Dilemma, have the COVID jab this weekend or prioritise a work commitment. WWYD?

[Anothername45]

So, thank you for reading on. I would appreciate your views to help me sort out my priorities and answer my dilemma.

I'm a school leader, working to lead a school other than my own. I am expecting OFSTED to call on Monday, to inspect the school Tuesday.

The school has required significant support which I am providing.

I have my jab booked for Sunday.

My partner is CEV.

My worry is if I suffer side effects from the jab, this could affect my ability to lead the school through the inspection. Inspections are stressful enough when feeling 100%, never mind when not.
It would also leave me with a real sense of letting the school and colleagues down.

What would you do, delay the jab or take the risk on having side effects which could affect the inspection?
(No anti vac comments please, this is about my commitment to a school by having the jab delayed, I will be having the jab).

For some CEV, the jab does not work as well as in the general population. Your partner really needs you to be protected, as that's such an important protection for them too.

Unless you are able to rebook within a few days, have the jab. Partner before workplace, when it's a health protection issue

And side effects are usually mild

You’ll kick yourself if you cancel and catch covid shortly after. Health before work every time.

As you don’t know for sure that Ofsted will call on Monday, and you don’t know for sure that you’ll suffer any side effects, I’d definitely get the jab.

What does your DP say? I’d be hurt/annoyed if my DP put work above my health.

Just warn the SLT you’re getting the jab at the weekend so they’re also prepped, and push through. You’ll be fine, I’m sure.

Get the jab. Especially now supply is uncertain fir a few weeks. They're saying they have enough to do all booked appointments-don't take the risk of missing out. Your partber IS CEV

I get you're worried if you're feeling crap & the inspection doesn't go well, you'll wish you hadn't.

But what if you don't & you pass Covid on to your partner?

Definitely get the vaccination. It could save your life or your husband’s, especially with you working in a school. I hope the inspection and the vaccination go well.

Vaccine. Many people have minimum or no side effects especially from first jab. If you feel crap just tell the inspectors and do your best dosed up on paracetamol.

How do you know Ofsted are turning up on Tuesday? Normally schools have no idea when they are going to get the call.

Jab. The likelihood of you being so incapacitated with side effects that you won’t be able to do your job properly is not high. Never let a job come before your health.

Get the jab. I needed copious amounts of of paracetamol and a very early night the next day as I'd had dreadful insomnia, sweats, fever, shaking etc the night of the jab (I had it at 4pm, side effects fully kicked in about 1am). I'll be honest, I wish I'd had the day off, but i didn't plan it well 😂

Stock up on lemsip and have everything else ready in advance - food etc.

Also - I assume the OFSTED inspection doesn’t stand or fall on just your performance that day? I hope not, anyway, it should be about all-round improvements demonstrated etc. Have courage in what you’ve done so far.

If it’s not possible to rebook for a few days later then personally I would still have it. I had headaches, aches and pains and tiredness with mine. More than manageable when dosed up with paracetamol. Everyone’s different, you could be absolutely fine - but I understand how you want to be at the top of your game for those 2 days. Rebook if it’s not too long a wait, if you can’t then have it and power through! Good luck 🍀

I'd get the vaccine. There's no guarantee you would be ill anyway. My colleagues and I have all got ours via work and hardly anyone has been ill, most just had a sore arm

If you delay it and then get covid you will wish you hadn't.

If ofsted don' call you'll be gutted. Get the jab.

Also it's a bit late for them to fill your appointment so you could be wasting a vaccination if they can't find a spare arm to stick it in

Have the vaccine.

Too many school staff put their livrs on hold expecting Ofsted to call. Ofsted are like the Spanish Inquisition - mostly come when you least expect them.

What i the call doesn't come on Monday? How long will you be delaying your vaccine? The school would be in a worse position if you caught Covid.

In any case, I'm another person who had literally no side-effects. We are in the majority.

I'd get the jab. I know that they don't take occupation into account when sorting out the moderate-risk priority groups; but as a school leader, you will be more at risk than someone of the same age who is less exposed to other people. And you have a CEV partner.

Most people don't have such serious side effects that they simply cannot do their work; and if you do feel too unwell to go in, someone else would have to take over, or the inspection be postponed by a week or two! Even OFSTED must realize that if they insist on doing inspections during a pandemic, they are taking the risk of things not going exactly as planned - what would they do if part or all of the school had to close because of positive Covid tests, which has happened in some schools?

I would move the vaccination appointment, as long as you can get it rebooked next week.

If the school gets a bad report due to you having side effects from the jab then there is something very wrong with the system.

100% get the vaccine - Family comes first and you must protect yourself and your partner. I have had my first vaccination as have lots of my family: brother, husband, daughter, daughter in law and others due to work in Social Care, NHS etc. My mother is in her 80's, has a few minor health conditions and has had both her jabs. We have had different vaccines due to living in different areas so some Pfizer and some Astra Zeneca. All but one have only had a sore arm when touching the injection site,one person had a headache and took two paracetamol. The chances are you will be absolutely fine, the chances if you got Covid are far from that. Good Luck with Ofsted!

Get vaccinated. Not even a question for me.

There's no guarantee you'll be well on Tuesday if you don't get jabbed (I mean food poisoning, norovirus etc. rather than COVID).

I had side effects, a splitting headache and felt fluey. With medication it wouldn't stop me going to work, but I felt very tired and not at my best.
If you can reschedule your vaccine to later in the week I would, if they say it's now or not til next month then I'd go ahead. Side effects last 48 hours max usually, so if you can reschedule get it on a Friday so you have the weekend.

Surely if she has the jab then feels ill she'll need to stay off - she can't guarantee that's what the illness is and aren't we meant to all be being extra careful?

Id get the vaccine your health is a priority. Job comes second. My older relatives had no reaction to the first jab if that reassures u. Theyre in thier 50s/60's. My husband did have a reaction and hes in his 30's but it lasted for half a day. He was fine after a good nights sleep. He never took paracetomol and hence felt more ill. Take th jab, take paracetemol and hav rest. U should b fine hopefully. If not then th school will have to understand. Its the world we are living in right now. Covid related stuff has to b a pretty good reason u couldnt turn up. Hope it works out well for you though.

Have the jab. Nothing is more important.