I've had 9 separate respiratory viruses since early September.

[Invasionofthegutsnatchers]

I'm a teacher in year R so getting colds is par for the course, with snotty children in close proximity but this is something else. When I've had covid symptoms I've isolated and had a PCR test but on other occasions I've been in work with banging headache, sore throat, earache, sinusitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis. There's no let up with the age group I teach and with Ofsted calling plus the pressure to catch children up, parental expectations etc the workload has been intense. Evenings (when work is done) and weekends have been written off just trying to sleep it off. I exercise regularly, eat well, take vitamins but the amount of bugs in school is just awful.

Latest cough started this evening so I've booked a PCR test and am isolating again. Plans with DD ruined again. Another weekend written off. Hacked off to be honest.

I'm not a teacher but have 3 primary aged children and I have been the same. We have not had a week when everyone has been well since August. I am usually just in the first couple of days of feeling well again when the raw throat starts and it's the coming of the next bug.

I used to teach primary and it was relentless, even in normal times, so you have all my sympathies OP.

You are not the only one. I read somewhere over the summer that it is going to be a bad winter for viral infections because we were locked down pretty much over last winter. I normally get one cold a year if that. I’ve had two since September. Ds1 never I’ll is currently on antibiotics for throat and ear infection whilst ds 2’s asthma is playing. Dh is sneezing and the man usually never gets a cold!

I'm not a teacher but I have a near 2 year old in nursery & we've all been ill since September. Colds, bad throats, Sinusitis etc.

I currently have another sore throat & mild cough.

Funny thing is, we had Covid in March & had no symptoms of a respiratory infection at all. Just very tired & nauseous mostly. I've been more ill over the last couple of months than ever.

My daughter tends to have to miss one day of nursery every couple of weeks.

Also sounds like you are overworked and fatigued! I find when I’m run down I’m constantly ill. When I’m at that point I take berocca, take a multi vitamin and spend a lot of time in the bath. Sending sympathy!! Xx

I'm not a teacher but a parent who has one child who started nursery in October and another who began reception in September. I'm supposed to be back at work. I haven't yet done a full week at my desk. It's driving me bonkers. My eldest is even having to take oral medication for asthma now as the constant illness has really taken its toll on her. None of us have had covid either (yet; the 2 adults in the house are vaccinated and boosted)

Same here except I am a Supply Teacher. I get multiple calls per day for work. I am booked to work every day until Christmas. I can't phone in sick when I am the sub!

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't locked down last winter, far from it- I was in school every day teaching key worker children as well as setting home learning, marking work, phoning families, making videos etc. But the general population were mixing less so I see where you're coming from.

I was hoping my immunity would pick up after all the exposure to viruses but nope!

My 10 year old DD had only 13 out of 30 children in class today. The rest have covid, other viruses etc.

Some people believe their immune system is low / has been suppressed since having the Covid vaccine so they're picking up every bug going... I hope there's no truth in it as surely a vaccine should boost your immune system not flipping lower it!

It's pretty arrogant of humans to think they can skip a year of normal immune activity without consequences.

Well I was mixing with up to 25 unvaccinated people in a small room daily throughout last winter @GiveMeNovocain so I hardly avoided interactions.

Well..I no longer teach...retired early...last few months its been relentless....not really colds but bad fatigue and ache....lucky to get a good week in last few months....its relentless...a few friends also have it...its never ending...very bored and fed up...take lots of vits, eat well...makes no difference...gp says...its a virus....rest and take paracetemol...been doing that for months....might as well be in a care home..!!

The whole of society avoided social interaction. Those kids missed critical time developing immunity. Wtf did you think would happen?

I totally know how you feel- since September I’ve had, in this order, a cold, norovirus, covid, and then another cold that I’ve just got over. There’s just so much going around now that everyone is mixing again.

@GiveMeNovocain

It's pretty arrogant of humans to think they can skip a year of normal immune activity without consequences.

I’m not sure I follow the logic on this, I’ve heard people say similar before though. What, there’s a backlog of viruses that were due to infect us last year but didn’t get a chance to, so now they’re doubling up with this years allocation and we’re getting twice the infections? Does that really make sense?

And it doesn't matter how many times a day I line up my 4 and 5 year olds to wash their hands if they are breathing airborne viruses into clouds around the classroom. Windows and doors are open too. The snot is endless

@Invasionofthegutsnatchers

And it doesn't matter how many times a day I line up my 4 and 5 year olds to wash their hands if they are breathing airborne viruses into clouds around the classroom. Windows and doors are open too. The snot is endless

It’s kind of what you expect when you choose to teach 4 and 5 year olds, no? You knew you’d be in a room with children?

Yes and I've been teaching 13 years, absolutely love the job but wish I could be the sort of person who never catches anything. I'm constantly getting viruses and it gets me down. Severe hayfever in the summer too. Swollen face, streaming nose and eyes. Really hard to teach when you are constantly under the weather

Why are people so angry with the op?
She's feeling grotty and upset her plans are ruined again.
Was #bekind just a stupid hashtag, i suspected as much at the time.

@StealthPolarBear a large proportion of mumsnet hates teachers, that could be why.

Thank you for not being a twat

@Invasionofthegutsnatchers

Yes and I've been teaching 13 years, absolutely love the job but wish I could be the sort of person who never catches anything. I'm constantly getting viruses and it gets me down. Severe hayfever in the summer too. Swollen face, streaming nose and eyes. Really hard to teach when you are constantly under the weather

I was just wondering if you get annoyed by catching respiratory viruses from kids every year, or just this year? I sympathise, honestly. My children also pick up everything going, and pass it to me. I’ve worked out that I’ve wasted approx £1000 in lost nursery fees in the past few months due to the time my toddler has had out with colds and coughs, and I’ve also had to take unpaid leave to be at home with him so closer to £3000 out of pocket. It’s shit. But as these respiratory viruses presumably aren’t covid, is it any different to another year?

I'm surprised your doctor hasn't referred you for a chest xray. Frequent chest infections are after all a sign of lung cancer. Are you a smoker?

I usually pick up viruses fairly regularly and it can be annoying yes, I'm human, but this autumn there seems to be much more going around.

It does come with the territory as a teacher and it's fine up to a point but after weeks and weeks of struggling with talking and singing all day, being in a high energy role and doing my best to give my class the best start and working long hours to make it happen whilst feeling like shite, it's got me down a bit

Non smoker

Can't get a GP appointment

There is more going round this autumn, undoubtedly. My school aged children are having to PCR test for symptoms around every 2-3 weeks. My toddler doesn’t get a break from illness.
To those who posted above saying they don’t think it’s a result of lockdown, why do you think it is?

@mummagirl

Same here except I am a Supply Teacher. I get multiple calls per day for work. I am booked to work every day until Christmas. I can't phone in sick when I am the sub!

Me too.

I think I was probably more ill than the teacher I was covering this week 🤦‍♀️
The kids in class were coughing all day and I definitely caught this cold from the teacher I was covering last week 🙄