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).

Get the vaccine.

Take the vaccine, you have no idea when you might be offered another, and herd immunity is more important than anything to everyone else around you right now. Buy some paracetamol as well as cold and flu tablets, and you'll be okay.

I have a similar dilemma. I'm going to have the jab and hope for the best. It's life threatening and I have DC who rely on me is my reasoning.

Even if ill, Adrenalin will get you through Monday.

No way would adrenaline have got me through anything for about four days after the vaccine! But I appreciate I'm in the minority.

Get the jab. Side effects are by and large manageable. Yes some people do suffer, but I would guess that the chances are slim.

I'd delay it. If you're affected there is no way you'll be able to power on through.

Definitely get the vaccine.

A couple of questions. Are you able to change the date to one not too far away? How sure are you that ofsted will be there for those two days? Jab side effects absolutely decimated my staff team, I had multiple members of staff who usually work through anything unable to work for up to 3 days after. It seemed to be worse for younger people and those who had had covid within a few months. I think there were only a few who had no symptoms at all. I was OK but I definitely wouldn't have wanted to be dealing with ofsted the day after.

Take the jab, personally the only side effect I had was mild soreness at the injection site for a day (and that was only if I pressed it, which I did do, a lot, for some reason 😳)

Get the vaccination, take pre-emptive paracetamol and get an early night..
Of people I know that have had the vaccination, side effects have been around 50/50 with AZ, 20/80 with Pfizer.
My side effects were quite debilitating for 10-12 hours, and only lasted 24 hours. I only know one person whose side effects continued for more than 24 hours.

Have the shot. You need to prioritize yourself and family. In my circle, of about 20 friends who’ve had it, 3 have had what I’d say were major side effects. (Sweats, flu like body aches, chills), the rest of us including me have had a slightly bruised feeling arm and a headache. I was told to take paracetamol and went to work no problem.

No job is worth more than my partner. If your partner is CEV it's a no brainer.

Chances of side effects meaning you can't work are low anyway.

Why on earth haven't you enabled voting for this. This is exactly what the voting is for!!!

I had the jab in the evening and had a reasonable night but was so tired the next day, slept quite a large part of it. Felt much better the next day, just ached a bit

I'm nhs so colleagues and I have all had the jab. I only had a sore arm. Anyone I know who did suffer side effects only lasted 24 hrs.
See if you can change appointment to later in the week but don't delay any further than a few days. If you can't then you should definitely go for the jab. Don't prioritise work over you and your partners health.

Good luck with the inspection!

Thank you for your comments.
feelingconfused no voting option on the app on my new IPad.

I'm now thinking have the jab, I wasn't before this thread if I'm honest.

To answer some of you. Yes, we know OFSTED will call Wednesday at the latest as they inspect for two days.
The inspection has already been deferred this term. This was due to the circumstances of the school, no headteacher, no senior leadership, inadequate staff, so no one able to lead the school through inspection.
I'm leading the school now, part of improving it is to take them through this inspection - it is my job! At the time of the deferral the inspector said that the school will be inspected within the next 4 weeks, hence it has to be next week.

I've been inspected as a school leader many times, I know how much pressure I will be under and how I will need to be at least 110%!

However, whilst I have to lead this school my DH and I are living apart ( within the house). We've not seen family or friends very much. DC's twice outside, in a year, same for our parents. We have taken maximum precautions to protect my DH. (Apart from my work of which I've no choice). DH does think I should have the jab.

I like the reasoning by some of you...I could be ill anyway without the jab, I might not suffer symptoms, I could explain to the inspectors (mmm?), that everyone understands that my health and that of others has to come before a school inspection.

Thank you.

Take the jab.

I speak as a teacher.

You need some perspective- I totally get it, the tunnel vision in education is real- but your DH and your family need you to be vaccinated.

You’ll probably be fine. And if you aren’t it’s still worth it.

Let OFSTED know when they call that you are getting your first vaccination at the weekend. Then it is their choice if they wish to go ahead or postpone- even Thu/Fri of next week would seem more doable.

From bitter experience of coming back too soon in the past,if you do feel unwell from the jab, do not go in and try to do the inspection feeling unwell. Call in sick - presumably they can't do it if you're not in.

Your health comes before anything else.

Take the jab .

I'd have the jab.

Also you must have a pretty good idea of what the inspectors will want to see and what questions they will ask?

So for key things write some notes down / go through with your SLT.
Either your school is good or it isn't. Your SLT should be up to speed between them on what's been going on.

(Yes I realise that may be a bit unrealistic and I know how stressful Ofsted inspections are, but try to have confidence in your team.)

I would have the vaccination. I agree that the outcome of an inspection should not stand or fall on the performance or absence of one senior leader. The key factor is likely to be the quality of teaching they see, work in books etc.

And in terms of your feeling you could be letting the school down - if staff knew you had prioritised Ofsted above having the vaccination, I think this would be a really poor message. I realise you haven't said you would tell anyone.

I also find demands post-Ofsted can be significant so if you don't have it when it's booked I would be concerned that there will always be another reason why you feel you can't have it at that time.

as I understand it, people seem to report more side effects with the second jab, once your body has already been taught to some extent to recognise and fight the virus. I'd go ahead and get jabbed.

@mynameiscalypso

I don't know anyone in real life who's had anything other than a headache and a sore arm from the vaccine. I'd get the vaccine.

I live in real life and was wiped out for a day by it.

Take the jab, it's your duty to protect your loved ones and this is a significant protection to your partner.

The vast majority of people get a headache, you can take paracetamol for this.

This jab is life changing for those of us who are CEV and the fact you are a teacher means you could bring it home at any stage.

Get vaccinated, deal with the consequences if you have to, but I'm pretty sure you'll be ok by the Monday.