DCs school has coronavirus and they’re not shutting the school!?

[Hdbeksnxbkxdnk]

My DCs school has had a confirmed case of coronavirus. One of their teachers who has been in school and has taught both DC this week!!!
School isn’t shutting! The DCs have been given information about the virus and symptoms to look out for.
This is really scaring me! Any of those DCs and other teachers could have it. Any of them could have gone home and passed it onto parents/grandparents/people who go to the same clubs in the community! I know it doesn’t really affect children as much as adults but doesn’t mean they can’t be carriers. We’re not exactly talking young children either. Both my DCs are teenagers.

Debating keeping the DC off school for the next 2 weeks? Am I overreacting!?

The main thing is people need to take responsibility for themselves and their families

Don’t go into the doctors / A&E and lie and tell them you haven’t been to Italy etc when you have

The teacher above would’ve been paid sick pay because the school and teacher have acted stupidly not only have they put the pupils , other teachers plus lunchtime workers etc at some risk that teacher will have been tromping around Carlisle or wherever they live going shopping walking the dog etc

You do realise that not all schools would accept "I'm not coming in even though I have no symptoms and the area I was in isn't flagged as an issue"?

One of the most infected areas in Italy is Lombardy, only an idiot would think that Milan wasn’t going to be affected? The teacher and the head have a lot to answer

Schools don’t have that level of autonomy. Teachers certainly don’t.

For those of you who are interested/want to know what action we took.

The decision was made as a family. DC2 understands the seriousness of DC1 condition and was surprisingly up for standing by his big brother and making sure he was safe even though he wasn’t going to see his friends for over a week.

Both boys stayed off school today and worked independently following their school timetables. Luckily I’m on my days off (I work shifts) and DH was able to put a days leave in at short notice.

We decided to ring the rheumatology team and ask for advice regarding DC1 (which couldnt be done until 10am) before marking a decision on whether they went to school.

DC1 is on immunosuppressant drugs. His condition seriously affects his lungs. Serious enough that in the past he has been hospitalised because of a cold which turned into a chest infection which turned into bronchitis and again for flu where he ended up in intensive care. This is why coronavirus is a real worry for us.

Rheumatology advised that because DC1 is immunocompromised the likelihood is that symptoms will present within the week if he has caught the virus and we need to keep a close eye on him. They also said either DC1 comes off the medication which suppresses his immune system if he is going to go into an environment with a confirmed case or, and I quote, “we can’t tell you what to do but it is probably best if neither of your children attend school for the next week to see if there are any more cases in the school”.

Based on this, and knowing taking DC1 off his medication will be an unnecessary nightmare which we want to avoid if at all possible, both will not be going to school for the next week at least and both myself and DH will be staying at home. We will reassess this time next week.

I have contacted the school and explained the situation. They were supportive of the decision we made considering DC1 condition and have agreed to send home work via the internet.

The boys will be following their school timetables as normal and working at home with our help where its needed.

I understand that to some this may seem an extreme measure and I agree that it isn’t 100% prefect but I can only do what’s best for my DC.

Good for you OP, it's not ideal but you need to follow your instincts, and as he is immuno suppressed it sounds like absolutely the right thing to do. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of information or further action relating to schools soon .

You've done the right thing for you.

Schools don’t have that level of autonomy.
Teachers certainly don’t.
This.

It's easy to say the teacher with all their non medical credentials should have known how a virus that has experts stumped can spread, should have known that a whole city outside the listed areas would be affected and therefore informed work they would be self isolating when there was no guidance to do so.

In reality, that isn't how things work.

For what it's worth I think any school with a confirmed case should be directed to close by Public Health and if they didn't I would be backing any parent not sending their children in. The OP has made the right decision, I just don't see how going after the teacher is terribly helpful.

Well done, you have done the best for your family. I really hope others in the same/similar position aren't frightened to do so.
I hope that one positive thing coming from this is that people realise government don't own us.
Hopefully more people will question government decisions and live how they want to.

You will need to keep them off until mid June because that's how long the pandemic will last according to predictions. Even if they closed the school tomorrow for 2 weeks, some people may be Infected. That will spread to family members and, unless they also self isolate for 2 weeks, or they may be asymptomatic, they will spread it to the wider community. It's already in the wider community anyway, so when the school goes back, the same situation will arise again.

There is no point in lockdown at the moment, that needs to come later in the spread to slow it down. Self isolation is right for now. If you lockdown too early you are looking at many weeks/months at home (which is not sustainable) not 2 weeks.

For the OP that is the right decision, as it is for any vulnerable person. @Hdbeksnxbkxdnk I wonder if it's possible to withdraw the medication over a 2 week period just to protect his immunity status is the short term? Obviously discuss with rheumatologist. Covid 19 is set to last until mid June.

So if you have a Y6 and you don't believe in SATS, you are a SAHM, you can just deregister but make sure you state in writing that you still want your place for secondary. They can't remove you from the list if you want to attend secondary.

I’ve heard (strong) rumours of 4 more cases in thIs school (kids this time), though how much of this is actually verified I don’t know. At least 1 is fairly accurate o think.

I have also just been reliable informed that a pupil from Trinity School has been confirmed to have the virus. Many children don’t even seem to show symptoms so could be lots more cases and people are completely unaware. I really think it’s time to close at least this school. Good on you OP for keeping your children off. I hope you can still manage with childcare and work.

www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/18299127.coronavirus-carlisle-second-case-trinity-school-confirmed-school-will-remain-open/ Second case confirmed and school still open!

Thanks everyone for saying we made the right decision. I was thinking earlier on we hadn’t but then things at school, and you’re support, have confirmed it was definitely the right thing to do.

Keeping them off school was the best thing we ever did.

School has finally been closed until the 23rd March.
www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/18301141.parents-told-collect-children-trinity-school-closure-announced/

There have been some more cases and suspected cases of the virus amung the staff and kids.

Although a good result, it’s come too late for some families. I hope this doesn’t happen anywhere else and the lesson has been learned that if there is a confirmed case, the school must be closed for a deep clean at the absolute least.

Managing with work will become difficult but nothing that cant be sorted at some point. I’d rather keep the family safe.

The boys are getting on well. Just been following school timetable and getting on with work and asking questions when needed (I now love google). I think they are going to have amazing research skills when they go back. No symptoms of coronavirus yet so hopefully it stays that way!

@friendineed Coming off the meds is dedinately a last resort and not something just for the short term. It will need some serious consoderation. But if it comes to it I’m quite happy to discuss with rheumatologist about the best thing to do.

I’m glad your boys are doing well and that they’ve shut the school