Isolating for surgery and school bubbles popping.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

I’m due to have surgery soon and have been told to isolate for 14 days shortly. The whole household has to do it, although children can still go to school.

Dd has just texted me about several cases in her year, lots of kids isolating. Yet she can still go to school? Even though the school have had about 17 cases? Is this right?

It could easily be picked up in school. Why don’t school students have to isolate. And I’m a teacher which makes me even more confused.

[pastandpresent]

If I was having a surgery, I would take children out of school for duration to isolate together. It's your health at risk.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

That’s what I’m thinking. But the guidance is they don’t have to isolate

How is that right. She’s in a massive secondary. Loads of cases

[TheVeryHungryTortoise]

My 2 year old is due to have surgery on Friday. We've had to pull him out of nursery and isolate from work (NHS patient facing roles) to ensure we stay as safe as possible. They will test him on arrival and if he is positive the surgery will be postponed. I'd assume your situation is similar, it's not worth risking a delay to your surgery or bringing something into the hospital to spread amongst vulnerable patients.

[pastandpresent]

Guidance is just that, guidance. You can follow it if you want to, but if you know it's not right, you can use your common sense instead.

[KindnessCrusader]

Blimey, I've got surgery next week and haven't been told to isolate. I'm worried I should have now 😳

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

But what on questioning is why is it the guidance? Surely school children should absolutely have to isolate. I can’t believe it’s not mandatory😡

She will be isolating. I’m kind of relieved. So many cases in her school. She can join in the lessons online

[Susanwouldntlikeit]

Wouldn’t it better for you to go and isolate elsewhere and your DC continue up go to school -assume you have a DH who can look after them? No fair on them to have to isolate too! And they would miss school - surely as a teacher you can see the issues with children missing education.
If you can’t move elsewhere, can you postpone the surgery so that they have the school holidays to isolate?

[pastandpresent]

Assume if they made it mandatory, there will be an uproar from unhappy parents.
I found all the guidance etc baffling, but we have to survive this pandemic one way or another.

[JustPickleRick]

I'm currently sat in the waiting room waiting for my surgery. I only had to isolate for 3 days before. From Friday when I had my covid test to today when my surgery is.
I'm also a teacher and my child's been off school since last Monday as his bubble burst. The advice I was given by the hospital is that as long as my son isn't showing symptoms and my covid test is negative, my surgery will go ahead. If you've been in contact, it may be different. My situation is very similar to yours though :)

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Where would l go? We only have one house....

And I definitely can’t postpone. She will isolate and join her classes online. I just find it bizarre that we aren’t even supposed to leave the house to even by food ( which I’m fine with) whilst she can skip into Covid central every day

They were quite clear it was 14 days.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Buy food....

[TJ17]

You're right OP that makes no sense whatsoever.

The guidance hasn't always made sense to be honest! It's made up as they go along it seems!

I'd definitely include her in your isolation.

(Lol to the suggestion you should go somewhere else by yourself for 2 weeks 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ don't you have a second home for isolating?! How irresponsible in this day and age )

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Kindnesscrusader, we were in Tier 3 before lockdown. Maybe cases are lower where you are?

[Satsunday]

How did it go @JustPickleRick?

I'm having an operation soon too. Also says isolate for 3 days after the test but I'm keeping DCs off school for the week and a half before too. It's hard to know what to do really. Is anyone else worried about catching it after an op? I have got myself quite scared shout that (although am scared of everything tbf!!)

[SansaSnark]

You're right, it makes no sense.

It's to keep up the pretence that schools are safe.

I would keep her off- we've had parents do this in the school where I teach.

[JustPickleRick]

@Satsunday
It went well thank you :) I'm home now and although I'm in pain, I'm glad it's over with. Felt safe the whole time I was there so hopefully you feel the same when you go in. I wish I'd have isolated with the whole family before as my partner also came into contact with someone positive. Aslong as your test is negative though, they will go ahead.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

That’s good.
School got mardy and tried to tell dh what to do. He ignored them.

[Satsunday]

I'm glad it went well @JustPickleRick. Hope the recovery goes well too.

I'm surprised everyone isn't told to isolate for the 14 days before. I can't see how the test is ok on its own as someone could test positive after then couldn't they. Or would we get tested on the day of admission too??