Nursery workers forgotten about

[Jobseeker19]

I am seeing a lot of information for teachers, but not that much for nursey workers.

As nursery worker we come in to physical contact a lot more with children than teachers.

We change nappies, help with toilet training, feeding, handwashing, cuddles, wiping faces, patting to sleep, changing in and out of clothes etc.

Nursey children also put their hands in their mouth and on other objects and then on you.

I cannot see how any social distancing or even effective infection control can be maintained in nurseries.

The nursery is also open from 7.30-6.00 with staff doing 8-9 hour shifts.

Having just read the guidance from the DfE, it seems that they dont think nurseries need PPE other than what they already use and are trotting out the same 'wash your hands more often' line.

It might also be dependant on staffing levels. My daughter is 22 and a nursery nurse. She lives at home and as I’m shielded the guidance states she shouldn’t go back unless stringent social distancing can be maintained. It can’t in a nursery. There are also 2 other staff members that live with shielded parents. Therefore 3 less staff already.

I appreciate that that the majority of social distancing measures and other precautions that schools will hope to put in place are not possible when working with very young children. However, I find it worrying that my colleagues who are classed as vulnerable are expected to choose between the risk of working in the setting and potentially losing their job. All staff (apart from the extremely vulnerable) have been called back to work leaving my colleagues in their 70’s or with underlying health conditions such as asthma expected to do an eight hour shift in a poorly ventilated room with adorable but sneezing, dribbling children, close proximity to a handful of other members of staff, no masks etc