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The mass testing story is not what you think it is. The tests are optional, self administered, self reported, only available to staff (not students) in many cas

The mass testing story is not what you think it is. The tests are optional, self administered, self reported, only available to staff (not students) in many cases and have a 50% false negative rate.

PJDK 5y ago
I'm not sure this is accurate - tests on students are twice a week according to this https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/09/covid-testing-in-schools-who-will-get-tested-how-and-where-will-they-be-tested-who-has-to-isolate-after-a-positive-test-these-questions-and-more-answered/ https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/09/covid-testing-in-sch...
vidarh 5y ago
My 11yo son was tested in school first couple of weeks after returning, and now have self-testing kits that are meant to be used twice a week.
- dfgdghdf 5y ago
  Again, some schools are running this better than others.
Angostura 5y ago
> The tests are optional, self administered, self reported, only available to staff (not students) That's rubbish. My kids are stuff swabs up their nose twice a week - and they are lateral flow tests, so we sit there waiting to see whether the double line appears.
- dfgdghdf 5y ago
  Different schools are running things differently. I am glad you used the tests, but they were strictly speaking optional. Lateral flow tests have a very high false negative rate, particularly when not administered by a trained professional.
martinald 5y ago
Not true at all. UK was doing >1million rapid tests a day when schools were open. They will do that again when they are back from easter break. Also, the false negative rate isn't a big problem IMO. The PCR 'false negative' rate is far far higher because we are only doing a few hundred thousand a day, so 90% of people are getting missed entirely. I'd rather a 50% false negative rate than a 89% false negative rate from PCR. There is also the problem that PCR takes at least a day to turn around as well - which will result in more spread. I'm not saying we should get rid of PCR testing and just do LFD but doing both is probably the best option.
chrisseaton 5y ago
Please stop spreading misinformation. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff#secondary-school-pupils-and-college-students https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-h...
- dfgdghdf 5y ago
  I am not. This is first hand information for me. Nothing I have said contradicts your link either.
  - chrisseaton 5y ago
    > Tests will be available to pupils, students and staff at secondary schools and colleges – so pupils in year 7 and above.
    - dfgdghdf 5y ago
      That's the plan yes, but unfortunately some schools have not been sent enough to deliver this.
- jpttsn 5y ago
  Misinformation: when your lived experience doesn’t match the government reports. Don’t tell anyone if this happens.
  - vidarh 5y ago
    In this case their "lived experience" is directly contradicted by the lived experience of a number of people right here in this very thread. It may well be they're telling the truth about their school, but that still makes a blanket claim, like the one made above, misinformation when it's presented with no qualification to indicate it's based purely on an anecdote (I'll note the comment has since been edited to water down the original claim)

The mass testing story is not what you think it is. The tests are optional, self administered, self reported, only available to staff (not students) in many cases and have a 50% false negative rate.

PJDK 5y ago

I'm not sure this is accurate - tests on students are twice a week according to this https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/09/covid-testing-in-schools-who-will-get-tested-how-and-where-will-they-be-tested-who-has-to-isolate-after-a-positive-test-these-questions-and-more-answered/ https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/09/covid-testing-in-sch...

vidarh 5y ago

My 11yo son was tested in school first couple of weeks after returning, and now have self-testing kits that are meant to be used twice a week.

dfgdghdf 5y ago
Again, some schools are running this better than others.

Angostura 5y ago

> The tests are optional, self administered, self reported, only available to staff (not students) That's rubbish. My kids are stuff swabs up their nose twice a week - and they are lateral flow tests, so we sit there waiting to see whether the double line appears.

dfgdghdf 5y ago
Different schools are running things differently. I am glad you used the tests, but they were strictly speaking optional. Lateral flow tests have a very high false negative rate, particularly when not administered by a trained professional.

martinald 5y ago

Not true at all. UK was doing >1million rapid tests a day when schools were open. They will do that again when they are back from easter break. Also, the false negative rate isn't a big problem IMO. The PCR 'false negative' rate is far far higher because we are only doing a few hundred thousand a day, so 90% of people are getting missed entirely. I'd rather a 50% false negative rate than a 89% false negative rate from PCR. There is also the problem that PCR takes at least a day to turn around as well - which will result in more spread. I'm not saying we should get rid of PCR testing and just do LFD but doing both is probably the best option.

chrisseaton 5y ago

Please stop spreading misinformation. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff#secondary-school-pupils-and-college-students https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-h...

dfgdghdf 5y ago
I am not. This is first hand information for me. Nothing I have said contradicts your link either.
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  > Tests will be available to pupils, students and staff at secondary schools and colleges – so pupils in year 7 and above.
  - dfgdghdf 5y ago
    That's the plan yes, but unfortunately some schools have not been sent enough to deliver this.
jpttsn 5y ago
Misinformation: when your lived experience doesn’t match the government reports. Don’t tell anyone if this happens.
- vidarh 5y ago
  In this case their "lived experience" is directly contradicted by the lived experience of a number of people right here in this very thread. It may well be they're telling the truth about their school, but that still makes a blanket claim, like the one made above, misinformation when it's presented with no qualification to indicate it's based purely on an anecdote (I'll note the comment has since been edited to water down the original claim)