Is September going to be a big risk?

[Melonslicexx]

Just curious to people's opinions on all this. I know nobody has a crystal ball. Partners sister has caught coronavirus this week. It's a reminder that it's still very much out there. She works in a high risk job. But still.....

I want my child back at school. She went for a session Monday and she loved it. But they were stood on spots and the teachers spoke to them through a computer screen. They didn't actually get to see them.

I know life cant stop forever. But they are going back right at the start of virus season. There will be children every single week with colds, fevers, coughs and the like. We won't be allowed to keep them off without getting a test. Ofcourse testing is important. But my mum's had four as she's been in hospital with something else. She said it makes you gag. It's not always terrible. But you gag. She said one nurse shoved it really far up her nose she felt pain in her eyebrow. So she's said it's not pleasent but it's fine because it's important. Children will be having these tests done several times over the winter. It feels like all we have ahead is stress. I'm so sorry to write it when people want to move forward. but it comes with risk. Eventually it's going to end up in all schools over this winter. When it does parents will be having to keep kids off and isolated. Parents will be trying to work around all this. There will be the worry waiting to hear if a child has tested positive in your child's bubble/school etc. But the scariest part is what if we as parents get it and we feel absolutely terrible. Yet nobody is going to take our children for us as we won't be allowed. Or what If our kids get a horrible version.

Sister in law has fever
Aches
No taste.
No sense of smell,
She's vomiting.
Her backs squeezing.
She is exhausted.

Sounds absolutely awful and the reality is after hiding away since march we all are very likely to get it over the autumn and winter.

In your opinions. Do you think this winter will mean most of us will get it?
Are you worried about your child going to school?
Do you think it's going to be a nightmare everytime your child or yourself gets a cold?

I know that last year there were times I had a cold and DD was ok. But that won't be ok this year. Any virus will mean stay home.

What does they mean for attendance?

Sorry for all the questions. Just wanted s harmless discussion about what others are thinking.

I'm trying to stay positive but I'm thinking the same and it is a concern. We've been isolating pretty much as a family for the last 2 weeks because of a positive case at the school.

The last thing anyone wants is to have to do this over and over.

I wonder the same as you OP.

Yes, same. Makes me wonder if we should have got it over and done with in March, instead of 6 months of limbo and then get it anyway. School will not be workable with so many pupils and teachers constantly off and out of school in isolation or having tests.
I do want my DC to go back to school though after 6 months of no social or academic life, so it's a real shame the government didn't follow a policy of eradication like other countries then September would be looking more hopeful for normal schooling.

Also thinking along the same lines as you.... and I'm worried personally about the implications (financial mainly) of us having to isolate multiple times..... I'm a teacher in primary, I have a primary age child in another school, 2 dc at high school, an older dc who works in hospitality and a self employed dh who cannot wfh (he works on a farm!)
I'm trying not to think about it too much tbh

It's so sad for our kids. They don't know or understand the risk they are being put in. We obviously have no choice. We don't want them to be at risk. We also don't want them home and without a child hood.

It just seems Boris and co seem to say kids are least affected. But all kids live with adults who are more at risk. Some are pregnant. Some have health conditions. But even the healthy among parents cent predict how their body will react to it. The thought of some children getting really sick with it is upsetting too. My two year old had pneumonia last year. I have no idea if he is at risk because of this to a bad case. His chest and tonsils seem to always knock him down in the cooler months.

I also think we should have done more over the summer to see if schools really could cope. It seems really irresponsible to try it out in September.

I mean it's technically not safe because they won't even supply hot meals in September. The kids can only be near their bubble. It's not safe in they respect. They are just trying to limit the risk. But as parents it's still an uncomfortable thing to be told you have no say in. You get a fine if you don't send your child in. But they can not Guarantee they won't catch the virus that's killing people around the world. Seems very like the government have decided we will have to take the risk regardless.

Study from South Korea yesterday apparently reported that the group with the greatest transmission to others was 10-19 years old. Going to be rubbish to be a parent/teacher of a secondary school pupil this autumn/winter.

I didn't think of it like that !!! I am due Bach to work this whole thing is a nightmare we can't wake to from

It's awful isn't it. I know they've said all along its to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. But it is awful that the reality is they can now cope more so they are basically saying it's ok for more to catch it. Which means all of us. Our children. Our elderly parents. Us too! Just feels really scary and unfair. No parent wants their child at risk. I know there's many risks. But this is out there now in schools.

I wouldn’t be worrying about attendance-that doesn’t bother me in the slightest and no school is going to be fining you for keeping a symptomatic child off any number of times.

Personally, I think the government should have told schools to go back part time in September-doing alternate weeks-one week in and then a week with virtual learning at home to see what impact having everyone back, but in groups of 15, had on transmission, for a month. I think that parents should have had the option to choose to keep their child at home if they were vulnerable as well.

I think it’s going to be an absolute mess and quite likely classes/year groups and schools will close regularly due to outbreaks. I suspect at some point the government will have to backtrack and say vulnerable children CAN stay at home and also that everyone needs to wear masks. If that doesn’t work, but cases are spiralling, I think we may well have another lockdown situation before Christmas.

I think many vulnerable/deviously shielding staff members will get ill and die. I think this will be very difficult for school communities to deal with as there are no mental health services left to access.

The government are interested in keeping the economy going. There maybe local lock downs but it’s very much get on with it. Most of mumsnet have been pushing for this for weeks.

All
You can do is try to prepare as much as you can.
Make sure you have enough food for your children if you get sick so they can help themselves.

Yes it’s going to be awful. The future enquiry will talk about how they will learn from this but it will still go ahead.

I guess if my instincts are that we are being out at massive risk I'll have to home school her. Some poor child will be left without a parent due to it coming home from school.

Also teachers too. I really feel for them. Five are having a baby at my DD school so alot are not returning in September.

Also face masks make the NHS staff sweaty and sore. So I can imagine children would end up with sore faces and feeling anxious. I can imagine some little ones would end up vomiting into the mask because they get too hot. Or feel unwell and are too little to explain. It's really not going to easy to get primary children to do that. It actuallt upsets me to think of little children with masks on.

I work in a school and I am shitting myself come September. Trying not to think about it.

There's not enough hand sanitiser, not enough places to wash, not enough space to distance.

Mental health will be a big problem, and it was already anyway. We have many many teachers, pupils and family with cancer, heart problems, lung problems, diabetes etc.

I don't know what the answer is, but it will be a half hearted attempt at looking like we're following the guidelines, when in truth it will be back to normal + a bit of hand washing.

The masks NHS staff were are very different OP. I really don't think there are any plans to bring mask wearing in for under 11s. What might shift is secondary because the research data here is shaky.

The in out in out stuff is the most concerning to me. I look forward to the MN threads when that disruption kicks in as the government seems determined now to get all schools open full time and avoid any school closures.

1 in 10 school aged children live with someone vulnerable apparently.

It's really unfair on school workers. I presume most who work in a school "love children" and therefore want to be able to sit with their pupils. Hug them. Sit close to read with them. Sit at tables and do experiments with them. Help them when they fall over or get upset. It's also horrible for us as parents wondering if the level of kindness our kids need will still be available.

As you say not enough anything. But also the fact we have to install fear into our kids about germs. When really all we want is them to run into school and hold hands with friends and be normal kids. We have to accept they can't do that but as my child's only five it seems really unfair.

I hope something changes in the next month and the plan changes.

I agree so much with them just going in gradually to start with. Perhaps just 2 days a week. See how that goes. Then gradually move it up.

I really can't see anyone else wanting to supply teach in a school for a teacher with suspected coronavirus. So if the teachers get poorly the kids won't be allowed in I presume. So many complications.

I know it's trivial but I'm also annoyed they have decided my daughter has to go around to the front of the school to get it. It adds a good five minutes extra walking on. Makes the walk feel alot longer for a 5 year old. But they've decided set classes will be using set gates. So it's massively inconveniencing parents who live the other side on the school. Especially if you have a child on each side.

Teacher here. Schools won't be safe in September.
Primaries will be safer than secondary, because they can have meaningful bubbles - although some are bubbling in bigger bubbles now the government allows.
Secondaries are not safe at all - shortage of toilets and cleaners, overcrowded classrooms, hundreds of students mixing in different classes and realistically no social distancing. We are being thrown into a giant petri dish, shielding and vulnerable teachers included (I think shielding pupils but not vulnerable can stay away?).
There's an argument that it's better for kids to be back mental healthwise (which completely ignores risk to staff in schools who don't get either PPE or a covid secure workplace like everyone else and the risk to families). But there is no way it is safe in terms of infection risk. Any suggestion it can be with fulltime places for all pupils is deluded, ignorant or an outright lie.

I know two people who've been diagnosed with Covid one lost their life, the other still isn't 100% three months later.

I work in a school, from September I'll have more contact and apparently we don't need masks! DD home now, she's started seeing her friends, mainly outdoors except if they're in a car and they have face masks and windows down so being fairly careful for an 18 year old. Going back to uni in September where lots of friends and three major unis - she met a friend at another uni first month so lots of mixing.

We've only seen friends and family outdoors, which is going to be harder from mid September when temperatures start to drop.

Agree. It's illness or economy. I've felt quite disappointed all along at the kids are resilient attitude. Ofcourse they will adapt. But who knows how they respond to life in the future. Will they live in fear. Will they get health anxiety. Will they get phobias of places?

I just feel my child's been robbed of reception. Now she's going to be robbed of year one in a different way. I dont like the plan at all. Boris is putting little people at risk. He's putting teachers at risk. He's putting parents at risk.

How can he just decide September is the time for action. How can he take away choice in such a time. He really needs to be speaking more about this and what he really expects to happen. Having enough ventilators now is now a reassuring fact for sending our children to school. Well thanks Boris. As long as you have a ventilator for us we will take a chance!

Secondary teacher here.

Read the ‘school re/opening’ threads and you’ll see how concerned we are and why.

I will be teaching Yr 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 in Sept. Teachers are not included in the ‘bubbles’ so can cross them and also any of the bubbles have to isolate due to a positive case we don’t due to the guidance stating we will be 2m apart from students. Actually we won’t as there isn’t the room but it’s one way of ensuring schools stay open with enough staff.

I have two young children of my own. I want to be enjoying this six week break with them bride the September madness begins but I’m full of anxiety.

The government have created an image that schools will be safe with words like ‘bubbles’ but it’s meaningless. There are no extra toilets, sinks, cleaners. Students will still be travelling by public bus and train to school. It’s all the same but hopefully the ‘bubble’ will protect us.

www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/no-known-case-of-teacher-catching-coronavirus-from-pupils-says-scientist-3zk5g2x6z?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook%23Echobox%3D1595348184&wgu=270525_54264_15954291822755_58ad1eb9aa&wgexpiry=1603205182&utm_source=planit&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=22278

It's awful. It's creating a pool of fear. I am surprised teachers are not going on strike. Teachers mostly have children themselves. I can't imagine how upset they feel. It's no safer now than it was in march. Infact September is worse. Because people get a majority of viruses between October and February. All these kids who haven't mixed will have weakened immune systems too.

Nope, not scared here and can't wait for DS to go back.

I'm no more scared of coronavirus than I am of any other virus. Life cannot be put on hold for a virus. And my mum has had it so I've seen what it's like.

I was waiting for that Times link. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. how on earth does ANYONE know who they caught Covid from? I read that article this morning with optimism and then rapidly noted there was no statistical back up whatsoever! It also only covers children to 15 years so that's all of years 10 13 unaccounted for then...

The government tried to minimise a few NHS deaths this way too.

I can’t comment on the rest as it’s pure speculation and I’ve had enough of that. (Just me personally, happy for everyone else to speculate away 😀)

However, my children and I have been tested twice. My children are 8 & 11. None of us gagged, it wasn’t horrifically painful and if you go to a drive through testing centre in England, if your child is under 12, the parent administers the swab. Admittedly it’s not pleasant but it’s fine. Even my drama queen eldest was ok with the tests.

I thought the younger ones only got the throat and not the nose anyway? Or perhaps that's just for the clinical trials?