Exposed to Coronavirus at school - no one knows, nothing being done

[coronavirusissueatschool]

Not sure what to do about this.

Have name changed.

I work in a school, at the front desk as a receptionist.

Within reception, we have students in daily who require medical attention (injuries), or who are sick. All teachers send sick kids to reception. Most of the time it feels like a doctors surgery. We have at any one time, at least 5-6 students in; injured, being sick, migraines, colds, coughs, fever etc etc

They sit in the waiting area. The same area that we also sit visitors/parents. Right next to me.

One of the parents has tested positive for Coronavirus. The student of the parent was still in school when we became aware of the test result. 111 said no need for student to go home.

The student was sat in reception the day before, sat on a coach for a school trip full of students prior to that. Whole school assembly. Still doing biometric thumb prints for canteen food.

Husband of positive case came in to reception, picking up another student, who was feeling unwell and felt like a cold was coming on. We ignored 111 advice, and sent both students home to self isolate.

Everything just carried on as normal after that. No cleaning. No information on what to do about contact students had with others.

We continued to have many students in throughout the afternoon, many with a dry cough, many with a fever. There's no where to put them.

Then we have 'helpful' comments from staff members saying 'you know they should be sat 2 metres apart with a cough/fever' and 'wish I hadn't come in here and exposed myself now'

But we are exposed. Every day. And I've had a shed load of bugs already. I feel like I work in a doctors surgery.

With coronavirus, it's just brought it all to such a realisation how at risk I am.

Over the top? Tell me I'm making a mountain out of a molehill?

What would you do? There's no hand sanitiser. We're not checking anyone coming in. We don't even have a thermometer to check for temperatures. There's no real guidance, and no one seems to taking this seriously. Lots of laughter, and 'flu kills more' type of comments.

But if it carries on, it won't be a case of IF but WHEN I get it.

That was longer than I thought it would be. Sorry.

My concern is for the many poorly students we have who are compromised with their heath.

It’s in my school and 2 colleges nearby.

Both still open. No extra cleaning done.

It is heartbreaking that the children recovering from cancer and other conditions are being put at risk without knowing it.

I'm a teacher. I feel the same

The worst part is, letters go out reassuring parents that we are doing everything and it's all under control.

It really isn't.

Purple can you say where about you are? South East? Southwest?

Op, I don't know what I'd do,the papers are perhaps the best place?. Whistle blow.

I feel the young are being used to catch this. They've given up on them and are determined not to close schools.

South East.

I'm in education too and people whisper about students sent home to self isolate.

Two of our teachers have Type 1 diabetes and I'm worried about them, and the lack of anything being done. Also worried about one boy in particular who has issues, and was sat next to the very student of the positive parent on the coach

One of the colleges have been in the paper the other 2 I know from reliable word of mouth.

I'm southeast too.

We've also got several mums and dads going through cancer treatment right now

This is shocking OP.

Could you whistle blow?! It isn't being handled at all

I'm also a teacher, my mum is currently having chemotherapy and has type 1 diabetes. I'm so worried about passing something on to her that I'm just not seeing her at the moments. This is pretty difficult as I live next door to her. As well as this, one of my colleagues has significant underlying health issues.

Yesterday a child actually sneezed right in my face, this is an occurance every day, coughing, vomiting etc.

I feel it's a matter of time. when not if.
They seem determined to do nothing. The approach is to let the virus do it's stuff. But they say they're better prepared than Italy was because they KNOW about it. What's the point knowing if no action is taken.

Is there another room you could direct the possible CovID19 patients to wait in. Shit situation I know, tbh if I had an imunocompromised child they wouldn't be at school at the moment.

Don’t worry I think there is going to be a lot of whistle blowing by NHS workers when they are overwhelmed and by the poorly teachers.

None of this is the the government fault but it does need to be slowed.

I'm a teacher in Singapore. We have been temperature taking twice a day, no children allowed in with any coughs or colds etc since Lunar New Year (end Jan). Children are perfect incubators for it as they don't have very strong symptoms so can spread it far and wild whilst feeling ok.

One teacher (out of over 200) has been contact traced by the govt as having been in the same mall as someone with COVID19 and they have to be on 14 days stay at home notice- if they leave the house they lose their visa and are fined $10k. They don't have it, they've been in the same place as someone who has.

The minute a parent/ child or teacher at our school has it the whole place (over 2k students) will close, at least temporarily, purely because the contact tracing and enforced stay home notices are so rigorously enforced here.

Not a single health professional will see you without the full HazMat suits and masks.

It sounds like the British govt are being twats about it honestly. And it's not like the NHS are ready for the speed with which this moves.

Protect yourself and people close to you with a mask and hand-washing anyway. I say this as someone who is very laid back about this in general, but it is not fair on those who will suffer more than me if they get this.

The governor meant has a duty of care to the country and the school has a duty of care to the students.

Risk assessments are done all the time for the most trivial things, even handling money at cake sales and yet all of a sudden parents and children are exposed to a virus that could scar them for life?

Op can you contact teachers union? Local paper etc. Council?

I know that some students are not coming in, saying they are ill, and they are not (but they do have chronic asthma/other issues). I completely understand why. I'd be the same if I was their parent.

I think I'll make some noise about there not being a separate room to send students with cough/fever. Get a thermometer, etc.

Don’t worry if I’m still alive I’m going to take legal action against them for gross negligence and failure to protect.

I’m not joking as she has underlying issues they are aware of!

Obviously only if she is affected. Hopefully not.

Risk assessments are done all the time for the most trivial things, even handling money at cake sales and yet all of a sudden parents and children are exposed to a virus that could scar them for life?

So true. I really do think there's a lack of duty of care right now. Whistleblowing would definitely lose me my job. Am the breadwinner so that's a no. I know that shouldn't happen, but it does.

Can you find any best practice guidelines from anywhere with any clout and go to the head with your suggestions?

I teach, lots of infant school age each day. Due to my medical condition and medication I am immuno-suppressed. I have family members who are very ill at present, though not ones I love with. I've already said I don't feel happy visiting them at present.

Other teaching staff here have asthma and some of our staff are over 60.

Infant school children generally don't have great hygiene. We are doing the hand washing thing all the tine and we have upped the cleaning of classrooms etc. Although we know that young children don't appear to have as severe symptoms there is evidence to support them being able to carry and spread the virus.

Yesterday we had more children off sick than normal. We also had two staff off - with colds we believe. We've had two parents that we know of who have been in self isolation though both were negative in the end.

I have to admit feeling somewhat concerned about my own general health.

This is Boris’s strategy. Herd immunity. As many infected as possible to get it. He has told us to get on with it and accept more deaths are going to happen. He won’t achieve that by shutting schools and letting people isolate.

What's going on in your school isn't the norm.

You should have a digital thermometer to be able to note a fever above the required 37.8 Celsius. You should have handwashing facilities with paper towels, hand gel for yourself, sanitiser for surfaces, separate bins for used tissues and a procedure in place for isolating anybody who you suspect of having it until they are collected. (and nitrile gloves for cuts and vomiting).

I worked through November-December's triumvirate of Influenza, Norovirus and Tonsillitis. Added to the usual bumps, bruises and period pains, it wasn't so much a doctor's surgery as battlefield triage, right down to having orderlies in the form of other kids dispensing saline wipes and plasters outside medical whilst I got on with the probably infectious.

Why not speak to the Business Manager and list everything you need and that there needs to be procedures agreed?

Oh, and if I were informed by anybody that I should be sitting kids 2m apart, I'd reply 'oh, does that mean you're offering the use of your office for isolation? That's very kind, I'll let the Business Manager know'.'