Going back to school-from a teacher who has Covid

[minxthemanx]

I worked flat out for 17 weeks, through Easter holidays etc, running key worker/vulnerable group at our primary. The kids had an absolute blast- we were outdoors pretty much all day every day, and scrupulous about hand washing & hygiene. First week of the summer break I had what I thought was sinusitis: the pain in my face and head was excruciating and several times I nearly called an ambulance. My own teenage DS were worried about me. Eventually it cleared up with a week of anti biotics, but my stuffed up nose and lack of smell continued so I went for a test, and am positive for Covid. No normal symptoms, had no idea. My younger DS has also tested positive and we are isolating.
By the time we finish isolating I'll have one week, then be back in school. This time not outdoors all day but squashed in a room with 30 year 6 kids, v little space between us. I haven't admitted this to anyone, but I'm shit scared. If I managed to contract Covid in a mostly outdoor small group setting, how much more prevalent will it be in September?
I'm lucky. I'm otherwise very fit and healthy. Yet that week of illness was like nothing I've experienced before, and I suffer from sinus problems every summer. I really don't want to go through it again.
I don't know what the answer is. We need to get our children back, I want to be back teaching, but I am now very very wary.
Just thought it might be interesting to hear my perspective; this virus is horrid.

Public Health England looked at the timeline/my symptoms (unusual though they were) and are fairly sure I contracted it in school. All the other staff have been tested and are ok.

I think you might now have immunity for a while - if you're still not fit though and still tired, run down you can't go back till you feel 100%. Take care.

You might want to look at the supportive 14th thread in The Staffroom board OP.

Sorry to hear about your illness and ruined summer . Very right to be wary!

Do PHE do that for every case, do you know: try and work out where you caught

Sorry I meant 15th thread not 14th

I am so sorry to hear you have been poorly. It must suck all having to isolate too. I guess it is hard to know where it exactly came from though. I do worry about september but what is the alternative? Children need education.

Don't go in until 100% you know you'll only get used and abused and then spat out like a racehorse with a broken leg

Hope you feel better soon, and your ds too.

Not surprised you feel wary, I hope you have immunity tho

You may not have caught it from school. Did anyone else at school have any symptoms? Do you go to the shops? Or see other friends/family etc? Could your children have brought it home from somewhere? Or your partner?

Bol87 absolutely, we'll never know for sure where I picked it up. It is more likely to have been at school due to the length of time spent with kids and whoever they were mixing with out of school. A child in a different bubble had tested positive previously. It's just made me very aware that September is going to be difficult.

You’ll have immunity, most probably for a year but no one knows for sure. The prevalence of this virus in the community is now much lower than pre lockdown and we can now test and quickly - so the chances of large outbreaks are much lower. It’s going to rely on test and trace working properly...

It’s going to rely on test and trace working properly...

Which we all know it isn't ....

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

It’s going to rely on test and trace working properly...

Which we all know it isn't ....

What do you suggest then? That the children don’t go back?

KnobChops

This has been discussed at length on other threads - of course children need to go back, but with protective measures in place and with a "world beating" track and trace system in place, not the current shambles and gentleman's agreement system we currently have.

One problem is the vast difference in the experience of different teachers. At our local primary they offered print outs once a week you could pick up outside the school and literally nothing else (no interaction of any kind) until about 3 weeks before the end of term. They had 6 key worker children in the school who were simply baby sat. No teaching happened. Most of the teachers, the head etc did no or almost no work from the end of March.

My view is that everything else should be sacrificed, if needs be, to get children back to school full time. If we need to go back to the previous lock down to achieve this then so be it.

notevenat20

You can sacrifice what you like to get children back in schools.
The truth is that its not getting them back that is going to be difficult, it is keeping them there as there are no real measures in place.

I'm appalled at track and trace, was supposed to be implemented in June, we are now in August and it still isn't in place. It's the only way to keep and maintain children being in school. Complete shambles and so unfair on teachers like you that will be essentially risking your lives

Can someone explain to me why track and trace if used properly will keep children in school? Genuine question as I honestly don't understand

OP I hope you have immunity, it seems likely so hopefully you will be safe. I imagine you are also worried about your colleagues and the knock on if they start going sick. I imagine the pressure is going to be very difficult.

You obviously didn't catch in school as that's not actually possible. The virus doesn't transmit when it enters an educational establishment.

@Morfin

You obviously didn't catch in school as that's not actually possible. The virus doesn't transmit when it enters an educational establishment.

Ha! This! We're all going to be FINE in September

@FrippEnos

notevenat20

You can sacrifice what you like to get children back in schools.
The truth is that its not getting them back that is going to be difficult, it is keeping them there as there are no real measures in place.

Shutting everything down apart from schools won’t help as even more will just cease to follow the guidelines and socialise with no distancing etc and transmission is higher that way.

The only way for schools to be back in is with PPE/SD/smaller numbers.

It would have been far better to go for a remote learning system For the winter so no disruptions and risking staff plus those who are vulnerable or were shielding would be safer.

Test and trace does work. IF those who are traced play ball. IF we are able to contact those who have tested positive and they are forthcoming with their movements. Given how many healthy (no health, or hidden disability problems) people can't wear a fucking mask without whining I think that's where the problem lies. I don't blame some people whose employers are utter shits and for whom isolation would cripple them financially.

@Bol87 You may not have caught it from school What wonderful insight. Of course, if that's the main place a person has been each day over time, logic would tell any of us it's not unlikely. Since tracking appears to have been done here, I'd say the OP might have the best idea.

Even if you were somehow right, how does that help anyone? If you're trying to say this virus won't spread in schools, then you have seriously misunderstood it's nature.

Can someone explain to me why track and trace if used properly will keep children in school?

The general idea is that if you can isolate people who may have been infected quickly then it is much less likely to spread. The scientific mystery is that we still don't exactly know how likely children are to spread the virus to each to other in a school which is making some effort to reduce spread of the virus. There are countries where the risk appears to be very low but international comparisons are always hard as the context is never quite the same as in the UK.