Parents! Please don’t send your kid to school with a cough or temperature

[noblegiraffe]

We’ll have to send them home again, and that’s a whole lot of hassle that could have easily been avoided by parents following the government advice.

No, you don’t get to decide whether the cough or a fever is ‘simply a cold’. Neither do we. Just follow the guidelines please.

Apart from anything, it’s freaking their classmates out and we can really do without stressing out the kids even more about this.

Thank you.

@isawthathaggis YES keep her off!

I know it’s not CV, you know it’s not CV, the teachers know it’s not CV. But you still say ‘keep her off’?
FWIW there are no immuno-compromised kids in her class, and they spend 90% of their day outside in every weather. It’s a cold.

The government said 'continuous cough and/or temperature' you don't know for definite it's not CV doctors wouldn't know without testing, how do you know all the other children's medical history? Also they may have immune compromised family members

You know it probably isn't CV. You don't know for certain, as she hasn't been tested. So yes, follow the government advice and keep her off.

Think of it like the breast or cervical screening. If you look for the symptom then do the intervention with everyone who has it you will prevent a massive load of deaths and slightly worry or inconvenience a lot of people.

So be inconvenienced or slightly worried and prevent as many children as possible who would test positive for Covid 19 if there was a poas test for it available now from spraying the whole community with viral bullets, 1 in 100 of which are deadly.

My ds coughed on Friday a few times and now has a temperature, feeling unwell, tired and this is definitely not usual for him. He is self isolating and not going to school next week
Although he has gone to school before feeling much worse with a cold

He is 6th form and dedicated, very keen on his own studies

Also bear in mind that by keeping her off, if it isn't CV you are giving her body the chance to properly recover from this illness so that if she does catch CV she'll fare better than if she's trying to fight both at the same time.

What is annoying me is that this message is not being disseminated by schools or sports clubs. This needs to be everywhere! Netball across the country is still carrying on as usual with very little information from organisers about who should not take part or spectate. Really frustrating!
Schools are also not making it explicit enough regarding attendance I dont think. it will be our downfall

Is anyone awake to give me advice on this? I've read the guidance but I'm still not sure. My 5yo has a cough and has been extremely tired recently, he also has a weak immune system due to illness as a baby. He gets everything going round and always gets the worst version of it eg hospitalised for ear infections. I would say his cough is persistent but I cant remember exactly when it started - probably within past 4 weeks but defo before this week. Do I need to isolate him? Sorry if I'm rambling hope it makes sense I'm scared stiff as I've almost lost him once. There is 1 confirmed case in our area but suppose that doesn't mean much if they're not testing? Will mean missing uni (during a busy period with lots of assignments due) to keep him off. What if it doesnt go after the isolation period? Can I continue to keep him off? If he goes back he could just catch it then. Sorry I really do not know what to do (and yes these threads are taking their toll on me!!!) I wasnt worried too much until this weekend. Hes with his dad and I cant stop thinking what if something happens and I'm not allowed to be with him.

Forgot to add unless there is evidence (doctors note) I'll struggle to get extenuating circumstances for anything for uni, I'll struggle without getting to my lectures and practical labs so it really is my degree on the line. How am I meant to get evidence if they're not testing?! Obviously if something major happened I could get hospital docs but what about just isolation?

If the cough started more than a week ago then it isn't new and so the "self isolate" guidance doesn't apply.

Thank you Parrot.

Fucking hell

Surely no one is quite so stupid!*

This is why we have removed DS age 2 from nursery already. Some parents can hardly follow the 48 hour guidance for D&V that or they just don't care about other children/staff.

He's got wonky lungs (CLD

Posted too soon.

Most kids will be fine I've two healthy daughters with no additional risks.

Photo is of said wonky lunged toddler. If he catches it he will more then likely die.

He's one of I imagine plenty DC at risk. Rather then thinking or not of other children faceless and nameless I'll introduce Matthew he's not even 3 till July (god willing) he likes paw patrol and cake currently. He says sorry before being naughty not after and his nickname is bopi no idea how that started.

What a cutie, sucksfake1, hope you all come through ok.

Parents, think of Matthew before you send your sick kids to school.

Thank you Jane I hope you and your family come out unscathed same to everybody reading/posting

If Matthews story and face can make even one parent pause and think before sending an ill child in then completely worth it.

It is, and thank you for sharing.

The vulnerable people who will die are not just dead wood. They are valuable and deserve our protection.

Your kid has a new cough that didn't come from swallowing something the wrong way ? Keep 'em home. They have a fever? Keep 'em home. They have both a cough and a fever ? Bloody well keep 'em home.

(Two students came to out school last week with fever/cough. Parents delayed picking them up for 3 hours. No their parents are not health care workers who can't leave their job or make a call to organise alternatives).

If in doubt, don't send. Easy.

Parrot, such an important point.

@Sucksfake1 it’s too easy for some people to not connect the generalised statements of elderly & vulnerable to a face.

Thank you , I hope a few people will be a bit more careful now you’ve posted your little vulnerable human.

Some clarification on what a new cough is was given by a doctor on a Q and A session last night on the news.

Basically a cough that is new, that isn't a response to dust or food going down the wrong hole, that lasts for more than half a day. Not an asthma cough or a smokers cough or a COPD cough. Just one that comes and lasts half a day.

Children don't really get ill with it. I bet loads of them have had it already.

My ds will be off 7 days as he was coughing Friday and yesterday. His teacher retires at Easter. If I were her I would absolutely phone in sick for the next 2 weeks.

I do understand why people are reluctant to stay home with their DC. I just had 3 days off work with DS as he had norovirus. If he now starts with a cold work will crucify me for being off with him and I won’t get paid. I work for an FE college. They don’t give two hoots about govt advice. My partner teaches at a secondary school and their attitude to absenteeism is even worse, especially at the moment.

My confusion over this is ‘new from when?’

DD started with a cold (runny nose, cough, sore throat) a week ago Sat. She spent the day in bed on Sun. On the Monday she felt ropey but well enough for school. She’s been in all week and only the runny nose remains.

However, she passed it on to me. I started feeling ill on Mon, went home from work Tue, stayed off Wed but was back in Thu and Fri. I have a continuous cough because every cold I get goes straight to my chest (I was a smoker for over 20 years). But I’ve been coughing since last Tue, before the new guidelines - is it a new cough so I self isolate or is it the same cough I’ve had 4 times since Xmas?

I don’t think the guidelines are clear enough. Our school is still holding 2 trips next week, now that seems mad to me, but we’ve not been told to cancel so they are going ahead.

If you’ve got anything you think is contagious and affects lungs, best to be cautious. I do sympathise with people with employers who are going to be horrible about it - hard enough to find an understanding employer when you’ve got children, with their general frequent bugs.