If you or someone you care for are shielding, and yoyr DCs are back to secondary school, what measures will you take?

[colouringindoors]

Hi I've recently been advised to shield by my specialist. My 2 dcs both go back to secondary school (travelling on the tube) next week. My Ds regularly goes round to a friend's house at the weekend who has siblings at other schools.

I'm wondering what to do to minimise the risk to me and balance my dc's wellbeing. Immediate change of clothes (into washing machine) and shower on returning from school for kids?

Meeting friends outside only???

Would appreciate hearing from others in a similar position. I really need to stay well...

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I’m not sure, OP, but many people must be in this position.

I don't know. I feel so conflicted with it all. I've 'paused' shielding now as per government advice and cases are so low where I live I am not worried right now but as they go back and cases rise it might well be we're advised to go back into extreme shielding :( in terms of what I will do, I think just as you say, clothes in wash, DS into shower, I'll be careful. But I just don't want to restrict his life and seeing his friends, he's had enough of that already, I want him to enjoy going to school and importantly for him not to feel a sense of having to be responsible for not giving me Covid as I think that would be a crushing burden on a young person. I'm a bit at the stage of what will be will be with it, but that's possibly a bit fatalistic - I just feel I can't do such extreme shielding again as I did for nearly 6 months with no physical contact whatsoever with my family. Too hard, took too much toll.

Sorry, not much help here - but would be interested in what other sheilding people are thinking and doing.

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Not shielding so can only be of limited help but would agree with asking the dc to meet friends outside as far as possible. Admittedly they are inside at school but you can do what you can. And obviously they must follow the wearing mask rules on the Tube and avoid touching door buttons etc.

I don't think the virus is going to jump off your dc onto you so my instinct would be that you don't need to wash school uniform as soon as they come in, as long as you don't touch them when they are wearing it. They should take it off immediately though and put it in washing machine for you when it does need washing.

Husband's shielding has paused and we have 2 teens returning to secondary plus I return to my SEN school tomorrow. We'll be showering and changing when we get home but apart from that not much else. My two have met with friends outside but don't know as we go into Autumn whether they'll want to do indoor meet ups. Feel like we just have to get through winter rather than looking forward to the usual good times. We have elderly parents that we also worry about.

Oh and we're all taking Vit D3 supps. Whether they make a difference who knows?

My friend is retreating to her bedroom from Wednesday, it has an en-suite and she prepares food whilst everyone else is out or they bring her food to outside her door, her husband has slept in the spare room since March (he is working but only once left all furloughed). I'm worried for her mental health.

I am a Sec school teacher and ECV so shielded March until Government paused it. I have to return to classroom teaching, plus my children to their schools. Therefore, they have had no play dates and will not in the near future. They have not been in the house of anyone else - nor will they. No shops, no indoor entertainment areas, which will continue.

Clothes straight into the washing machine, showers as soon as home, plus all school bags will be kept in the garage, in boxes.

I'm having cancer treatment. DS going back to school on Thursday. Advice I've been given is to leave his shoes outside, strip and shower on return home. Wash uniform daily on a hot wash and that's about as much as I can do. I will spray his bag and shoes with anti viral spray. I won't be venturing beyond the school gates. I'm a single parent and shielding is now unrealistic and not possible so I will take every precaution I can but that's it.