Masks for a school meeting

[Bubblesbath]

I’ve got a meeting booked at DSs secondary school for the day they go back after Easter.
Do visitors to schools need to wear masks when in a meeting if we can sit 2 meters apart? The meeting will be approximately 3 hours and stressful full so the thought of wearing a mask for the duration is adding to the stress.

I would think so if you're indoors.

Yes - totally.

Obviously.

I go into a couple of schools and always wear a mask for the whole time I'm there.

Absolutely yes

Yes.

Yes

I wish they had booked it online as I requested, now I’m stressing more about the mask (which I can tolerate when shopping) than I am about the contents of the meeting!

Yes, though that seems quite a stressful meeting to do for 3 hours (I can't imagine what sort of meeting with school could take 3 hours!). Can you not request to do it via zoom?

Yes you will need to wear a mask, as will all the other people present at the meeting.
It’s a small sacrifice to make considering it being a pandemic with millions of people already dead.

@mindutopia it’s an EHCP annual review, we have a lot of paperwork to go through - the last one took 2 hours and didn’t have the changes this one needs.

If the room is large enough to accommodate 2m social distancing you may well be allowed to take off your mask (you would be at the school I work in).

I would contact them to ask, especially if it’s causing you to worry.

I would ask if you would be allowed to wear a visor. Our music teacher who comes in wears one (I think she may also wear a face mask actually).
I recently attended an EHCP review and the parents joined us via Teams, we aren’t currently allowing parents in to the school unless it’s something that can’t be discussed via telephone/email/video call.

Yes you will. Everyone in school is wearing them all day at the moment, pupils and staff. We’re teaching in them all day. It won’t be as bad as you imagine.

I wear one to teach in all day, even though I am allowed to stand at the front without I still do.

I have found a disposable is much more comfortable for the long period of time, I find shopping hard work as I wear glasses but disposables have made life easier this past 3 weeks.

I can't see how any meeting in school lasts 3 hours, is that a mistake? Maybe check.
As pp said, you will have to wear a mask.

I would contact them and ask if breaks can be arranged to allow you to leave the building for a few minutes.

I had a meeting at DDs school last week with 2 teachers.
We kept our masks on until we got to a large room we had the meeting in where we sat 2 metres apart and took them off

It’s strange they can’t do it virtually. I work in a special school all of our meetings including EHCP reviews have been done online. I did all 12 of my class’ via Teams.

Perhaps you can practice wearing one at home. My secondary school children have adapted to wearing one all day very quickly even though they weren't keen at first.

Hope the meeting goes okay.

Why don't you ask to join them on Teams or whatever platform they're using. Just because school staff are in person doesn't mean everyone else will be.

I had a similar-length meeting indoors in a healthcare setting a few months ago (between lockdowns 1 and 2).
As the room was large and it was warm enough outside to be able to open several
windows for ventilation, the hosts (healthcare professionals) said we were welcome to remove our masks once we were sat in our seats for the meeting. It was just me, DP and 2 x healthcare professionals in the room but more than enough space for us to each be 2-3 metres apart.

At the school I work in you would be told you are allowed to remove your mask if you are seated 2m away from another person.

I’ve had meetings in the school without a mask, sitting each end of a long table

Yes. I wouldn’t attend otherwise.