Do people realise that if their child's bubble bursts.....

[IfYouCantSeeMyMirrors]

.....and that child is therefore sent home from school for 14 days, the child is supposed to stay solely within their own house or garden for that entire period? They might be completely well for the full 14 days, but during that time, they can't take any walks. No bike rides. No drives in the car. If they haven't got a garden, they cannot go outside at all.

Many, many children are going to be in this position very soon - quite possibly multiple times - and it goes some way beyond the initial lockdown situation.

People really should know by now what self isolation entails!

Thanks for this OP I honestly had no idea what "isolate" meant until your thread.

Yes, I think that bit is pretty clear.
What's not clear to me is what an "episode of coughing" is.

@RedCatBlueCat

Yes, I think that bit is pretty clear. What's not clear to me is what an "episode of coughing" is.

You know how sometimes you cough? It's like an involuntary thing. That is an "episode of coughing".

Surely this far in we all understand the concept of isolate?

I agree it is going to be difficult if it keeps happening and I think that's just starting to sink in. Also it's not totally clear what will cause the bubble to be sent home.

What do people who have dogs do? Who walks the dogs?

I'd be out in the middle of the night I think.

Grrretel so a single cough counts as an episode? Thank you.

I think most of us already know that.

Yes but dies a nighttime cough that the doctors believe might be asthma count? How about a post nasal drip due to a cold cough? My moms burnt tea cough?

A cough shouldn't be used as a diagnostic tool really its too subjective

@KetoPenguin

I agree it is going to be difficult if it keeps happening and I think that's just starting to sink in. Also it's not totally clear what will cause the bubble to be sent home.

A child in DS class/bubble got a confirmed test on Thursday evening so we where told from then that all pupils in the class will need to isolate.

Which we will be doing other than going out on the nice isolated paths for walks - which he needs as part of his physio/OT

What's your point?

Many people just won’t bother to comply. Sure you have to keep them off school but beyond that I think many just won’t bother.

@slipperywhensparticus

Yes but dies a nighttime cough that the doctors believe might be asthma count? How about a post nasal drip due to a cold cough? My moms burnt tea cough?

A cough shouldn't be used as a diagnostic tool really its too subjective

It’s not used as a diagnositic tool. It’s used as a possible symptom therefore if you have a new, persistent cough you should isolate and arrange a test.

It’s not that complicated

Without wanting to sound a twat - of course I knew that ? Most people surely do by now ?

I’m in Scotland and as far as I know the whole class doesn’t get sent home. Only the close contacts. So kids who sit within 2 m of the positive case and presumably people they play with etc

A maths sats question for you
If
1/1000 are infected at any one time
And a
Secondary school year bubble = 300
And each time there is a positive case in that year, the entire year has to self isolate for two weeks

How long are your children going to be stuck in their house?

@RedCatBlueCat

Grrretel so a single cough counts as an episode? Thank you.

Well not really, I coughed the other day.

It wasn't covid, it was my body dealing with food going down a wrong hole. Quite pleased with that reflex.

I understood theoretically what isolate meant and that it would happen, but the reality of possibly repeatedly keeping my child home for 14 days has only just sunk in, in terms of accepting thats what lifes going to be like.

There really shouldn't be any reason for an entire bubble to "burst". Only those who have been 1-2m for 15 min plus etc etc need to isolate. That isn't going to be a whole year group.

I sincerely don't wish to be rude, but this will sound it. What did you imagine would happen OP? Assuming you're not a teacher, how did you envisage that full reopening would be, and how did you get that impression? I don't mean that to sound Mumsnet snotty. I think parents have been misled, and not by schools.

@Sirzy they haven’t said persistent though, they’ve said continuous. Continuous can either mean (according to nhs/gov website) coughing for an hour, or 3 coughing ‘episodes’ in a day. This episode is what’s going to trip people up - I’ve coughed more than 3 times today, I’ve just had a cold which always makes me cough when the Cole’s gone (and also gives me an ear infection, pretty much every cold I ever have).

Lots of kids are the same, my eldest coughs every year when the central heating turns on, and my youngest has a history of nighttime coughing in winter put down to seasonal asthma - in a few weeks they will have ‘new’ (new to this year) coughs. Are they continuous? I doubt it, but my interpretation of continuous may not be the same as yours.

It could well be in most primary schools surely?

My class have a seating plan but they are not more than 1m apart and they move around within the class during the day and mix with another 3 classes on the playground 3 times per day. Not to mention some of them go to after school childcare with others from different year groups.

@FinnyStory

There really shouldn't be any reason for an entire bubble to "burst". Only those who have been 1-2m for 15 min plus etc etc need to isolate. That isn't going to be a whole year group.

Oh dear, I have sad news for you

It shouldn't be, but it is

Greater Manchester has quite a few year groups off already, 1000 pupils +. It's only the second week of term

metro.co.uk/2020/09/07/more-than-1000-pupils-isolating-as-15-schools-in-greater-manchester-see-virus-cases-13236847/

Leaving coughing aside for a moment - it might be clear to some people what 'home from school isolation' entails, but I don't think it's fully sunk in for many. Frankly, if it had, I think there would be a lot more fuss being made. It's a somewhat different thing than being asked to isolate if you're showing symptoms or even, arguably, if you've had a fun holiday beforehand.

Will people keep the rules? According to The Times, there are moves afoot to make them legally enforceable. Walks on those nice isolated paths might still be breaking the law, whatever your medical reason. And if you have a dog, you are supposed to ask someone else to walk it.

I notice that Jacob Rees-Mogg is awaiting results of a test for one of his children. Will he end up isolating on a large country estate with plenty of outdoors space, while the most disadvantaged children are forced to spend 14 days entirely inside, over and over again? And will people stand for this?