Do you have questions about regular rapid Covid-19 testing for you and your family? Laverne Antrobus and Dr Zoe Williams are here to help.

[CeriMumsnet]

This Q&A is now closed.

Now that children are back at school with regular testing in place for secondary and college aged students, the government is encouraging parents, carers, and those in bubbles of all school children to help keep everyone safe by getting twice weekly rapid tests for Covid-19 when they don’t have symptoms. We have invited expert child psychologist, Laverne Antrobus, and GP Dr Zoe Williams to answer any questions you have about regular self-testing.

Find out more about the experts below:

Dr Zoe Williams MBBS, DRCG and MRCGP is a practicing NHS GP and media medic with accolades such as being named on the Pulse Power 50 List as one of the country’s most influential GPs. Outside of the surgery Zoe is a National Advisor for Public Health England and is a clinical advisor to the RCGP. She is a director and founding member of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine. Zoe is currently one of the resident GPs on ITV’s popular daytime show This Morning in addition to presenting for the BBC’s ‘The One Show’, ‘Horizon’ and ‘Trust Me I’m a Doctor’.

Here’s what Dr Zoe says: "Regular rapid Covid-19 testing using lateral flow tests is a fast and easy way to find out if you have coronavirus when you don’t have symptoms. Around 1 in 3 people who have Covid-19 have no symptoms and could be spreading it without knowing. Testing twice a week will help stop the virus spreading, keeping your family and friends safer.

As a GP, I’m asked a lot about testing and want to help answer any burning questions you have about the new tests. I’m here to help talk through any of the more technical parts - is there a right way to test? How is testing helping us? Why secondary age children are testing but primary aren’t. As lockdown restrictions are eased I’d love to clarify any testing questions that you might not have had time to ask your GP!”

Laverne Antrobus is a consultant child and educational psychologist with over 25 years experience. Having trained at the Tavistock Clinic in London, Laverne works with children who present with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and their families in one of the Tavistock’s specialist multi-disciplinary teams. Laverne appears on popular daytime broadcasts and is often asked to give a psychological perspective on issues that affect children and their families in both radio and print media. She has made programmes on childhood and parenting for the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

Here’s what Laverne says: “Now that regular rapid Covid-19 testing has started to become part of the new routine for families, I want to help provide support and guidance for any queries you may have. I’m here to answer your questions - I have tips on how to make testing part of your new school routine, how to explain to your child the importance of carrying out tests when they don’t have symptoms, and the reasons why these changes will help to keep us safer.”

Would you like to learn more about how regular asymptomatic self-testing can help your loved ones and the wider community and how it works? Perhaps you’re after tips on how self-testing can be incorporated into your busy family life or you’d like some advice on how to talk to your children about regular testing. Post your questions on this thread and Laverne and Zoe will be online to answer them until 14th April.

Please note that Laverne and Zoe will not be able to respond to questions asking for specific or personal medical advice. If you are worried about a personal health issue, please contact your GP.

As a thanks for their time, all who leave a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list) supplied by Mumsnet. The prize draw will be carried out on 15th April.

Thanks,
MNHQ
Insight Terms and Conditions apply

Was Mrs a fro us ever. Head teacher in a secondary school??

Sorry I mean MRS ANTROBUS

My biggest question has been mentioned in the intro - why test secondary and not primary? I don't think 5+ years is too young to test. Probably a worse/riskier environment at primary than secondary due to mixing and lack of adhering to rules

Why is there not a bigger push to encourage families to do this and explain exactly what is required? I haven't seen any TV advertising or adverts in newspapers. I have two primary age children and it has been mentioned once briefly on a school newsletter with a link to the gov.uk website. From talking to other parents there don't seem to be many families regularly testing. There are no local sites where you can pick up test packs and when I sent off for them I was provided with a pack of seven for a family of four - which isn't really enough if we are all supposed to test twice a week. Why are packs not being sent to schools where they can be easily distributed?

The leaflet provides instructions for testing children under 11 but I have also read that primary school children don't need to be tested. It all seems a bit of a confusing message.

Why do the lateral flow tests for at home use say not to use on primary age children?

If you receive a positive lateral flow test result and a negative PCR, do you still need to isolate?

Why will you only post 7 tests at one time, this seems like an odd number to send.

Have there ever been any studies on the potential damage to the internal structure of the most from repeated swabbing?

*nose

Should primary schools and local PHE be pushing home testing more? We've heard nothing about it...
Also I know my 6yo has an immense gag reflex (had reflux as a child and was sick a lot). I worry that if I need to test her she'll just be sick and invalidate the results...is just a nasal swab acceptable?

Hi,
We are using the tests sent home from school and the ones you collect. They are made by ‘biotime ‘ in china. Are these the Innova tests which have 60% accuracy? What other brand tests might be available? What are their accuracy rates?

How long do you think the testing should go on for? At what point will it no longer be worthwhile? As it's not compulsory, is there enough data from those testing to get an accurate picture of how common asymptomatic infection is?

Why can't we get more tests in one go? As PP said, 7 is a strange number and it's inconvenient to have to keep going out to get more. Why not just give them to schools and get them to distribute them out?

I use Innova test 2x week (work in NHS) and my secondary school DS tests 3x week with a test labelled 'NHS'. He is required to do nasal and throat swab, mine only nasal. What is the difference between the test kits? I presume they use same technology

What are your tips for doing the test correctly quickly and accurately ? I have 2 primary school children who have had a test done in school (with my consent) an have been really put off. having further tests ?

My daughter (age 12) has terrible anxiety about testing, the virus, being with people she does not know, she is ok with the testing, as it gives her reassurance she is ok, but my question would be as a child psychologist, what techniques would you feel are most effective in reducing the anxiety and long term mental affects of all of the mask wearing, testing and social distancing we have had to endure over the past 12 months ?

I know a few people who.think that the lateral flow tests will test positive if someone has a common cold or flu is there and truth to that.

Do we actually have enough tests to do this ? My question would be if my child was tested and it came back positive (there have been a few positive cases throughout the pandemic in his school) and he has had to isolate as they have been in his bubble - what would happen if he had already had the virus - and was now unlikely to be a asymptomatic - is there a possibility that he can still be a carrier ?

I think that this is a really good idea, and we have a sticker on the ceiling to look up say ahh and I do the swab, and I think I am carrying out the tests as well as I can. The stat's I have seen show that 'non trained testers' only have a 59% accuracy rate - and if you have a parent who is. not organised and just cannot find the time to test, do you think that it's better to to more accurate tests with staff at school- in the long run in my mind its better to have accurate tests, for all pupils rather than 65% accuracy from home testing - do you think I am being over cautious

How do you reassure kids who don't like anything related to hospitals or doctors, ie. taking swabs.

Do you think testing will become compulsory at some point?

I understand the need for tests, but are there enough tests to go around?

I'm going to echo what some others have said; why is there not more about this? It's literally only through my kids' school newsletters that I found out about this.

Surely if secondary are wearing masks etc. and primary are not, wouldn't that be more a reason to test primary kids too?

I understand posting 7 at a time, I mean I'm assuming that's the weeks worth, but surely if people are going to be regularly testing and there isn't a supplies issue, then it makes sense to do a months worth or so or even a fortnight?

How sensitive are the tests? The research I've seen indicates they are pretty poor at picking up asymptomatic covid.

We really have to rely on ALL parents/carers carrying out testing, would school be aware of the stats, who is testing, and confirmation that testing has been done - and that it's not just a 'tick box' exercise by some - we all need to be on board with accurate testing to help us get out of the pandemic and move on.
Do schools know if tests have been done - will bubbles still have to isolate and if testing is not being carried out by some families - what would schools be able to do ? (can they ask permission to test at school if parents are not able to carry out regular testing)