Keeping children at home until September

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I work in a school and I'm seeing and hearing a lot of this both on here and in the contact I have with parents. I am worried about how we will manage social distancing and whether we will have PPE if the schools open soon, but I do appreciate the need for kids to be in school, particularly Year 6 and 10.

I also don't know how it will work if a lot of parents chose not send their kids back until September. I wonder just how many parents will do this?

So...
YABU - My kids won't be back until September.
YANBU - My kids will go back as soon as the schools open.

[Witchcraftandhokum]

Nuffsaid Yes it'll be tricky and I'm really not looking forward to it but I won't be at work without it.

[cptartapp]

Mine are year 10 and year 12. On a risk v benefit to our family they can go back tomorrow for me.
Nurse.

[Witchcraftandhokum]

borntohula I think the data from the tracking app will make a difference.

[SimonJT]

My four year old won’t be back for a while, I have type 1 diabetes, a spleen that isn’t fully functional (80% of it is missing), I’m male and Asian.

[WhatHaveIFound]

I have a Y10 so I feel it's quite important for him to be back in school. However I don't think it will happen before September.

IF it does there's likely to be less students in his classes as he's a day pupil at a boarding school and the overseas students wouldn't come back (even if they could) for half a term.

[Gawdsake2020]

Mine won’t be going back. Maybe in September, it depends on what happens between now and then. If it’s worse, then no but purely because if I catch it I’m dead and I can’t die because my eldest has autism and I need to live for long as possible.
I find it ridiculous that some have sent there children back already even though they don’t work and just want a break.

[Cremebrule]

I just don’t see how ppe could actually work. Most drs and nurses have described how hard it is to communicate while in full kit. That’s just not going to work with teaching children. I don’t know how vulnerable techies can be protected but it’s going to be a nightmare working it out.

[Myotherusernamewastakenagain]

Wouldn't masks and gloves be used in hospitals and care homes where ill or vulnerable people are? Is there reccomendations for using ppe in schools?

[Cassie71]

I would rather send mine back to school as soon as possible, during the summer months. Why wait until flu season in September?

[oiboi]

They won't need goggles, just mask, gloves and apron based on nhs protocol. Yes teaching behind masks will be difficult but tbh I think better than the current option where we're trying to juggle work and teaching.

Kids are adaptable most will cope with staff in PPE and as long as schools are realistic that many parents will choose to absent their kids it seems an option for a while.

Mine will be in as soon as possible. They miss school a lot. Husband is stressed to fuck trying to manage them and work, I'm nhs front line and exhausted with spending my weekend trying to get the set work done so if all he can manage in 6 hours telly during the week they're not falling behind.

[TempsPerdu]

DD is only nursery age but she’ll be back in nursery as soon as it reopens. She needs interaction with her peers.

[Ariseandsmellthetea99]

If there is forced PPE or strict social distancing that would change my mind (to NOT sending them) as I think my ASD child would be frightened by it and both would be better off at home where they can mix with siblings, have a hug etc.

[Tanith]

I think there will be restrictions on the numbers that schools and childcare can accept at any one time.
I think children will attend part time, and businesses will be expected to operate around that so that WFH is preferred (to cut down on travel) and fewer people actually lose their jobs, although hours and salaries will be cut.

[Mikki2019]

But do teachers who are currently looking after key workers’ kids wear ppe? And there is no news or outbreaks in schools and they are the kids most likely to come into contact with it (key workers!)

It’s such a load of crap

[borntohula]

Gawdsake you of all people should understand the need for 'a break,' having an autistic child. In some cases, that break is equally important for the child!

[Howaboutanewname]

I'd like to know what people think will change between now and September with regard to the virus itself

More people will have had it. Meaning less chance of getting it. Assuming we can’t get infected twice.

As we are still learning, more learning will have happened so possibly more effective treatments in place.

The R thing will be lower. Meaning less likelihood of pushing into a second (or third if this weekend is anything to go by we have just instigated a second wave) meaning less infections overall less likelihood of schools having to close again.

[iVampire]

I'd like to know what people think will change between now and September with regard to the virus itself

Nothing, because that’s not the point.

There should however be considerably more information on how well containment works, etc (assuming there has been a step by step easing of restrictions in the coming months)

The more that is known about the virus the better, in terms of chains of transmission and how best to break them, and also (if reliable antibody test tools out) what proportion of the population has already been exposed, plus possibly more info on the question of whether you can hat it twice. Also maybe more info on how long one remains infectious once symptoms start to subside

All those factors make a considerable difference to what gathering should be permitted and how they need to be managed

Selfishly, I’m also hoping for more info on level of risk to those with my particular co-morbidity (opinion is divided and evidence is scanty)

[crustycrab]

"We also have to remember only 3000 people under 65 have died in the Uk. 95 percent of them had significant under lying health issues. So approx 150 healthy people under 65 have died in the Uk. It is a vanishingly small number."

Significant health issues my arse. I know 3 that were under 45. Doubt they're out of your made up 150 Not sure why you keep spouting this daily mail shit. My friend was a bit on the chubby side like many of us but she was nowhere near ready to die. At 36.

[Echobelly]

I think it would be a better idea to wait until September, as I think a brief summer return under very constrained circumstances would just feel weird and confusing, and we still seem to know so little about what's the right thing to do. But if they do open next month, yes, I would send them as they'd want to go.

[Ariseandsmellthetea99]

@Witchcraftandhokum we don’t know that it can’t be caught twice but we do know that you reach full antibodies at 28 days and that it is likely to last at least several months (possibly longer but that needs testing). I think the risk of my family getting it again in the short term is very low and getting it badly in the short term is even lower.

[NuffSaidSam]

Obviously it's different for everyone, but for my children I think the friendly unmasked face of their teacher on Zoom is no worse education wise than being in the classroom and the teacher trying to teach them through a mask.

[crustycrab]

"Why wait until flu season in September?"

Flu season is December to March

[T1redmum1]

My DD won’t be going back soon, but that’s because she’s on the vulnerable list. My concern is what happens in terms of her education once everyone else is back, will we still get learning resources sent home?

[MargotLovedTom1]

I have three DC and they will go back ASAP. I work in a school as support staff and will be happy to be back in F/T ASAP (only working one day p/w looking after key worker children currently).

I feel like my Y10 child's GCSEs are fucked tbh .

[AmelieTaylor]

I'd like to know what people think will change between now and September with regard to the virus itself

We could get the R rate down
We could understand it better, hospitalise people sooner, treat them more successfully

It could save many thousands of lives...