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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.

Covid

DD2 has a cough. How do I get DD1 to school?

84 replies

allthesharks · 13/03/2020 05:53

DD2 has woken up with a constant cough. Based on the new guidelines I have to keep her at home for 7 days. Logistically I don't know how to do this. I don't work on a Friday so keeping her home isn't a problem, but her older sister is well and should be at school. I don't have any one else who can take her in to school so my only options are to take DD2 with me to drop off and pick up or to keep DD1 off too. As children, if they do get coronavirus, they're likely to be fine, but I don't know the health conditions of the other children or the parents/grandparents who will be at the school gate. Realistically, I do think DD2 just has a cough and cold.

Logistically, what am I supposed to do?

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ValleyoftheHorses · 13/03/2020 05:57

Don’t. Surely the whole family stays at home?
These are not normal times!

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Camomila · 13/03/2020 06:00

I would keep them both off and say you are self isolating. Give DD1 some school work to do if you feel you should.

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hoxtonbabe · 13/03/2020 06:02

As above I thought the whole family have to stay home

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Grobagsforever · 13/03/2020 06:02

Yes keep them both off, at least until Monday

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newmumwithquestions · 13/03/2020 06:02

Take her with you; but don’t let her interact with other children and give her tissues to cough into/tell her not touch anything.

Or if you’re really worried then can you ask another parent to walk in with DD2? Not sure if you drive or walk etc or how old your DD is - ie if you have to accompany her to the school gate or if you can wave her off from afar.

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newmumwithquestions · 13/03/2020 06:04

^^ really? I thought it was just the ‘ill’ person that stayed at home?

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allthesharks · 13/03/2020 06:04

At present, the advice is that only the person with symptoms should self isolate. It does say in the future that the whole household may have to self isolate, but that that isn't the advice yet.

It does seem ridiculous though as if DD2 has it, then DD1 almost certainly does too - they share a bedroom and don't hold back from kissing and cuddling each other.

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NeurotrashWarrior · 13/03/2020 06:04

I don't think teachers are going to be as bothered. Health matters more. She may come down with it too over the weekend.

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Butterwhy · 13/03/2020 06:05

Does she have a temp?

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allthesharks · 13/03/2020 06:05

DD1 is 6 and DD2 is 3. Sorry, I should have included that.

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Butterwhy · 13/03/2020 06:05

As it's Friday anyway I'd keep her off and then try and arrange something for next week.

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allthesharks · 13/03/2020 06:06

She doesn't have a fever.

She is prone to getting coughs and she has a ventolin inhaler.

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Longdistance · 13/03/2020 06:08

Keep them both off, as it’s Friday have an extended weekend.

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Cherrysherbet · 13/03/2020 06:09

Keep them both at home op. The guidelines may say only the infected person atm, but if your older dd can’t get to school without little dd breaking her isolation, then they BOTH stay home today.

Think of the wider population, and please do the right thing. You cold literally be giving an older person a death sentence. It’s that serious. Hope your dd gets well soon 💐

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NerrSnerr · 13/03/2020 06:09

Do you have the number of the parents of any of her friends (I have a few saved from RSVPing parties). Could you message them to see if they can help? Or a school FB page?

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Winifredgoose · 13/03/2020 06:09

It is definitely just the I'll person who stays at home at the moment.

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Cherrysherbet · 13/03/2020 06:09

*could

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Winifredgoose · 13/03/2020 06:10

Ill not I'll

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Hollyhead · 13/03/2020 06:14

As it’s Friday I’d keep them both off and see if your DD1 gets it over the weekend. If she doesn’t by Monday you’ll have to take DD2 on the school run but use sensible precautions - see if someone from school/a parent could collect your DD1 from the car, or if you walk but a rain cover on the buggy and don’t let her out if it.

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AJPTaylor · 13/03/2020 06:15

I'd keep her at home as well.

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allthesharks · 13/03/2020 06:19

I've just thought, another possible option is that I could take DD1 in to school a little bit late. That way DD2 would avoid all the children and parents at the school gate and I'd quickly take DD1 in via the office. If I call ahead and explain then I'm sure they'd be ok with it.

I could arrange for someone else to do the pick up and just bring her to the door without coming in.

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Mummyoflittledragon · 13/03/2020 06:26

I wouldn’t hesitate to keep a 6yo off. I think you’re fretting for nothing. Have an extended weekend. Do some crafting.

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Marnie76 · 13/03/2020 06:33

Keep them both off today. What’s a six year old going to miss! See how they both are over the weekend. Anything could change by Monday.

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Pegase · 13/03/2020 06:34

The whole family do not have to self isolate - that is not the rule - but if you have no other way of getting her in then keep her off and make arrangements for Monday

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allthesharks · 13/03/2020 06:35

I was all set to say that I'd keep her off school but I mentioned to DP that that's what I was thinking of doing and he said he didn't think that was necessary, which made me feel like I was overreacting.

The government advice is so ambiguous and doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense - given we know you can have the virus and be asymptomatic, surely the entire household should be self isolating if one person has symptoms? But in the absence of that official advice, schools and employers won't be understanding if that's the decision you make.

As an aside, I'm pregnant and went in to work yesterday and so many people asked me why I wasn't working from home. The simple answer is because I haven't been told to. With the government giving nothing concrete, different managers are making inconsistent decisions, and that's just one department in a big organisation.

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