'Unrealistic' to send children home unless they have positive test, professor says
17 September 2020, 08:08
"There are so many other infections out there."
A professor in Medical Microbiology has told LBC it would be "unrealistic" to send children home from school without knowing it is a case of Covid-19.
Sally Jane Cutler from the University of East London told LBC's Nick Ferrari that medically speaking, it would be "unrealistic" to allow children to miss school if they have Covid symptoms without a positive test.
"We're entering the wintertime, and especially when you're looking at nursery and primary aged children then coughs and sneezes are just commonplace," she said.
She said at this time of year there are "many other infections out there" which could cause similar symptoms to coronavirus.
"The risks have always been there," the professor told LBC, adding "and they're still there."
"Somebody with sniffles, with coughs, associated symptoms like that then it's not going to be Covid."
She said a lot of the time it would be other winter ailments.
"To send all children home without knowing that it's defiantly a case of Covid-19 would be unrealistic," the professor told Nick.
It comes after a Headteacher of a Kent high school has told LBC he's had more than 70 pupils off this week because they're waiting to get a Covid test.
It's led to many parents and children across the country having to self-isolate.
NHS workers, people looked after in care, school children and parents are now going to get priority Coronavirus tests.
