The worst part is that even if it is a cold, every person who your kid infects will need to get a covid test and stay home until they get the results. Don't do it. Keep your kid home.

I think colds may be going around now (I know a few kids who have had them recently), but it is so easy to get a Covid test, just do it. Our 5 year old DS sneezed a bit on Friday and Saturday and had mild congestion (he also has allergies) and we took him to the county testing site at Aurora Highlands midday and got results the next day at like 4am. Why risk being positive and spreading it when getting a test is so simple and totally free.

My DD had Covid recently. You know what her symptoms were? Runny nose and sneezing. It’s probably a cold, but it literally took us 10 minutes to get a test at CVS, so you may want one to be sure.

Anonymous wrote:Meant presenting exactly how a cold would. Will step away now

OP, I understand that it's difficult to make these decisions in COVID times. It's hard to distinguish between COVID and cold symptoms. Could you do a rapid test? You can buy them at CVS now.

As to the nasty posters, even before COVID, a large and vocal contingent on DCUM has been willing to judge any parent whose kids has even the slightest sniffle for sending them to school. These people think that children should be excluded from school for weeks due to the common cold or possibly even allergies. You can't reason with them.

How old is your kid? If they are old enough for concurrent, I’d keep them home and just have them log in from home. I’m pretty sure if they were acting sick, they would get sent home and you’d need a negative COVID test to be allowed back in. You’re also lying on the questionnaire if you send them in.

Meant presenting exactly how a cold would. Will step away now

OP here. Two days of sneezing is not a COVID symptom. This is presenting exactly how COVID would. I’m not trying to game the system. Young elementary student already had to do a class quarantine earlier this year. We have a dr appointment tomorrow. I’m expecting the pediatrician to concur with my assessment but maybe not, I just don’t see a world where we are keeping kids home for a week or testing all the time for Covid for a cold but I may be wrong. Arlin guy had next to no cases that are reported right now. I’m just fatigued at the situation and barely hanging on at work.

Well the year is essentially over so does it really even matter?

If the Dr says they can go back I'd send them. Defer to an actual medical professional rather than overly anxious people here.

Anonymous wrote:Are you really asking if you can send your sick kid to school with Covid symptoms during a pandemic?

The answer is no.

This. Sore throat is not a classic cold symptom. It is however a symptom of Covid, as is congestion. Don’t be selfish, get a Covid test and keep your child home until you test.

Are you really asking if you can send your sick kid to school with Covid symptoms during a pandemic?

The answer is no.

Get a Covid test, if negative then send to school. Don’t assume it’s a cold.

I don't keep them home the entire recovery time, but I do during the seemingly "active" parts of being sick. Just because you did it in pre-COVID times doesn't mean it's ok to do it now. The fact that you work does not give you license to send your sick kid to school and expose others.

Do you really in non-covid times keep your sick kid home for 7 days for the cold to run its course?

Keep your sick kid home and don't infect others.

Our in person days our Thurs - Friday. Kid has a cold with classic symptoms. One night of sore throat followed sneezing for a couple of days and now runny nose and congestion. Have a telemedicine visit tomorrow to get pediatrician's opinion. It looks like if the ped says its a cold, kid can return to school Thursday with a dr's note. Are people sending kids to school when they have a cold? We both work, so our kids do go to school with colds in non-covid times as long as they don't have a fever or feel just awful.