Back from abroad - straight in to school

[Realitea]

DD went back to school today. There's a child in her class who just got back from Portugal yesterday. Been there for two months. I know they don't have to quarantine but surely it's a bit selfish going straight in to school after arriving back in the country? A lot of parents are concerned now. How likely is it that she could have brought back the virus? Isn't it a bit selfish considering a lot of people are quite worried right now?

We got back from Greece on Tuesday and DD went back to school on Thursday. We had an amazing holiday and I don’t regret it. We weren’t told to quarantine so we haven’t.

@keepdistance but it is here (And by all accounts rising) so what is the difference between that and going out in the UK?

Whatever happened to individual responsibility 🤷‍♀️

No wonder the cases are going up all because people think they 'deserve' a holiday!

It has been tough for everyone but as Forrest Gump says 'stupid is a stupid does'

Yes I would be (as another family in the same class) somewhat concerned but surely that particular family would themselves be most concerned as it is their health as a household most at risk? If they have technically not breached the current legal requirements then of course they have not done anything knowingly wrong and so should not be discriminated. The school should be on notice to be extra vigilant for the safety of all including that particular family and all others who recently spent time in UK or overseas Covid hotspots (but keeping silent).

However looking back at the incubation and super spreading of imported Covid in to the UK historically this was probably a major factor back in March 2020. At that time many UK school families returned from half term skiing holidays in the Italian Alps in areas close to the first major European Covid epicentre. These families returned straight into class and we know that this may have negatively impacted on then rare UK Covid cases. If this particular family have stayed in Portugal for the previous two months then arguably they were in a possibly statistically safer Covid location than the UK. You just need to examine the recorded Covid data for both localities over the same time period. We (UK) have been pretty much the worst European Covid outcomes nation since we had more cars than Italy months ago! Only Russia can beat us in the race to the bottom of the European Covid statistical table.

Plane travel is a great way to pick up viruses in our experience. I'm not sure which aspect particularly but I'd guess it's all that mixing in enclosed spaces, be it airport lounge, bus or cabin.

It's not comparable to going about a small community.

And didn't COVID spread amongst passengers on the much talked about Tui Zante flight.

Whatever happened to individual responsibility 🤷‍♀️

No wonder the cases are going up all because people think they 'deserve' a holiday!

It has been tough for everyone but as Forrest Gump says 'stupid is a stupid does'

Ultimately Joe Blogs isn't an expert in managing a new pandemic so they'll be doing what the guidance says because the guidance has had some expert input (plus the usual political tinkering).
What should these people be doing? Following the guidelines on holiday travel and then keeping their children off school for a fortnight to appease the moaning Minnies in the playground who've probably also been meeting friends, taking kids for play dates, visiting family, going on UK breaks and days out?

I think the government have handled this situation terribly, but ultimately we can't have people making up the rules because that's exactly how you've got conspiracy theorists arguing all laws linked to Coronavirus are illegal because it's against the Magna Carts, others sending this silly shared on Facebook letter to schools about how their child will be traumatised for life by having a gun pointed at their head in the hypothetical situation where schools might temperature check, and then others arguing anyone doing anything other than staying at home for the next 6 months is evil.

@dingledongle - yes, whatever happened to personal responsibility as opposed to trial by gossip? Taking personal responsibility means following the guidelines. This family have returned their child to school when required and the guidelines say nothing about quarantining first. They are acting responsibly. As for a two month “holiday” in Portugal, is an entire 2 months in Portugal not a clue to you that they might have more of a connection to the country than a normal holidaymaker?

@Realitea

I’m just saying they should’ve maybe come back a bit sooner than the day before. I would have.

Totally agree op. In our dcs school some kids returned from Greece the day before term started.

Yes, yes we know people are entitled to a holiday and its 'none of our business', but how utterly inconsiderate and shite to not plan to return at least a week before teem started as we know infection rates are higher in some countries.

Still as long as little bubz gets a week on the beach that is all that matters.

@GetOffYourHighHorse - whereas in your view, as long as playground gossips are happy, that is all that matters. So far as I’m concerned, we have to accept that it is reasonable to follow the rules, guidelines and official advice; unreasonable not to follow them; and pointless to argue that people following the rules are “entitled” when that is exactly what the person arguing that others should go above and beyond to make them feel safe sound like. Take your argument to the rule makers, not those legitimately respecting the rules.

'feel sorry for the child knowing a bunch of playground gossips are busy having a good old bitch on their pedestals. I hope nobody gossiping has been to a pub, or restaurant, of the shops, they better not have been meeting up with friends, or family either.'

Aw don't feel sorry for them, they'll be oblivious. It isn't 'gossiping' to say who tf goes to Greece or wherever and returns the day before school starts. Yet again, as we see time and time again in this crisis it shows gross selfishness, arrogance and stupidity.

Parents and teachers were worried enough about the return, do you really think having kids just off the plane from zante helps?!

no quarantine needed

and surely there is less covid in portugal than the uk

What are people going to worry about when the virus is gone? Did they break rules? If no then move on to another worry

If anything it’s selfish to expect people to keep their children home from school when not only do they not need to, but they’re also told their children are legally required to be in.

Why would you want another child to have a disrupted start to their school year needlessly after everything they’ve already missed because if the virus this year? Kids have already lost out on enough without people trying to make up more rules for them.

'If anything it’s selfish to expect people to keep their children home from school when not only do they not need to, but they’re also told their children are legally required to be in'

Oh come on, they've had enough time to go on a holibob and return at least a week before school started, not the day before?!

I'm sure they'll be all kinds of excuses. The only available holiday, the only time off they could have. Whatever. If you're going to be so thoughtless then yes people will 'gossip' and say wtf. Those 'gossips' who have asthmatic kids for example.

But they have no need to make an excuse.

Excuses are for people who have done something they shouldn’t have done, not for people who are following rules perfectly.

Why should they cut their trip short when government says they don’t need to just to appease people who should be minding their own business anyway?

I very overused expression but you do come across as having issues, is it jealousy?

Why would they need excuses???

Yabvu

'very overused expression but you do come across as having issues, is it jealousy?'

The issues I have are common sense. We've had weeks when anyone could have gone away. We've also had weeks of concerns about school returning. Teachers having daily constant exposure to large groups of people. Kids, some with chronic health conditions or their relatives having shielded. Yet we have some parents who think returning from greece the day before term 'cos its not on the list innit' is a good idea.

Another bloody busybody and curtain twitcher.

It’s only in some people’s opinions that it’s a bad idea though, in reality, it’s neither a good or bad idea, it’s just what some people do to live their lives normally.

A few people thinking something is a bad idea based on limited information doesn’t actually make it a bad idea.

I’m a TA with ‘daily constant exposure to large groups of people’ and I couldn’t give a shit where my class has been before they come into school, I’m just happy to have them back. I’m aware that’s only my opinion though, and other school staff might be worried. But the rules don’t exist to pacify worried people, they exist where there’s a need. If people better educated on the potential problems don’t think there’s a need for quarantine in this situation, what makes you think that you know more?

'if people better educated on the potential problems don’t think there’s a need for quarantine in this situation, what makes you think that you know more?'

Well, its a chat forum you see. People share opinions, people ask if they are being unreasonable.

My opinion is it is arrogant and thoughtless to return to the country the day before term after a holiday when they'd had weeks to go on one. That's my opinion which to use a popular expression I'm 'entitled' to.

As an aside, when usually everyone on mn says the Government's advice is shambolic I find it fascinating that when it suits then they are 'better educated' and their advice is correct . No one said not to go to Italy in Feb and look how that turned out.

@GetOffYourHighHorse - I don’t think it is relevant whether people who do this are more or less arrogant or thoughtful than you are. The fact is, they are doing nothing wrong. If this results in covid 19 spreading like wildfire around the school, then you have to question the sanity of government bringing all schools back in the way it has done, but you can’t blame individuals who have done nothing wrong, except to fail your rather arrogant arrogance test!

I think the government should'nt try to have it both ways: it can allow non essentials like foreign holidays to open up for the economy and individual freedom but then it should allow very vulnerable staff and pupils to stay home til there's sufficient immunity / vaccination to stop exponential growth.

Meanwhile for my own conscience I won't be taking my school age kids through airports, on flights and generally mixing beyond our community. And I'm always on the lookout for polite reasons to turn down invitations to illegal raves! So that's all good.