Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
‘Heartbroken’ toddler misses graduation day
A Coatbridge mum says her daughter was “heartbroken” to miss out on her nursery graduation with her classmates over Covid concerns.
Marieanne Lund says Townhead Nursery didn’t make it clear young Georgie, four, had to return a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coronavirus test rather than a negative lateral flow test after the youngster developed a cough.
Georgie returned two negative lateral flow tests days before her graduation last Tuesday, June 22, but Marieanne claims the nursery’s head teacher then “moved the goalposts” and said a PCR test result was required ahead of confirming the youngster’s attendance.
Georgie, an only child, received a PCR test on June 21 but the nursery didn’t receive the results until two hours after the pair of graduation ceremonies a day later.
Marianne, 28, says her daughter was “singled out”, alleging another child with a cough was allowed into the nursery.
And despite the council saying a graduation was held last Thursday to allow George to sample the occasion, Marianne dismissed it as “a token gesture” – and highlighted Georgie missed out on a “proper graduation with her best friend”.
Marianne, who remarkably gave birth to Georgie on the same date she, her mum and uncle were all born, told the Advertiser: “Georgie is absolutely heartbroken to miss out on her nursery graduation; the kids practised for it for weeks.
“She developed a cough on the Thursday [before her graduation] and we were told to get her tested for Covid. At no point was it made clear it needed to be a PCR test.
“We immediately did a lateral flow test on the Friday, which came back negative, so we took her to nursery on the Monday, the day before the graduation ceremonies.
“There was a kid in front of us who actually had a cough and they were allowed into the nursery but when Georgie tried to go in we were told she needed a PCR test result.
“I wasn’t happy about this at all but we got the PCR test done and it also came back negative but we were told the test result was took late to allow Georgie to get to her graduation. My mum called the nursery on the day of the ceremonies to ask if Georgie could come in and she was told no.
“I tried calling the nursery a few times and was initially told to calm down by the head teacher, despite being perfectly calm, and she said she’d speak to me when I was less worked up; but after that she wouldn’t return my calls.
“With the lack of clarity over the testing required and the fact another child with a cough was allowed into the nursery, it really feels like Georgie has been singled out.
“I wasn’t even told they were holding what they say was a graduation on the last day of nursery [June 24] and it was a token gesture to save face.
“It just won’t have been the same and Georgie missed out on having her special graduation day with her best friend on the Tuesday. This doesn’t make up for it at all.”
Marianne added: “I think children have been through enough over the past year without having to miss out on such a magical moment with all of their friends.
“I was crying on and off for days and Georgie couldn’t understand why she couldn’t go to her graduation.
“We will hold a small graduation party of our own for her, but it just won’t be the same for her.”
The council confirmed an extra graduation had taken place at the nursery on June 24, and a spokesperson said: “The rules across the country are simple and apply to all. Any child who presents with symptoms must self-isolate immediately and should not return until a negative PCR test is recorded.
“The result of the test was not sent to the school until after the [original] graduation ceremonies had taken place [on June 22].