We’re also at St Albans. Surveillance testing started on Monday. You have to email the results on Tuesday night to the school.

It’s really no big deal. Our two-year old got the PCR test and the instructor told us he didn’t even flinch when swabbing him.

I’m honestly loving the testing and the mask policy. Our two-year old now knows how to wear a mask. He’s in a pod with only 3 other kids, who have their own toys and eating table.

Our kid has been out of daycare since March 2020. We are now on week 3 of daycare and he hasn’t been sick with anything yet. I’m giving credit to the masks!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel completely differently--I've been trying to encourage our children's prek to start surveillance testing! Since so many kids are asymptomatic, surveillance testing can be super useful in preventing spread. It seems especially useful since in preschool the kids are often unmasked for naps and meals. Our friend's son tested positive through surveillance testing at camp although he was asymptomatic, and then was quarantined as a result. Without the surveillance testing, he would have continued attending and potentially infected other kids.

anecdotally I have known 3 instances where either my child or a friend's child was near an asymptomatic child and did not get infected. This age group just doesn't seem to transmit as much as adults. Not sure the surveillance is more than a feel good measure.

Another anecdote, for whatever it's worth, our friend's child got COVID from another asymptomatic child at daycare/preschool, which the (vaccinated) mom then got. She was super sick for several weeks, at one point ending up in the ER for chest xrays. Surveillance testing might have caught the asymptomatic case before transmitting to others...

All depends on the timing though.

It really does, which is the difficult thing about testing. You may test on Monday, and not get results back until Wednesday - a kid may pick up COVID that Monday afternoon and wouldn't be tested again for another week, which means they might be able to spread it to the whole class the rest of that week if they are asymptomatic. I would much rather focus efforts on making sure immediate family/house members prove vaccination if they are meet the requirements, and that classes continue social distancing and mask wearing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel completely differently--I've been trying to encourage our children's prek to start surveillance testing! Since so many kids are asymptomatic, surveillance testing can be super useful in preventing spread. It seems especially useful since in preschool the kids are often unmasked for naps and meals. Our friend's son tested positive through surveillance testing at camp although he was asymptomatic, and then was quarantined as a result. Without the surveillance testing, he would have continued attending and potentially infected other kids.

anecdotally I have known 3 instances where either my child or a friend's child was near an asymptomatic child and did not get infected. This age group just doesn't seem to transmit as much as adults. Not sure the surveillance is more than a feel good measure.

Another anecdote, for whatever it's worth, our friend's child got COVID from another asymptomatic child at daycare/preschool, which the (vaccinated) mom then got. She was super sick for several weeks, at one point ending up in the ER for chest xrays. Surveillance testing might have caught the asymptomatic case before transmitting to others...

All depends on the timing though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel completely differently--I've been trying to encourage our children's prek to start surveillance testing! Since so many kids are asymptomatic, surveillance testing can be super useful in preventing spread. It seems especially useful since in preschool the kids are often unmasked for naps and meals. Our friend's son tested positive through surveillance testing at camp although he was asymptomatic, and then was quarantined as a result. Without the surveillance testing, he would have continued attending and potentially infected other kids.

anecdotally I have known 3 instances where either my child or a friend's child was near an asymptomatic child and did not get infected. This age group just doesn't seem to transmit as much as adults. Not sure the surveillance is more than a feel good measure.

Another anecdote, for whatever it's worth, our friend's child got COVID from another asymptomatic child at daycare/preschool, which the (vaccinated) mom then got. She was super sick for several weeks, at one point ending up in the ER for chest xrays. Surveillance testing might have caught the asymptomatic case before transmitting to others...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids are not vaccinated and even vaccinated you can get and spread Covid. Good for them.

You do realize we're going to have to move on with our lives at somr point, right? Covid isn't going anywhere, even when the pediatric vaccines come.

We are moving on with our lives. Our lives in a pandemic with unvaccinated children in prolonged indoor daily contact correctly includes regular COVID testing.

But can we stop testing once they can be vaccinated? The problem is that vaccines for under 5 are a ways off, if it ever comes. Even if/when it dies, vaccinated can still spread covid like you say. Do we test for covid for here on out?

Exactly. Some of the reactions here are wildly out of proportion with the risk.

Anonymous wrote:I feel completely differently--I've been trying to encourage our children's prek to start surveillance testing! Since so many kids are asymptomatic, surveillance testing can be super useful in preventing spread. It seems especially useful since in preschool the kids are often unmasked for naps and meals. Our friend's son tested positive through surveillance testing at camp although he was asymptomatic, and then was quarantined as a result. Without the surveillance testing, he would have continued attending and potentially infected other kids.

anecdotally I have known 3 instances where either my child or a friend's child was near an asymptomatic child and did not get infected. This age group just doesn't seem to transmit as much as adults. Not sure the surveillance is more than a feel good measure.