London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Covid-19: False test results 'ruining' return to school

Covid-19: False test results 'ruining' return to school

Children in England are being unfairly punished by the insistence they must abide by "incorrect" positive results from rapid Covid tests, experts say.

Reports have emerged of pupils having to isolate after testing positive at school using the on-the-spot checks - only for a more reliable follow-up lab-based PCR test to find them negative.

Parents said it was "ruining" the return to school.

Rapid tests at home or in workplaces can be overruled by a lab test.

But the government has insisted this cannot happen for tests done in school - although it has been unable to explain why.


Pupils at secondary schools - of which there are around four million - are being offered three lateral-flow tests following their return to school.

But because infection rates are so low, the Royal Statistical Society believes more of the positive results produced this week could be wrong than right.

'It is incredibly frustrating and upsetting'


The children of Rachael Stewart, from Oxfordshire, have fallen foul of the policy. Her 16-year-old son tested positive via the rapid test done at school and he and his two younger sisters are having to isolate.

"We immediately got a PCR test done - I use these rapid tests for work and that is what we do. It came back negative, but we were told they still had to isolate. It is so upsetting for them.

"They have already been out of school for two months and now to miss more when there is no reason for it is incredibly frustrating and upsetting. It has ruined the return to school.

"I support the idea of testing but I have withdrawn consent for any more testing at school."

Dr Rachel Clarke, an NHS doctor, is another person who has been affected.

She said her son and 30 other pupils are out of school after one tested positive with a lateral-flow test, despite a PCR test later confirming the individual was negative.

"You really, really couldn't make this up," she said in a tweet.

"The idea of entire classes of children being kept out of school for 10 days due to one false positive test is awful."

'Children are being put last'


Their concerns are being echoed by experts in the field.

Sunil Bhopal, an expert in child health at Newcastle University, said the policy was wrong, suggesting it smacked of a government that was not prioritising children enough.

He said: "It is so painful what happens when children are put last. It is a recurring theme of the pandemic response."

Testing has already been operating in schools open for key workers and vulnerable children

The false-positive rate for the rapid tests is low - estimates have put it around 0.1% - but given the large numbers being offered the test, thousands of pupils could be incorrectly told they are infected this week and next.

But even if a follow-up PCR test finds they are negative it cannot override the results of the rapid test, meaning those pupils, their families and any close contacts they have will need to isolate at home.

It is unclear why the government has adopted different policies for tests done at home and at school.

In a statement, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the approach being taken would "help detect asymptomatic cases quickly" preventing the virus from entering schools and colleges.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×