Due June 2020: Thread 4

[umabb]

We will need a new one soon I kind of spammed the thread today so taking the liberty of creating a new one x

@APD1981 I would think things have just changed today - if the head teacher goes against the government advice to ask a pregnant teacher to have to work - sounds really like something could get on the news headline. Maybe try to talk to them tomorrow ?

@APD1981 I'm in the same boat, waiting for the clarification on the website but the advice seems a bit woolly with the 'avoid non essential contact' when you're a teacher and can't work from home. I want to hide at home and not re-emerge but have to wait for union/head advice on what to do I guess!? 😩😩

The Mayor of London has just said pregnant women must wfh. We are in a high risk group. Hopefully you can now get approval to stay at home.

@chocolate26 we are not seeing friends at the moment and agreed with the in-laws (over 70) not to visit for Easter this year. Will do more FaceTime instead.

I am a teacher and will not be going to work. Will probably pop in early tomorrow to collect things. I am a Dep Head so can legitimately work from home apart from a scattering of lessons which I appreciate makes it different

Given there are plenty of other staff in the school who are not

• pregnant
• elderly
• with significant health conditions

I feel that it is justified for us to not work at school as it is not essential.

My anxiety is through the roof, I'm terrified antenatal appointments will be cancelled and equally terrified about going to the hospital for said appointments! I'm going to visit my parents tomorrow, it may be the last I see of them for 12 weeks!

@RPPs do you have a link to that advice, please?

@pegase I am part time and only in Tuesday and Wednesday this week and I have my 28 week MW appt tomorrow which means I only have 4 lessons this week. One is A level so no cover would be needed. I will happily WFH and make resources, planning etc but I am petrified my head will tell me to go in. I don't even know how to enforce the guidance to stay off. Teacher guilt is real!

Anyway, I've emailed my HT and I'm waiting a reply. Our school show at the local theatre was going to be tonight and tomorrow and it has been cancelled this afternoon, before the latest guidance, so I'm hoping the head will see sense and let me WFH!

I’m really sorry for all the teachers in this group who are struggling to be allowed to work from home. I hope they close the schools soon. Schools are germy enough places at the best of times.

Has anyone found an effective way of preventing hip pain at night? I have tried stretching, walking, sitting on a yoga ball to stretch them out. I have a pregnancy pillow between my knees and ankles and behind my back so I can take some pressure off them and I still end up in so much pain each night, especially on the left side. And I feel like it’s only getting worse as my belly grows.

25+2

I've emailed head of HR to see if I can work from home. I only teach a level so will send resources, mark work, and record audio lessons to go with powerpoints so will still be busy. They may say you need to come in but I'll wait and see

I work in a bank so it's very public facing plus I also cashier at the moment to sit down more but that involves dirty money!
We have now run out of hand sanitiser as a company but we have been given wipes for the surfaces and gloves should we need them.
I have asked to contact HR tomorrow with the new advice 12 weeks isolation will take me up to maternity anyway and I think the bank would still pay me 🤞🏼I can't afford to take early maternity leave as I would have to go back once the pay drops 😔

I really feel for you teachers.. not easy at all xx

@UKtoSK sorry to hear that you are having bad hip pain. I have it occasionally but what's worse for me is my back ache. Started to have it since last weekend ( was away and did some big walks). I also need a better office chair for the home office but John Lewis sold out the ones that liked because they made in China and manufacturing is still so behind there had to get one on eBay but will have to wait for a bit too..
hate those pains feel suddenly old.

27+1

@umabb I bought essentially a piles/tail bone pain type cushion on amazon its been a life saver for back pain almost completely got rid of it! It's not the cheapest but it does work wonders.

@Busylizzie85 oh thanks for letting me know! Do you mind sending me the link or name that I can search if okay? xx

@umabb no problem 😊
Feagar Orthopedic Seat Cushion... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077G7D73D?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

Hi all,
I've not wrote on here for a while but I have been reading and catching up. After the government advice tonight I emailed my directors to request I wfh and let them know I wouldn't be in first thing until a decision has been made as to how this will work. They're planning on telephoning me soon with what I think will be them saying no. I'm a solicitor so I appreciate it will be difficult but I do conveyancing so certainly not impossible.
Certainly feel for all the teachers! Worrying times. What are all the teachers and other workers planning on doing if their work say no?

I messaged my Manager after the lastest news from Boris, I work in a hospital. I've been told by her to stay home until I hear further from her tomorrow. So fingers crossed I won't have to go in anymore and that will be me off work xx

My work have said it's OK to wfh. I'm going to email students resources and be on my emails. Hoping they don't start my maternity early tho.

I’m self employed but work for other companies teaching kids extra curricular type stuff.... if the schools close I will have to stop work but as it stands at the moment wouldn’t be able to claim anything, unless I start my maternity allowance claim early but I doubt they’d be able to process it in time. We can’t afford for me to not work in the interim if the schools are open, so I’m just carrying on until I’m told I can’t anymore!

I work as a specialist teacher and go into schools visiting children on my caseload. I was very nervous about going in today but they found me an empty room to work in and I made minimal contact with children. This afternoon that school cancelled all future visits (for all external visitors). I've now been allowed to cancel school visits unless the advice changes and will be working from home on admin tasks. Not sure when that work will be caught up though. What a very scary time to be pregnant.

@Busylizzie85 thanks a lot x

@Busylizzie85 just ordered one too

I still haven't had a response from my Head. I've spoken to my school union rep and she said not to go in and said to email head again saying you're following govt advice. I don't know how wfh home would work with actually teaching classes as we're not allowed to contact them via email or anything, even 6th form. I can gladly set work, but we all know how that goes down with supply lessons!

I've also emailed my regional union rep to keep him in the loop in case my head is being difficult and to ask for the union's interpretation of the guidance.

It also says on nhs 111 website that pregnant women should be isolating now.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Here's the official, more detailed guidance.

Gosh! What a time to be pregnant indeed!
I was already having discussions with my seniors at work (I work in a hospital) earlier on today. My actual wards have covid 19 patients and they were still trying to find ways to keep me coming in.
Hopefully this new information about pregnany women will mean that this week will hopefully be my last for a while.
I'm already hearing that the 14 day quarantine for families may not apply to healthcare workers. I hope they don't try and say the same for pregnant healthcare people.

28+6