Australia not closing schools. What should I do?

[Rhynswynd]

I have 2dd at school, prep and year 4 and 1 dd age 2 with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. Schools over here are not closing and the pm is adamant they won't close. I have kept all kids off this week from school and therapies because I had some mild symptoms on Monday and figured it was best.

Now my symptoms are gone and it was likely a mild cold or allergies.

So do I send them all back to school and attend therapies for the toddler? I am English so am keeping up with the situation back home and starting to worry.

My dh is in defence and 2 people in his unit have tested positive.

I am on Brisbane. My 3 are home - 1 uni age, 2 high school age.

We received a notice this afternoon that both high schools are moving to online learning from next week.

If you can afford to - keep them home.

We aren't rich but husband's job keeps the family going well. I'm out of work but was going to start volunteering with the Salvos.

I don't want to overreact and keep them off and get in trouble.

Please keep them home if you can.

We cannot do social distancing in schools right now. We cannot keep the kids 1.5m apart. Some schools don't have soap. There is no special cleaning going on - today at school there was a cloth and some detergent for DIY cleaning of the staffroom table and that was it. Lots of schools aren't doing staggered recesses. Parents are sending in sick kids. It's also a very stressful environment right now - lots of casuals covering for classroom teachers who are on sick leave, or trying to plan for possible closures down the track. Lessons are going on, but not as they were a couple of weeks back.

If you can keep them home, you are keeping your children in a safer, more comfortable environment, and you are helping reduce the numbers of children at school.

It's not time to start volunteer work, unfortunately.

The classrooms never seem to get cleaned and prep teacher has been off 3 times this term already with various illnesses.

Me volunteering is tied to my dd2 having access to daycare which forms part of her social therapies. She has only just learned to say mum and walk I couldn't bear her to go backwards.

I'm so conflicted.