To think parents will begin to lie

[Settleandcalm]

DD has a slight temp for one day, as a result doing the right thing we eventually got the test, and a veeeery long time later the results. The test was awful making her vomit over herself, the wait for my older children who are already struggling being in and out of school also awful. But it was the right thing to do.

BUT. Would I put her through that test every 3 weeks which is the average she got a temp:cough last year? No. Can I afford to lose my job? No. I will do the right thing but I have an utter fear over it.

But I suppose I wonder how long it will take parents to start slipping back to the “watch and see” version of illness. If it’s just a bit of a temp on one day... just a bit of a cough... maybe give them a day and see if they are fine, rather than fight for a test or isolate The whole family for 14 days.

There are already kids in school coughing and I know only us and one other family has tested, so perhaps, because of the testing fiasco and inconsistent rules people are already starting to lie?

[Ginnymweasley]

It's not continuous. Continuous is either coughing a lot in an hour or coughing episodes 3 times in 24 hours. She is neither of those. She gets mucus stuck in her throat and has to clear it. You can hear the mucus moving. I spoke to a nurse who said not to test as she has a cold, and a wet/mucus cough. She hasn't had a cough for 3 weeks she has had a cough for 3 days. Mainly at bedtime or in the morning when the mucus starts moving around. Her school are happy for her to go in btw. I have tested my son so it's not like I'm against testing. I'm just pointing out the situation for many parents is impossible. Slight cough = test but you can't get a fucking test so you have to isolate for 2 weeks which means no money. So no food, can't pay the mortgage/rent etc. I'm not looking for advice. I have had that off of health professionals. I am trying to point out that for many parents it is not simple or as easy as get a test or isolate. Parents are going to lie. Especially parents with children like my dd who spend all of winter coughing.

[RepDom21]

@thewinkingprawn

The problem is that they get a temperature for anything and everything, couple that with not having been in school for nearly 6 months and immune systems are bound to be lower. Our area has such low cases that I would say on balance it’s highly unlikely to be Covid and more likely to be a cold that is going around (entirely normal at this time of year). We simply cannot keep yo yo ing our kids in and out for every normal childhood illness ‘just in case’ not wasting scarce NHS resources ‘just in case’. Frankly I would absolutely send my child if it’s that or lose my job. Call me selfish but I honestly cannot imagine anyone in the same situation where they could not afford to put food on the table if they lost their job due to being off yet again wouldn’t do the same. It’s easy to sit here if you don’t work or if you have a secure job where they genuinely don’t care if you are home again but for most people in the real world that is simply not the case.

This is not a dig at just you. But we won’t last this winter if we view things like this. Schools will shut what don’t you understand? They won’t just be you that thinks like that.... so you may get to work another month or so but eventually positive cases will go round the school.

[Imelda03]

It’s not about whether a parent will lie or not now I’m afraid. The school HT under the guidance has the power to insist your child remains home for the isolation period where parents may not agree. There is guidance stating the school can not insist on seeing a negative result or a medical note but it is followed by the above and as such, lie or not, if your child is observed in school as meeting the criteria for being sent home they will be.

[Aragog]

Parents are already sending their children in.

Hence I've been back for under three weeks teaching 270 children and I've had a sore throat and then a cold. Finally I've had a sickness bug.

Let's see why comes next...

[IndecentFeminist]

It used to be 38.5 didn't it? The posters on the school gate certainly said that.

[Ginnymweasley]

I thought it was 38 tbh. Although I doubt there is much difference between 38 and 37.8.

[Alabamawhirly1]

They already said in the news snotty nose/wet cough is not covid. Don't waste tests on kids with colds.

Kids are very unlikely to have symptoms. So if you're child is showing symptoms of an illness its more than likey going to be a non covid19 illness.

Unless temp and continuous dry cough, I woulndt test. It's wasting tests for people that need them otherwise. But if you're child is ill with symptoms, you shouldn't be sending them into school anyway.

[RepDom21]

@IndecentFeminist

It used to be 38.5 didn't it? The posters on the school gate certainly said that.

38.5 is very high aside from Covid. I had to go home one night because I started to feel really unwell around that temp. This is why medical advice should not lie will with the school.

[TSSDNCOP]

It is perfectly possible for a child to be fine in the morning, be taken to school and develop a temp or cough whilst they are there.

The parent doesn't know anything about it until the school call arranging a pick up and demanding a negative test before they (and their siblings) can return.

That is it. Entire family in SI for up to 14 days because they now cannot get a sodding test on the child.

I'm told, rightly, that schools cannot ask to see the negative test result.

I can see that if a parent cannot get a child a test and cannot earn an income whilst in what will almost certainly be multiple SI's that they will have no choice but to at least consider lying.

But it's not the parent I blame. It is the fact we are in a situation where we saw this coming and our Government has cocked up to a criminal degree in failing to get sufficient testing in place.

[phlebasconsidered]

In my class of 32 this week 4 are off awaiting a test. 7 more are in dosed up with calpol with obvious coughs, headaches and sore throats. Our head is of the opinion that unless they present with classic adult symptoms they should be in. So a dose of calpol before they come in does the trick! I've already had two kids tell me they've had medicine in the morning and one who had thrown up and then came into school with an upset tummy. Which, as I have to wipe down the class loo at lunchtime now, I had to clean up. Parents did the usual of waiting till hometime to get them anyway so the child had to sit in the office waiting all afternoon.

I now have a very sore throat and a temperature. This is why it's going tits up.

Some of them might have covid, somemight just have a cold but we can't tell really until staff contract it. The symptoms in children are different. To continue to insist that only 3 symptoms must be allowed for is negligent.

[IndecentFeminist]

The cornerstone to this working was always going to be an effective track and trace system. They blathered on about it all summer. It isn't working, and will go tits up.b

[Pikachubaby]

Agree @TSSDNCOP

My son has a cold. It’s mainly a bunged up nose, and occasionally a cough from all the phlegm (sorry, yuck)

If he gets sent home tomorrow for coughing in class I may cry

[MorganKitten]

@TSSDNCOP

Where did you see that *@MorganKitten*, I must've missed that particular post

Go back and read the post, there’s at least 5 people saying they would or have lied, they didn’t want to take the child’s temp etc.

[Settleandcalm]

Phled well they will learn when they don’t have a teacher as you now have to self isolate until you get a test as you have a temp.

Assume you now aren’t going in?

[Bupkis]

This thread makes me terrified to send ds in. People are going to (and are) lie and argue the toss over a degree on the thermometer, and it is really, really inconsiderate.

The guidelines my screenshot was from re temperature being over 37.8 was from gov guidelines for residential educational and social care establishments, as that was the document on our computer related to where dh works.

37.8 is also the temp on this nhs Scotland website, it's also the temp on the info provided by ds's paediatrician and one of the hospitals he's seen in. I've seen 37.8 and 38 mentioned as a cut off in other sources.

When ds has a temp of over 37.8, you can really tell as it wrecks him. 38.5 is definitely counted as a high temp!

[peachdribble]

This is why we need to have an intense test and trace programme in every local community, ideally during our next (hopefully shorter) lockdown. It would enable us all to make decisions based on knowledge rather than guesswork and could very well help to contain this virus. In the mean time perhaps those kids who could tolerate wearing masks, could do so? It's an awful, stupidly managed situation. We can't expect everyone to be able to stop work all the time if there's no support.

[Enoughnowstop]

Frankly I would absolutely send my child if it’s that or lose my job. Call me selfish but I honestly cannot imagine anyone in the same situation where they could not afford to put food on the table if they lost their job due to being off yet again wouldn’t do the same. It’s easy to sit here if you don’t work or if you have a secure job where they genuinely don’t care if you are home again but for most people in the real world that is simply not the case

So teachers and school staff don't matter? Never mind what they may be facing if they have to take time off, who they may live with, what their individual vulnerabilities may be? Why is your ability to put food on the table more important than mine?

[TheKeatingFive]

Why is your ability to put food on the table more important than mine?

Because it’s hers. Her family, her house on the line, her family needing fed. Of course she would prioritise that, it’s human nature. You would prioritise your own interests too.

[Bupkis]

@TheKeatingFive

Why is your ability to put food on the table more important than mine?

Because it’s hers. Her family, her house on the line, her family needing fed. Of course she would prioritise that, it’s human nature. You would prioritise your own interests too.

It's a public health crisis! We have to hope and trust everyone to try and do the right thing.

[TheKeatingFive]

It's a public health crisis! We have to hope and trust everyone to try and do the right thing.

If they’re on the verge of losing their job and not being able to keep a roof over their heads/food on the table, I don’t see how you can expect them to do anything other than look after their immediate interests.

[Enoughnowstop]

If they’re on the verge of losing their job and not being able to keep a roof over their heads/food on the table, I don’t see how you can expect them to do anything other than look after their immediate interests

And such actions could close a bubble or even a whole school. If a teacher ends up on long term sick, trying to cover the class will be problematic. And you’ll lose your job then. What’s the difference? There is a very real need here to understand that our actions have consequences. We all need to work. If you want schools open and staff in them so they stay open, you have to understand the situation as a whole.

[TheKeatingFive]

And you’ll lose your job then. What’s the difference?

One‘s immediate and certain. The other is more remote and not guaranteed.

You react to the immediate crisis. Isn’t that obvious?

[TheKeatingFive]

As I’ve said already on these threads, people seem to work on the assumption that others have the luxury of thinking more long term. Often they don’t. They need to survive next week in the first instance.

[Bupkis]

So my extremely vulnerable child has to just suck it up.
I have had to give up my job already, my dds will potentially miss weeks if school and dh will lose £££ in wages, because ds picks up everything going.

We're all in it together eh!

[redlockscelt]

Probably they will, there are parents who tell their children not to say they are ill and send them to school anyway or who lie and say their child is sick instead of on holiday.