School absence rules are super powering the spread of flu

Even if their mild or moderate illness causes serious illness for others?

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Can The Flu Be Asymptomatic? | Passport Health

https://www.passporthealthusa.com/2022/04/can-the-flu-be-asymptomatic/

But can the flu be asymptomatic? Research points to a resounding yes. Quite a large portion of people won’t experience any symptoms – one out of every three people could be asymptomatic. The lack of symptoms in certain people could be due to various reasons, such as pre-existing partial immunity. Some individuals might even have an immune system response that fights off the virus before symptoms even have a chance to show up.

Our school is actually really good, my 5 year old is currently off after being sent home on Friday (he was fine in the morning). He probably could go back in now, his temperature is well controlled with calpol and he's mostly back to normal, but school sent out an email saying to please keep kids at home if they have any temperature or are feeling unwell since it's so close to Christmas.

I've never seen attendance awards or rewards at our school either

Yes this. The myth of you have to be flat out with flu is probably one of the reasons it spreads.

Absolutely this. I think people use the word 'flu' when it is just a bad cold. I've never had flu. Sounds horrific.

I ended up in hospital with flu last winter (confirmed influenza A), i had 24 hours where i was 'alright' on a couple of paracetamols and strepsils, so dismissed it as a cold and went and did the Aldi shop as normal, and went to an appointment as scheduled and infected her, and she was the same (mild symptoms 2 days after exposure and 24 hours of being able to function normally), who knows how many people we infected between us.

If you are walking around you don’t have flu. Too many people say they have flu when they have another virus.

They also deserve to be able to rest at home if they feel too unwell to be in school, but a lot of schools don’t agree. To me it’s counterproductive. Putting pressure on children to be in school when they are unwell (we are talking flu in this thread, not a sniffle), just means the whole schools attendance drops. And yes, they have the flu jabs, but my child’s school have only just rolled them out (too late for the flu outbreak).

Nothing. I don't suggest anything. I was just pointing out that it's a total myth that flu always leaves you in bed unable to move because I'm sick of seeing it. It's just not true.

For what it's worth, I agree, people need to go about their daily lives if they are well enough to do so, and getting the vaccine will help.

DS has gone in today with a mild cough and runny nose. He would be horrified at being kept off when he's otherwise fine. I have no idea which of the 100s of viruses he is infected with so I'm not going to worry about it.

Not true. Some people with flu can be asymptomatic, others have mild symptoms and others quite awful symptoms. It varies wildly

If this is true then aside from going into a full blown lockdown again, what do you suggest? If people are asymptomatic or just have a runny nose with zero other symptoms, they’re obviously going to be spreading it around unwittingly. It can’t really be avoided. Just have the vaccine if you’re eligible.

Look, if a child has flu they shouldn’t be able to attend school. I’ve only had it once to my knowledge and I was a child, I couldn’t move for at least a week. It knocks you out entirely, you have a raging fever and become so exhausted you’re unable to move.

All kids should have the flu spray anyway, as should vulnerable adults. Just use common sense and don’t send them in if they have a fever but if it’s just a runny nose and bit of a cough when they’re otherwise fine, of course they should come in.

Wrong!

You can be infected by flu and have no symptoms at all or be only mildly ill.

I can't believe this myth still exists after all that Covid debacle.

Children deserve to be able to access education when they are mildly to moderately unwell.

The joke about attendance is during covid entire classes were sent home for a week if one child coughed, they also sent them home when the teachers were on strike. But dare to be unwell now? No fucking way, they have to be in.

It seems @Pavementworrier isn't bothered enough to return to the thread but it's a totally daft idea to suggest that children can be off whenever they like with "suspected" flu. Thats free rein for term time holidays with no repercussions or fines, what a gift to have all siblings off at the same time

@PaisleyGilmourStreet I can assure you my daughter's absence from school or college has always been necessary. The drug infusions and regular hospital consultations are required to keep her alive. The drugs stop her body attacking itself but they also mean she is permanently immunosuppressed so picks up bugs all the time but soldiers on.

Please consider yourself lucky that you have no understanding of what that is like to deal with. She will have to deal with this for the rest of her life unless a cure is found.

That’s a myth

My daughter's attendance is already too low this year purely due to hospital appts in London ( we live in Essex) and then she had a couple of days in hospital and a day to recover after an operation. Now she has to have a day off every two weeks for the next few months for a drug infusion.

She has never actually had a day off of college due to being unwell.

Today she has a heavy cold and is feeling rotten but has gone in because she is worried about her attendance.

Luckily college are a lot more relaxed about it all than her school were - they threatened us with a referral to social services after she had 16 hospital appts in three months. I pointed out to the school that I'd have had social services knocking on my door if I'd sent her to school instead of taking her to her hospital appts!

In Scotland, if you’re ill you’re off. None of this attendance bullshit.

what do you suppose all these parents are letting kids have unnecessary time off for op?

omg the bitchy. imagine becoming a teacher knowing you are susceptible to bring ill like the rest of society. only those impervious to contagions should dedicate their lives to putting your kids needs ahead of their own health and wellbeing.

What about work places not supporting parents to have time off work ill children? I think that's half the battle. I know when my kids are ill I'm not worried about them having a day off school if they need it, I'm worried about works response if I need a day off.