School absence rules are super powering the spread of flu

[Pavementworrier]

And people will die unnecessarily as a result and it's really annoying

Why the hell can't there be a rule that kids with flu or suspected flu (at least during peak flu season) don't have absences counted??

Nothing. I don't suggest anything. I was just pointing out that it's a total myth that flu always leaves you in bed unable to move because I'm sick of seeing it. It's just not true.

For what it's worth, I agree, people need to go about their daily lives if they are well enough to do so, and getting the vaccine will help.

DS has gone in today with a mild cough and runny nose. He would be horrified at being kept off when he's otherwise fine. I have no idea which of the 100s of viruses he is infected with so I'm not going to worry about it.

They also deserve to be able to rest at home if they feel too unwell to be in school, but a lot of schools don’t agree. To me it’s counterproductive. Putting pressure on children to be in school when they are unwell (we are talking flu in this thread, not a sniffle), just means the whole schools attendance drops. And yes, they have the flu jabs, but my child’s school have only just rolled them out (too late for the flu outbreak).

If you are walking around you don’t have flu. Too many people say they have flu when they have another virus.

I ended up in hospital with flu last winter (confirmed influenza A), i had 24 hours where i was 'alright' on a couple of paracetamols and strepsils, so dismissed it as a cold and went and did the Aldi shop as normal, and went to an appointment as scheduled and infected her, and she was the same (mild symptoms 2 days after exposure and 24 hours of being able to function normally), who knows how many people we infected between us.

Absolutely this. I think people use the word 'flu' when it is just a bad cold. I've never had flu. Sounds horrific.

Yes this. The myth of you have to be flat out with flu is probably one of the reasons it spreads.

Our school is actually really good, my 5 year old is currently off after being sent home on Friday (he was fine in the morning). He probably could go back in now, his temperature is well controlled with calpol and he's mostly back to normal, but school sent out an email saying to please keep kids at home if they have any temperature or are feeling unwell since it's so close to Christmas.

I've never seen attendance awards or rewards at our school either

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Can The Flu Be Asymptomatic? | Passport Health

https://www.passporthealthusa.com/2022/04/can-the-flu-be-asymptomatic/

But can the flu be asymptomatic? Research points to a resounding yes. Quite a large portion of people won’t experience any symptoms – one out of every three people could be asymptomatic. The lack of symptoms in certain people could be due to various reasons, such as pre-existing partial immunity. Some individuals might even have an immune system response that fights off the virus before symptoms even have a chance to show up.

Even if their mild or moderate illness causes serious illness for others?

I've no idea. And honestly, I don't care. It was an observation, not a forensic examination.

For clarity, I never said all. If the cap doesn't fit, don't wear it.

No, I work in this sector and I’m telling you that it is quite possible to walk around with a strain of flu and be fine whilst someone else will catch the same strain and be hospitalised.

Maybe some people say they have flu and they actually have a cold. I personally have never been swabbed for anything except Covid so all of my other respiratory infections have been anonymous. For those of us who haven’t been hospitalised I imagine it’s the same across the board.

Yes. It's not the automatic association you've characterised it as. It is much more likely that a child going into school with a mild or moderate virus won't cause a serious illness for someone.

I don't think we disagree particularly. I'm responding to the posters who seem to think it is morally inconceivable that children should be out receiving an education when they are only mildly unwell. Your point is about children who are too unwell to receive education.

Teachers are less likely to call in sick and more likely to go to work ill than other professions.

To a teacher, being off sick is often more work than going in so we generally avoid it where possible.

Right. I'll let my cousin know that her child ending up in hospital again isn't anything serious

If someone gives me a cold that's some 2 weeks ill. I've just finished 5 days of steroids as well

Flu is just like Covid. Some people are seriously ill, some just feel a bit rough, and some are asymptomatic and walk round spreading it while completely unaware they even have flu.

It has been debunked that everyone who has flu can’t get out of bed.

Your situation sounds awful and I am sorry for you and your family, but as a useful argument in this discussion it's a logical fallacy (appeal to extremes in case you care).

I can do the same - what about the child who is ill through no fault of their own and misses enough reading classes that they are permanently stunted in their education? Their opportunities aren't important enough?

I found it really interesting during covid how many people clearly had no understanding of the prevalence of asymptomatic illnesses. It's understandable that people dont like the idea they could personally have infected any number of people with a virus that later killed them, but a lot seemed not to even know this was the case.

You don’t know you’ve never had it. You could easily have been mildly ill, obviously would have no reason to be tested, and actually it’s flu.

All this “well the only time I had flu I was totally unable to move” is completely illogical because people have no idea what they had all the times they were less ill.

I’m not saying though that kids should be kept off with mild symptoms just in case it happens to be flu though.

Wrong.

Some people are floored by it, others aren’t. Individuals’ experiences will vary with the current strain.

The child that probably wouldn't be so unwell if they had time to actually recover?

The stats don't bear that out though, absence rate is high amongst teachers.

My frustration really is down to how the effect of teacher absence is mitigated. It's not fair on pupils to have a series of different interim teachers, particularly during their exam years.

Does anyone give a shit about absence % at school? Assuming they are sick and not skiving

They're not 'so unwell' at all babe. Try reading more carefully. They're prevented by you from accessing their education for fear of a hugely unlikely disaster scenario stemming from their mild cold.