How to deal with friends claiming to be 'key workers'

[McDougal]

Just as the title says, really. I know a lot of admin staff in the NHS. A lot support inpatient services and have a real impact on keeping things moving. Others are PAs to managers who will be making decisions impacting upon patient care, but could do this themselves without a PA forwarding this communication on their behalf.

How do you deal with this? One friend is continuing to take her child to nursery as she's a 'key worker' when her husband is temporarily at home as his job has come to a standstill and I'm struggling to be sympathetic.

I’ve seen on twitter that schools should be renamed ‘emergency childcare hubs’ to get the message through that it is not school.

Just checking, it’s not like you to go for a personal attack.

I agree the last week does seem to have brought all the idiots and the selfish out.

Maybe that would get the message across noble , a lot of people don’t seem to be getting it so far

it’s not like you to go for a personal attack.

Isn’t it? I must bite my tongue more than I think
Let’s not forget, it’s Catherine that posted “Teachers unions put a lot of pressure on the govt to shut schools and they all always complain the loudest, so forgive me if I have less sympathy for them than I do front line health workers/police/ who put their lives directly at risk and have no such luxury and would never dream of stepping back. It's always teachers who complain the most out of all the public sector.“

And that’s before she started criticising teachers for not wanting to be put at increased risk of a killer virus by people taking the piss.

If we don’t start shaming coronavirus idiots in the same way that drink-driving became socially unacceptable, we’re going to end up totally screwed. They are putting people’s lives in danger.

As an HCP in a vulnerable group I completely agree about calling out the idiocy. I’m not saying you were wrong.

Yes but I didn't personally attack you even after your very nasty direct attack to me did I noble neither did I report it.

You could say you think I'm speaking crap or my point is shite without being really crude and low about it. Argue robustly. I'm ok with that.

But I assume you're stressed today.

I didn't personally attack you

Now you can’t even remember your own posts.

As an HCP in a vulnerable group

Good luck, Rafa. And look after yourself.

Noble where did I personally attack you? If you're referring to my 'mendacious attitude etc post' that was not a personal attack on you or your 'mental capacity' or lack thereof was it?

Report the post if pisses you off that much, it clearly has.

that was not a personal attack on you

Disingenuous.

disingenuous

Nope. You started and continued the PA. But honestly an adult who resorts to that kind of nastiness on MN is beneath my contempt.

Pack it in - this sniping holier than thou attitude is not helpful

Only read the first two pages but totally agree OP.

I have a friend in yhr same boat, only difference is that her husband is in IT and can work from home but is choosing not to as will be hard with the kids there . So they're sending their two children to school and a childminder this week.

This is useful

Agree they should be called Emergency Childcare Hub or similar.

Yes I do agree there are some piss takes out there, which is always the case. If there are two parents in the house, one key worker, the other parent should be in the house with the children. My sister is a nursery nurse key worker. She’s having to go in to work to look after key workers children. Fair enough but Why should she look after a child if another cheeky feck parent is still in the house??

I know of a school that is making all parents who take up the offer sign to say they are aware of the risks and are accepting that by sending their child into school, there is every likelihood they will contract the virus and bring it back home.

Parents who don't sign can't leave their children off incase of a death or hospitalisation which occurs if the virus was contracted from someone at the school.

Reading that, makes it seem more real doesn't it? Not sure who would happily take up that offer unless they were absolutely desperate and couldn't do anything else in terms of childcare.

I work for the NHS in an 'admin' type role. Didn't get looking near any of my own work last week. There is loads happening behind the scenes and it's all hands on deck, preparing for what's to come.
I don't necessarily see myself as key just yet (although that may change very soon if we are asked to cover the wards) and am dreading leaving my little one in this childcare set up, but my employer sees me as key, and as with all of us - we can be deployed into any role at any time which has already started happening.

@NewYearNewJob123

Amelie Taylor - ALL NHS staff are key workers. Everyone single one, including volunteers

Say what?! I never said otherwise FFS

This film is on BBC1 right now. So i was reminded of this scene

Sally Hawkins character from Made In Dagenham.

@BertNErnie A lot of parents think children can't catch it, let alone be affected by it. They don't seem to appreciate that 6% of children are seriously affected. Don't think I'd like to run the risk of my child ending up on a ventilator for weeks. I doubt very much you could pop in and see them.

There absolutely are people taking the piss. The sooner the rules are changed to say two key workers the better.

The busyness in parks, hoarding at shops and the pubs on Friday night show people don’t get how serious this is.

My SIL is Senior PA in a hospital and has worked for 11 days straight, despite having two young DC, one with SEN.

Her DC are NOT going to school as my DB is able to WFH.

Please don't tar everyone with the same brush. It sounds like you have a huge axe to grind OP. This really isn't the time.

PAs are key workers, they deal with more than just paper work. My consultants PAs will be hands on doing patient care as and when required.

6% of children are seriously affected. Don't think I'd like to run the risk of my child ending up on a ventilator for weeks.

Evidence please @SnoozyLou?
The ICU doctor Jack said on LBC that 10% of the whole population affected would go to hospital. I can’t see how this would tally with 6% of children being at risk of needing ventilation.

Please be very very careful with statistics at this time when people are having to make very important decisions.

I'm classed as a key worker, though my DP is not. We checked with our school who are adamant and sticking to the letter of the gov guidance that only in a household where both parents are key workers will the pupil be given a place.

This is reasonable I feel. So while DP winds all his work stuff up the last couple of days, I've taken the shitist of shit shifts to cover the shortfall. After this he'll probably not work out of the house so I can work all God's hours. TBH I don't want my DC exposed where the don't need to be anyway.

The father in this instance ought to be doing his part with home child care and needs to be called out for it. And the school needs to grow a back bone to restrict places.