Oh @Outnumberedwoman I really wish I could give you a hug. I’m not one for going about randomly hugging people, but it’s just so fecking unfair you’ve got through all this & your DC2 got his space at the right school for him (am honestly so pleased for all of you) & now you’ve a poorly wee one despite the school trying so hard AND your DH not well. If you’d like it or just not mind it I’ll remember all of you in my prayers (I think it’s a bit rude to go around praying for people specifically when they might not like it 
) - I really REALLY hope all of you come through this ok. Your DC1 isn’t likely to worry himself about “I’ve made mammy* ill” if it ends up being Covid is he? Ach. It’s just all so unnecessary. We’ve all worried about this & just been told that it’ll be grand & basically there’s no need to fuss - & of course exactly what we’ve foreseen has happened & we none of us wanted to be right about this stuff but yet again people in the extremely high risk category are being treated as if it’s totally acceptable their lives be collateral damage. And Weirdy Ones who for whatever mad reason WANT to be extremely high risk instead of “just” high risk are swanning about the place bleating on about how they’re being put at terrible risk by other people while they go & get on with doing whatever (making up ridiculous rules about how they’re totally still shielding though) & hearing your news makes me even angrier about their stupid selfish nonsense because you’re facing something so scary after ACTUALLY coming out of shielding & making the hard choice to send your DC to school because you’re constantly (like so many posters on here) thinking about what’s best for your children & how to achieve that. I was cross enough reading it when it was just contrasted with me still being stuck going nowhere but the hospital (& ofc when the pause started I got to start going out to the bins as long as I wear a mask; distance properly should I see anyone while I’m outside; & wash thoroughly when I get back inside) but now I’m DANCING (sadly not in the fun & good-for-me way...) 
Trying to regain my composure, if it helps at all, schools for children with special needs seem to be doing better with managing things safely - they’ve smaller class sizes to start with & because lots cater to children with physical disabilities they’ve staff used to wearing PPE etc... would your DC2 be expected to be on a reduced timetable? My niece’s school plans to continue with that for the foreseeable future as the children they teach are so vulnerable (but mostly can’t be placed in the extremely vulnerable category even where they’ve conditions so rare no one knows what Covid will mean, but any illness is very serious for them & their parents have been told they’d not be placed on a ventilator if they caught it & one we’re clinically necessary [& yes, yes I am incredibly angry about that; & I hate that I’m so far from my wee sister - I’m never keen on the distance, but this year has been particularly awful]).
I will hope for you all that somehow SOMEHOW it isn’t Covid but just a Random Lurgy. Have you people close by who can help if you & your DH are both ill? Or even just people who can check in with you to see if you’re needing to go to hospital? (Again, wishing I could give you a hug. Though just now a virtual one is the safest so.) Please take good care of yourself. 
@WhatamessIgotinto & @Teaistheanswer - I really hope that going back to work goes well for both of you. Have you good support from your respective SLTs? Have your Unions been any use with this? UCU have been pretty active warning that going back to in-person teaching at unis is Not A Plan but I wasn’t sure if any of the teachers’ unions had been providing support for shielders. Have to admit I’m hoping that between the practical issues, UCU’s stance, & St Andrew’s having just done a complete volte face & announced they’ll be doing everything (bar labs) online this semester the institution where my brother works will abandon their current plans for face to face teaching & put everything online.
@Babysharkdoodoodood
Oh pet. I don’t think it’s just the insomnia & pain driving my apparent sudden hugging free-for-all. I’m so sorry. You really have been 2020-ed, haven’t you? I hope you’re better soon.
@Egghead68
Tesco are exceptionally naughty non-goldfish. And should be ashamed of themselves for wringing every last penny they can out of people who’ve no choice but to shop with them the greedy dungbeetles that they are. Attitude of them on Twitter, if you’ve seen it, is very much that people shielding should be GRATEFUL to Tesco for said supermarket having so nobly not let them starve to death; & hiking the price is totally reasonable, because that’s totally what it costs to pick, pack & deliver a single shop. Lying greedy swine happily wringing money out of people with no choice of where to shop just now - & while I know lots of shielders are working, lots of us scrabble by on disability benefits. Which, naturally, were not raised when the others were early in the pandemic. Because of that well-known thing where being disabled means things cost less. Waft my Freedom Pass at people & I get discounts in all the big shops. Or sadly not; & as other people may have noticed, basics ranges became conspicuous by their absence from online supermarkets as well as EVERYTHING going up in price. Even own-brand stuff became much harder to get. And my budget is such that I compare the cost of loo roll per sheet to ensure I get the best deal. Boo Tesco, frankly. Boo, boo, & thrice boo.
As for me, I’m in a wee bit of a sorry state just now (even my glorious Gryffindor bed linen on clean tonight in celebration of the new year at Hogwarts cannot, for some reason, magically fix this 
) & think it’s probably a good thing I’ve a cardiology appointment (albeit a phone one) next week (or possibly the week after... soon, anyway!) as things seem to be misbehaving a wee bit. Which could be down to all sorts of things, but I’d quite like the symptoms I’m having to stop. Am still stuck frantically chasing a range of things which really isn’t helping any either. Gah. So yes, feeling grotty (not going to expand whinge on that as is v dull & self-indulgent) & fear it is making me grumpsome. Luckily my cats care not; & have upped the snuggling ante - on Sunday my black cat snuggled with me for about 10 hours straight, only taking a break when my ginger cat came to take over. And he did just take a loo (well, litter tray!) break & have a wee drink of water before coming back to resnuggle. It’s a job he takes Very Seriously. (Though - apologies to whinge again - not wanting to leave my side at all is usually a sign I’m Really Very Extra Not Well. My cats are serious snuggleupapusses, but when they’ll not let me out of their sight at all... mmmph...)
- Apologies if you’re mummy or indeed anything else - my family are about a 50/50 split on the choice of vowel so I went with alphabetical order as I couldn’t remember you having mentioned anywhere what your DC call you.