To ask for advice on teaching through this?

[Lis1992]

Had Covid last week. Out of isolation (took extra days too to let symptoms clear, and not spread it), negative test etc. I’m back teaching tmro and I have a cough that is worse now than when I had active Covid infection! It’s so much more persistent, intense and I have a metallic taste when I cough deeply. I was back for meetings today, and I could not stop coughing. How can I teach with it tmro , when I can’t talk for long without coughing fits?! Help! I’m not contagious anymore, but this cough is exhausting. and I need to be able to teach my classes tmro. Cough lozenges etc aren’t working!

Also, posted here for traffic as I really need suggestions!

You don’t. You’re not well enough to teach so you call in sick and wait until you’re better. Rest up!

Secondary or primary?

@Justonemorecoffeeplease Secondary!

You're not well, you don't go in. Stay at home and rest more. I don't think anyone knows much about long covid yet, but going back before you are fully fit rarely helps anything.
(I once went back too soon after a virus, because it was the start of term in September - I ended up missing one day in five that term because I then picked up everything going.)

No one in your dept wants your bug. You're ill. Stay home

I had this and ended up with laryngitis and bronchitis because I was forcing my voice and making myself worse. Go to your doctors and talk about your symptoms but as others have said you are not well enough to be back in work. Please reat

@Palmtree9 I don’t have a bug! If you read my original post- I isolated with covid it’s day 9; I have a negative antigen since Sunday. I stayed off Monday. and Tuesday too with bad cough. But today it’s worse. So while
its not contagious, it’s going to make it very hard for me to teach!

I understand that, but it's possible you have a cough now on top of that if you're coughing that much?
As a fellow teacher, I'd say rest up and fully recover before going back so you don't burn out 🙂

@Palmtree9 I literally haven’t left my house till work today, so I’d say it could have gone to a bacterial infection. But not something I can spread. I still feel rubbish though!

Just because you are no longer contagious doesn't mean you are well enough for work.
We had covid last week. Negative very quickly but we all feel worse than when we had 'active covid'.
So much so that I bought another box of tests to use after dinner.
Hope you feel better soon. Secondary aged kids would just take advantage of you when you aren't par.
Could you where a mask when you go back

It sounds like you're not fit to return to work. If you do go in plan cover-style lessons where you have written instructions on the board and activities are worksheet/textbook/project based with minimal input from you. If you tell the kids you're not feeling well, they'll generally be sympathetic.

This. If you are not fit for work it doesn't matter that you are no longer infectious.

Just what I’d suggest.

@estornudar Thanks they’re great suggestions! Only thing is I feel guilty for being out sick (even though couldn’t be helped) and I’d been leaving work. So I feel the have while
I have to teach a lot of content, and catch up. If that makes sense!

Oh I know that feeling well! What about finding some knowledge organisers of content you've missed and asking them to engage with it independently by reformatting it as mindmaps, making quizzes about it, comprehension questions, flashcards etc? What subject is it?

How much content are you going to get through exactly if you just stand at the front and cough at them?

Stay at home a bit longer.

@noblegiraffe I know!! But teacher guilt
is real! And I feel so behind after missing the week already

Teacher guilt won't clear your cough and enable you to teach though. Pointless going in if it's that bad, and you'll just gross out/worry the kids by spluttering all over them.

I would go in and see how you feel. A cough can linger for quite a while but you might feel more anxious, the longer you are off.
Go in, stay at the front, don't worry about coughing, plan some Kahoots, paired work, text book exercises and get someone to read out the answers. You've got this

I’d honestly go with your gut. If worrying is going to be more stressful go in and manage things - I’ve found pupils can be really helpful when you’re straight with them.

Or, and probably a better option, stay home. It’s two days to the weekend so perhaps a bit more time to get well enough to face things.

Completely understand your comment about teacher guilt and setting work can be such a pain in the arse. 😖

I didn't think anyone still tested for Covid? Is it just teachers that are testing? Should we all be?

Yes, people still test for covid. No, it's not just teachers. Whether you test is up to you. If you are close to any vulnerable people it might be wise.

HTH.

I'm a teacher and I got signed off for laryngitis before. The doctor said I'm not fit for work because I couldn't use my voice (I went in seeing if he possibly had a magic cure for not being able to talk for over a week 😅- and being signed off worked as it rested my voice!) if your cough is to bad to reach then you definitely aren't fit to work.