as well and informed me that because official guidance was for schools to remain open that it would have to be marked as unauthorised absence, which I accepted.
I queried the possibility of a fine and was informed that I was not at that stage yet, there are still other process before it reaches that. I am hoping that I can hold off any serious action being taken until the government make the sensible decision of closing schools, or I will have no choice but to de-register him if it reaches that point.
I will keep you updated with what happens next, it may be different when I phone in again next week.
In more posivive news... I read that Italy are giving people mortgage breaks. AMAZING! We just need to follow the same procedures here now. Close the schools, support the vulnerable, secure SSP / some form of alternative income for everyone or at least food parcels so we can contain / delay / eradicate this virus in the UK.