Thematic analysis of national online narratives on regular asymptomatic testing in schools in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Objective: To understand the public perceptions of the schools testing programme in England. Design: Qualitative social media analysis. Setting: Online users of parenting forums (Mumsnet and Netmums), Facebook and Daily Mail online readers, who responded to randomly selected posts or articles about the schools testing programme in England, between 1 and 31 March, 2021. Results: Overall, seven main themes were identified, these were divided into barriers and facilitators to engaging in testing. Barriers were: uncertainty around testing in the absence of symptoms; concerns about testing; concern about testing positive; mistrust in the Government. Facilitators were: desire to protect others; desire to return to normality; and hearing others’ positive experiences. Conclusions: Our analysis highlighted that alongside well-established barriers to engaging in asymptomatic testing, parents were having to negotiate additional complex decisions around balancing their child’s anxiety over testing alongside acknowledgement of the implications of regular testing, such as return to normality and protecting others. Parents and children would benefit from additional practical and social support to facilitate engagement with the schools testing programme.

Engagement with regular asymptomatic COVID-19 testing in young people in North West England: a qualitative focus group study

“…Unless testing was required, for example, in order to attend school, or their child was showing symptoms, most parents did not want their child to take part in regular testing. Previous research exploring parents’ views of the school testing programme found that a key barrier to testing was that parents were reluctant to test their children in the absence of symptoms 15. Similarly, the parents in our study were reluctant to allow their child to take a test unless they were experiencing symptoms.…”

“…Previous research exploring parents’ views of the school testing programme found that a key barrier to testing was that parents were reluctant to test their children in the absence of symptoms. 15 Similarly, the parents in our study were reluctant to allow their child to take a test unless they were experiencing symptoms. This created a barrier for young people to take part in regular testing, as those under 16 years of age require the permission of an adult to take a test.…”

“…It was suggested that this type of information should be aimed specifically at young people: 'They should do the same booklet that they do positioned to the little one, like a children version, because the words, I can barely understand them sometimes because they're more like adult words. And they should use more pictures in the kids one and stuff' (12)(13)(14)(15)…”

“…The main facilitator of engagement with testing was motivation to protect other people. Many young people from both age groups stated that they would get a COVID-19 test to protect others: 'For the safety of those around you, so if you're not feeling too good or [you have] any of the symptoms you should go and get tested, for the people around you and not just for yourself' (12)(13)(14)(15). Some young people had caring responsibilities, which influenced their decision to take a test: 'I've got a child.…”