Household symptoms-child attendance?

[petals]

Hi

Just looking for advice in a scenario we faced yesterday- a parent informed us they had a temperature along with other symptoms pointed to a reoccurence of a  previous diagnosis -not Covid. 
 

Would you advise

for the parent to get a test. The child can then not attend until negative test confirms not Covid?
 

ask parent to confirm from health professional it’s not Covid- related?

Can we insist a child doesn’t attend if we know someone in their household has symptoms?

 

Sorry if I’m asking the obvious or if its muddled ,but it’s all such new territory! We are just trying our best to work out how to operate as safely as possible while being reasonable and taking into account that not all temperatures etc may be Covid.

Thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rebecca]

If it had been me I would have done the following:

• advised parent to stay home and phone the NHS advice line - need to stay home as they have temperature
• child stays home with parent
• if parent is told by NHS that it is likely that it's previous illness then child can come to nursery
• if parent is told to get test then child must isolate for 10 days
• If parents test is negative the child can return
• if test is positive then child must see out isolation period, if develops symptoms then must get test

Family needs to keep you informed all the way through. Yes, you can insist child doesn't attend - it's the government requirement

Hope that is helpful 🙂

[sunnyday]

I certainly would expect the parent to take a test and child would not be able to attend - it is all there in the guidance

I fear we are all going to face these situations with great regularity

In my humble, there is no way in this world that we can take a "oh no it's not Covid" as a basis for decisions 

[BursarStPeters]

The government guidance is clear

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection#will-my-household-be-tested-if-we-think-we-have-covid-19-symptoms 

Why staying at home is very important

It is very important that people with symptoms of or a positive COVID-19 test and their household members stay at home. Staying at home will help prevent the spread of the virus to family, friends, the wider community, and particularly those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test, remain at home for at least 10 days after the onset of your symptoms (see ending self-isolation below). This will reduce the risk of you infecting others.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test, then you should avoid contact with other household members as much as possible.

Other members of your household, including those who do not have any symptoms, need to stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. Do not go out even to buy food or other essentials, and any exercise should be taken within your home. This 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in your house became ill or if they do not have symptoms, from the day their test was taken. There is more information in the ending self-isolation section below.

 

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

When to self-isolate

You must self-isolate immediately if:

• you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• you've tested positive for coronavirus – this means you have coronavirus
• you live with someone who has symptoms or tested positive
• someone in your support bubble has symptoms or tested positive
• you're told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
• you arrive in the UK from a country with a high coronavirus risk – see GOV.UK: how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK

 

[finleysmaid]

2 hours ago, Alihurst said:

The government guidance is clear

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection#will-my-household-be-tested-if-we-think-we-have-covid-19-symptoms 

Why staying at home is very important

It is very important that people with symptoms of or a positive COVID-19 test and their household members stay at home. Staying at home will help prevent the spread of the virus to family, friends, the wider community, and particularly those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test, remain at home for at least 10 days after the onset of your symptoms (see ending self-isolation below). This will reduce the risk of you infecting others.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test, then you should avoid contact with other household members as much as possible.

Other members of your household, including those who do not have any symptoms, need to stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. Do not go out even to buy food or other essentials, and any exercise should be taken within your home. This 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in your house became ill or if they do not have symptoms, from the day their test was taken. There is more information in the ending self-isolation section below.

 

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

When to self-isolate

You must self-isolate immediately if:

• you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• you've tested positive for coronavirus – this means you have coronavirus
• you live with someone who has symptoms or tested positive
• someone in your support bubble has symptoms or tested positive
• you're told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
• you arrive in the UK from a country with a high coronavirus risk – see GOV.UK: how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK

 

Whilst i realise this is the advice it doesn't really answer petals problem does it? This is the issue with the guidelines there are so many variables that we are all flailing around . If a parent has told you they don't have covid then we do not have the ability to insist their child stays at home . Like ourselves this week i think Rebecca's answer is correct. Ring the NHS and IF you can get through ask the question.! The list of symptoms for children appears to be huge now so any signs of anything might be an indicator!

[Dennie]

Following up on this topic, we now have a child who developed a temperature of 39+ on Thursday evening and did not attend on Friday.  I'm not sure if anyone else in the household has been displaying any symptoms as I did not take the call myself, so will need to follow up over the weekend. 

I assume we have no choice but to insist the child now isolates unless they are actually able to get a Covid test, which would allow them to return if it comes back negative.  I'm thinking the chances of actually getting a test are pretty remote though!

 

[finleysmaid]

Ive had one of mine get a home testing kit done over the weekend.