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Covid

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Original poster

What to do

19 replies

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 13:54

I work for a family as a childminder. Both parents working from home. One of the children had to go to hospital last week for an outpatients appointment. 8 days later, today, the child has a low grade temp of 37.3 and a sore throat.

The parents have dismissed this as a light cold and has me work in their home today. I think the child should be self isolation in her room instead of being allowed up and about the home.

If this was a different type of employment and I was working with someone with symptoms, I would walk out the door.

Why should we have to wait for cough to appear before we all isolate ourselves?

OP posts:

LIZS · 09/04/2020 13:59

You are not working as a cm if in their home. What is your policy re. Sickness?

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 14:05

We have no covid policy beca8 nobo8 planned for this.

I'm concerned because of the hospital appointment last week and they are now brushing these mild symptoms aside as if its nothing. It could be nothing but it could be covid too.

OP posts:

LIZS · 09/04/2020 14:07

If child is ill regardless of cv what is your policy? Or are you an employee?

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 14:21

The protocol for an illness is to treat with calpol and ibuprofen and plenty of drinks.

There's guidelines with covid to isolate if you have symptoms.

There was a plan in place if any of us either me or them were to feel respiratory symptoms, it was agreed I would not have to go into work. Now they seem to have forgotten that.

OP posts:

screwcovid19 · 09/04/2020 14:23

You're a nanny if you're working in their home?

The temperature for self isolating is 37.8 or a cough. The child has neither.

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 14:54

An Irish TV presenter, her name is Claire Byrne was diagnosed with covid19. She was presenting her TV show live from her shed, while in isolation at her home, for about two weeks. The first thing she experienced was a sore throat followed by a couple. At no point did she ever have a temperature.

OP posts:

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 14:55

followed by a cough.

OP posts:

emmathedilemma · 09/04/2020 14:56

Surely you shouldn't be working in their home at all unless you live there all the time??

Edenrose206 · 09/04/2020 14:58

They're being absolute idiots. Yes, of course the child could have been exposed to Covid-19 in an outpatient hospital setting! I'd tell them that unless they're prepared to isolate their child, you will not work for the family... unless you want to risk your own health. They are putting you and anyone you live with at extreme risk. I think it's very selfish of them!!

Edenrose206 · 09/04/2020 15:00

Emmathedilemma is right; unless you live in, you should not be working in their home...and they know it.

screwcovid19 · 09/04/2020 15:06

Of course there will be people with different symptoms but the government have only advised temp of 37.8 or cough requires isolation.
I was assuming your employers are key workers and that's why you're allowed to nanny for them? If not, you shouldn't be working there at all.

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 15:10

One of them is a key worker but working at home today.

OP posts:

novacaneforthepain · 09/04/2020 15:13

I thought it was only a cough or a temp over 37.7?
Child has neither

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 17:37

Mu understanding of the restrictions is that you're not allowed to go into other peoples homes for social reasons. I thought being in a caring roles was an exception.

One of the parents is a key worker, working from home today.

I'm just after checking the temps taken for today and the temp readings were 37.5/37.6/37.7

I know the NHS is recommending 37.8 temp and a cough. An Irish TV presenter had no temperature, so not every body gets temperatures with this.

I am concerned because the child had a hospital appointment last week. She was on the paeds ward with an isolation room but it was definitely not covid19 related. It was a day appointment. She went in at 10 and home again at 4.

Now 8 days later she has a low grade fever and a sore throat.I hope she will be OK a d that will be the main thing. She would be high risk.

I was on high alert all day and I kept my distance and my hands are so so so so so sore from washing them all day. I was very mindful. Used plates and cutlery and glasses would be potential contamination.

OP posts:

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 17:38

The NHS is recommending temp of 37.8. The parents are looking for a temp of 38

OP posts:

IgnoranceIsStrength · 09/04/2020 17:51

If one parent is wfh keyworker what is the other one doing? And no you are not a childminder you are a nanny. Which is not allowed currently

oralengineer · 09/04/2020 17:51

Are you happy to introduce the virus the child has into your household? If you aren’t then either you live in or you self isolate from members of your household, or you refuse to carry on as carer.
If you normally work from home as a carer I think strictly speaking you should still be working from home. If the child is ill under normal conditions, if you would not normally look after them in your home then, the same rules apply.
The fact only one parent is an essential worker suggests you should not be entering another household.

LIZS · 09/04/2020 18:56

I think there is a misunderstanding, at best. "Carer" is in the sense of home carer for someone disabled, elderly or with health conditions. If parents wfh they should keep their children there or keyworkers have the option to use school based childcare. You should not be coming from outside the household to nanny/babysit. Where do you normally care for these children?

Original poster

SMJYellow · 09/04/2020 23:09

I won't be going in tomorrow. The mother treated the child with paracetamol and ibuprofen this morning after she found a low fever. That alone would alter a fever and the true extent of a fever probably wouldn't come about.

The child had a risk/potential exposure last week at the hospital and hospitals are hotpots.

I don't feel comfortable continuing on with this job for now. I feel kinda cheated out from today's experience with the family in that it was agreed if any one of us showed respiratory symptoms, I would not be required to go in. The child is not showing respiratory symptoms but there are two symptoms of something viral like a cold.

If the child was allowed to rest and isolate in her room, I wouldn't mind continuing on with my work day tomorrow but the parents were not overly concerned today with the child's condition and it was mild and they thought I was over reacting by asking the child to rest in her room.

Mother boss is front line essential, who worked from home today. The daddy also worked from home. They have another child with another different condition so it's hard for them to juggle it all.

If they had space to give me a room, I would do it, but they don't. I don't feel comfortable potentially picking up the virus and taking it home with me.

OP posts:

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