To insist that from tomorrow I will be practicing social distancing?

[Bbq1]

I work in a school. I have facemasks on order and from Tomorrow i will be wearing gloves in work. I should add I work in Special Education so it's close contact work. I will be telling my boss i shall be socially distancing myself the recommended 2m from the pupils, my colleagues, environments such as the staffroom etc. This will impinge on my ability to do my job as fully as possible. Aibu?

I had cancer 8 years ago-lymphoma- and due to conditions arising from that I take prescribed iron tablets. have vit b12 injections, a chronic bowel condition and I have annual flu jabs. I work in a full hands on capacity.

So why are you even going in?

@ivampire.
I am thankfully fully cured of the cancer but the myriad of health conditions I left behind are not good. Normally I manage my conditions well and I actually love my job but this is not normal. Tbh our head seemed almost gleeful when they realised we were staying open. They actually have a daily briefing each morning and 50 odd people are crammed into a small staffroom, sitting close or standing shoulder to shoulder!

I would ask if you can work remotely on health grounds and state history and current issues. If they refuse maybe get GP advice and them to write a letter in support / sign you off.

With your health concerns I think you should be at home staying well away from anywhere you might contract the virus.

@StCharlotte
So what you're saying is if i tell my employer this tomorrow that will tell me not to come in?I told them last week.mu immunity wasn't great and the reply was "See your specialist for advice". Bit goady as I I don't have a specialist now and like you could get an appointment with one now.

"ScurrilousSquirrel

We closed schools here 10 days ago, and there's no childcare crisis..."

Where is 'here'?
France closed the school a week or so ago but there are still provisions in place for keyworkers. Otherwise there won't be enough keyworkers.
There won't be a childcare crisis but simply a care crisis in that people will not be care for and die unnecessarily. And a food crisis as nobody to sell/deliver food etc

OP - I agree with others - don't go if you're high risk. Otherwise do your job to the best of your abilities. It's not reasonable to care for SEN children with a mask and gloves on and keeping 2m distance.

Sorry last post bit muddled...If I tell my employer tomorrow that I have the annual flu jab, they will send me home?

YANBU at all. Your job has been changed, you are no longer working in education you have become a babysitter. IMO your only obligation is to keep the children safe and supervised. If you can do that from across the room then you should be allowed to do that. The idea that you should have to put your life at risk to keep a routine is absurd.

There are enough martyrs in education, leave them to it.

YABU - facemask and gloves actually increase your risk to catch it if you are not used to them. plus they are single use, so you need to change frequently.
you shouldn’t go in at all given your health risks

I had cancer 8 years ago-lymphoma- and due to conditions arising from that I take prescribed iron tablets. have vit b12 injections, a chronic bowel condition and I have annual flu jabs. I work in a full hands on capacity.

And have you been contacted to say that puts you at additional risk?

My DH finished chemo and radiotherapy in August and had radio iodine 6 weeks ago.

He has been contacted by both the cancer unit say that he is not at additional risk.

If you are eligible for the free flu jab, then maybe. Not if you pay for it.

'It's not reasonable to care for SEN children with a mask and gloves on and keeping 2m distance'

So the risk of some children becoming distressed is more important to avoid that the risk of an education professional contracting a life threatening illness. I couldn't disagree more.

what do you propose for for childcare for key workers then?

Teachers are actually supposed to teach, not provide childcare. There is a problem though but it would be much easier to ask the healthy teachers to provide childcare for more children than just their class so tge vulnerable can stay home. I'd forget about teaching for a while. So what if a generation will stay in school a year longer to catch up. That's not such a big problem.

Your GP can give phone advice as to wether you are in the vulnerable group, this has happened for a colleague of mine who was not sure.

@bigyellowduck Does your husband work in sen education?

BBQ you might get a letter from the doctor to say you are in the vulnerable category.

Thank you for the advice of those who understand. It's really helped. We really need to get this country on an almost complete lockdown now.

All educational settings are closed here because school is not considered childcare. There are very few key workers who only work during school hours, so those who would need childcare outside of those times are presumably using their usual childcare. There are also lots of suddenly under- or unemployed friends and relatives who are stepping into the breach so that younger children are minded, but in isolated settings.

Anyone who is sent for the annual flu jab should self isolate for 12 weeks.

I would contact the principal and tell her you are self isolation.

Full stop.

If you're not well enough to work then you need to stay home.

madeforthis and adaline - Education professionals are not being given these options. They are being directed to attend work. My GP is not currently signing sick notes at all. This is only going to get worse as the letters/texts from GPs about self isolating are only going out to 1.5m people, far fewer than are on the original list of conditions. My guess is that from monday education staff who have not been directly contacted by their GP will be being forced to go in regradless of whether or not they are vulnerable. Which is what the NHS are currently doing I believe.

Anyone who is sent for the annual flu jab should self isolate for 12 weeks.

That is incorrect the advice here states that

“We are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
This group includes those who are:

aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
chronic kidney disease
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
diabetes
problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
those who are pregnant”

This group is going to be advised to self isolate

“People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:

people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)”

MIssdemelza - Well do you think stringent social distancing includes working closely with children ?