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Original poster

Think I have 'symptoms' and I'm a teacher. Just need reassurance im doing the right thing.

117 replies

NoMoreShows · 21/10/2020 04:17

I've been awake for most of the night coughing. It started at around 7pm last night. It's 4am and I've been awake for the past hour solidly. Its a dry cough. I have mild discomfort when I breathe but nothing that would normally concern me.

My dinner tasted 'funny' last night. The children said it tasted fine but it was just a bit bland to me and didn't taste right. Can't really explain how though otherwise.

I'm a primary school teacher.

They've told us "not to take any chances" if we think we have symptoms. 2 of our bubbles have already been closed due to positive tests and several children have already been off with suspected symptoms although nearly all tests have come back negative.

A few other teachers have had to isolate with symptoms until test results come back.

I know I need to phone and tell them and not go in but I don't feel 'ill' as such (no temperature) and years of dragging myself in, dosed up to the hilt and just surviving the day have conditioned me and I feel incredibly guilty Sad it just feels 'wrong' to phone in when I don't feel 'ill' enough to take time off. Just need reassurance really.

Plus its the last few days before half term. And that always feels especially bad for being ill. Thanks.

OP posts:
ImSleepingBeauty · 21/10/2020 08:19

I’m glad you’ve booked a test, that’s the right thing to do.

My child’s school has 6 cases. I don’t know how they are still open. So many people can have this with no symptoms. If the people with symptoms are reluctant to go get tested then we will never get this situation under control.

I hope you feel better soon.

BugCatcher879 · 21/10/2020 08:22

This was exactly what Jason Leitch was explaining on the briefing in Scotland yesterday. People keep thinking they feel not that bad so should carry on. And that's a major cause of it spreading Sad

VirginiaWolverine · 21/10/2020 08:23

I'm glad you phoned in, and hope you get test results back quickly. It's pretty shit that the work culture has been so ingrained in people that they can't bring themselves to take time off even if it would save someone's life to do so - it's a really interesting psychological thing, and one I'm not immune to.

Does it help to think of it as safeguarding rather than slacking?

SavageBeauty73 · 21/10/2020 08:25

Please don't feel guilty. You have done the right thing. Good luck with your test.

Original poster
NoMoreShows · 21/10/2020 08:27

Cancel the cheque, OP Grin

Thanks all.

I feel a bit better about it now I've had the test. I was surprised at how quickly I got one tbh! It said there were over 100 available slots at my chosen test site today.

Hopefully it wont take too long for the results to come back. They said 24 - 48 hours.

OP posts:
Oaktree55 · 21/10/2020 08:33

I hope this post is fake because as a Teacher I’d hope you’d have the common sense to isolate and get tested 🤦🏽‍♀️

sailingmummy · 21/10/2020 08:34

I'm a teacher too and totally get the feeling guilty about phoning in sick but you have to! You won't be popular at all if you do go in a cough everywhere....plus I think it could be viewed as a possible disciplinary matter going in to work with symptoms of covid with regards to health and safety at work. Definitely stay at home with the rest of your family and get tested.....I hope you get a negative result in time for half term!

diddl · 21/10/2020 08:37

@NoMoreShows

The guilt is horrendous.
Really?

About staying off because you actually have symptoms??!!

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 21/10/2020 08:38

If you were in my school one of us would drop one of the schools tests around to you (unless you commute in from miles away) if you have any trouble booking a local test. Drive in test centres give quicker results though. Don’t feel guilty you are protecting your colleagues and covid related absences aren’t recorded as “absences” either by our trust.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 21/10/2020 08:41

I hope this post is fake because as a Teacher I’d hope you’d have the common sense to isolate and get tested 🤦🏽‍♀️

OP wasn’t actually suggesting she ignore the symptoms and go in she was talking about the GUILT! The guilt that GOOD colleagues feel regardless of the reason for absence. I was apologising and trying to find ways to help my colleagues when I was IN HOSPITAL!

NebularNerd · 21/10/2020 08:46

@NoMoreShows

I've been awake for most of the night coughing. It started at around 7pm last night. It's 4am and I've been awake for the past hour solidly. Its a dry cough. I have mild discomfort when I breathe but nothing that would normally concern me.

My dinner tasted 'funny' last night. The children said it tasted fine but it was just a bit bland to me and didn't taste right. Can't really explain how though otherwise.

I'm a primary school teacher.

They've told us "not to take any chances" if we think we have symptoms. 2 of our bubbles have already been closed due to positive tests and several children have already been off with suspected symptoms although nearly all tests have come back negative.

A few other teachers have had to isolate with symptoms until test results come back.

I know I need to phone and tell them and not go in but I don't feel 'ill' as such (no temperature) and years of dragging myself in, dosed up to the hilt and just surviving the day have conditioned me and I feel incredibly guilty Sad it just feels 'wrong' to phone in when I don't feel 'ill' enough to take time off. Just need reassurance really.

Plus its the last few days before half term. And that always feels especially bad for being ill. Thanks.

I imagine your guilt at passing the virus on would surpass your 'guilt' at phoning in and doing the right thing.

Awake all night coughing is more than a sniffle.

Sometimes I think teachers are their own worst enemies, and I'm speaking as one.

ApolloandDaphne · 21/10/2020 08:47

I hope you get the test results soon OP. Take care of yourself.

borntohula · 21/10/2020 08:52

This whole situation makes me think why did people ever think it was ok to go into work ill...

Queenest · 21/10/2020 08:55

Good decision OP.

I was going to suggest you voice your concerns to your head teacher/line manager and let them convince you not to go in. Because I’m sure they would. Hope you feel better soon.

NellyJames · 21/10/2020 09:01

You’re doing the right thing, OP!

The guilt felt by teachers is awful. I was a teacher before I retrained. I remember the hideous guilt I felt when I went into early labour and needed to call in and say I wouldn’t be in because I’d just given birth. I also remember taking an early call from a colleague who was saying she wouldn’t be in because her father had died suddenly during the night. She kept apologising and rambling on about things she’d planned and wanted the children to do. The dilemma is real as is the guilt even if it does seem unreasonable to others. Of course the OP needs to stay home and test but the soldiering on mentality is ingrained.

fanmail · 21/10/2020 09:03

i thjnk thisbyear it's different! i also used to show up no matter what but not now. you have symptoms of covid and should gry tested.

AriettyHomily · 21/10/2020 09:05

@MrsBrunch

Really? You feel guilty about protecting others?

You have classic symptoms. The guidance is clear. If a teacher can't follow simple instructions, god help the schools.

Exactly!
Motorina · 21/10/2020 09:10

I'm an NHS clinician and, if I don't go in, patients who have waited 3-4 months aren't seen. Huge disruption! So I totally get the guilt.

But I think the real guilty one here - in your profession and mine - are the decades of cuts which mean there is no slack, forcing people to drag themselves in half-dying. When I qualified there was time in the diary for admin and planning, which meant we almost always had a spare clinician available to cover if someone was sick. Minimal disruption. But the pressure to cost-save has seen the back of that.

And the response isn't to blame the system for not having the redundancy it needs, but to blame ourselves for not being superhuman.

I'm glad to see you're off and have booked a test. Absolutely the right thing, for all the reasons people have said and you knew anyway. Get your test, then come back and put on the kettle and curl up with a soppy book. You've done the right thing and I hope you feel better soon.

Thisisnotnormal69 · 21/10/2020 09:14

Good luck!

Original poster
NoMoreShows · 21/10/2020 09:32

Motorina

That's exactly it. The sense of guilt around the added pressure on colleagues and letting the children down is huge.

Obviously I haven't gone in and got a test in the first available time slot this morning so hopefully won't have to wait too long for a result.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoMoreShows · 21/10/2020 09:35

You feel guilty about protecting others?

Obviously not 🙄

But school is incredibly stressful for everyone at the moment and exhausting.

Staff absence only adds to that. Plus the children have to have a cover teacher for the day.

The guilt is around adding to everyone's already stressful day not protecting people Hmm

Honestly, we can't win can we? Told we're lazy and work shy when we are at work and intelligence and common sense is doubted when we say we feel guilty for having time off! 😆

OP posts:
diddl · 21/10/2020 10:27

I think I understand if it's because you feel well enough to work.

But apart from the possibility of passing it on, it's such an unknown that atm you surely need to be resting "just in case"?

Hope it's negative, Op, but even if it is-take care- as obviously discomfort when breathing isn't good!

tiredvommachine · 22/10/2020 18:30

How are you feeling today OP?

Original poster
NoMoreShows · 22/10/2020 19:19

Hi. Still ill and still waiting for result.

Thanks for asking.

But I'm increasingly expecting a negative result.

I hope it is anyway. I'm so bored already!

OP posts:
loopylindazdaughter · 22/10/2020 19:23

Does sound like CV tbh, be interesting to know your result