Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

School closed....isolate..no pay

163 replies

swimmingc · 23/09/2020 10:11

So had a message to say DS bubble at school has closed. Ds is 7. He has to isolate so I have to take 14 days off work unpaid. I have worked through lockdown and am lucky to have not been furloughed but AIBU to think now I have to take 14 days unpaid leave off work I should be entitled to some kind of pay. I can not afford to lose 14 days pay. No other childcare option. No annual leave as work term time. Feel like crying.
What are everyone else in same position doing?

OP posts:
Rubyroost · 23/09/2020 13:55

Get him tested, I know its difficult, but mostly not impossible.

dementedpixie · 23/09/2020 13:57

@Rubyroost

Get him tested, I know its difficult, but mostly not impossible.
Should only get a test if they have symptoms
Rubyroost · 23/09/2020 14:05

@dementedpixie rules are there to be broken. Say he has symptoms.

m0therofdragons · 23/09/2020 14:07

@Rubyroost if he’s been in contact then it can take 14 days for it to show as symptoms but also the test will be negative as your body won’t have the required viral load yet. Please Stop giving dangerous and inaccurate advice that’ll put others at risk!

dementedpixie · 23/09/2020 14:09

[quote Rubyroost]@dementedpixie rules are there to be broken. Say he has symptoms.[/quote]
What's the point of that? He'd still need to isolate for 14 days due to the incubation period

m0therofdragons · 23/09/2020 14:09

@Char2015 speak to your hr dept, maybe they missed it. Bank staff also get paid the average over 3 months if they have to self isolate. Covid hr rules are different.

Char2015 · 23/09/2020 14:22

[quote m0therofdragons]@Char2015 speak to your hr dept, maybe they missed it. Bank staff also get paid the average over 3 months if they have to self isolate. Covid hr rules are different.[/quote]
Yep, our NHS trust has applied those bank staff rules too.
But definitely not missed anything - it's at NHS settings discretion about what to do in terms of increasing paid leave etc. But there is definitely no national guidance that states 10 days paid parental leave. In fact, national guidance states managers 'should exercise their discretion and use the flexibilities they already have to support staff at this difficult time' and this is in relation to absence due to carers leave/special leave no mention of parental leave in the NHS national covid guidance.

ShutUpaYourFace · 23/09/2020 14:32

I checked the timings with the head. She was advised by public health England. No symptoms then back next Tuesday (7 days) This could be in theory because the person who tested positive (a teacher we believe) was out of school since the Weds before, by the time they got a positive test 6 days had already past. There are so many flaws in the system. I wouldn't even bother to get a test unless he or one of us develops symptoms, the system is overwhelmed, probably loads of people ordering tests when they don't really need one. I believe children in classes sent home should however be given priority testing to get them back to school, they've missed so much already.

dementedpixie · 23/09/2020 14:35

So would it be 14 days from last contact with the teacher by the time he goes back?

Dustballs · 23/09/2020 14:35

I'm not sure whether this has been said yet ... probably has - but could you get a test for your son (seeing as you're NHS staff) and if he's negative then send him back into school?

ineedaholidaynow · 23/09/2020 14:36

I think it is taken from the time they last had contact with the teacher, so if the teacher had been off for 6 days already, only 7 days isolation makes sense.

Char2015 · 23/09/2020 14:40

@Dustballs

I'm not sure whether this has been said yet ... probably has - but could you get a test for your son (seeing as you're NHS staff) and if he's negative then send him back into school?
Son doesn't have symptoms so this would not be allowed.
ShutUpaYourFace · 23/09/2020 14:47

The school won't give further details but my son said his teacher was ill Mon/Tues last week with a cough! Not in since last Weds. The school won't verify, I guess they don't want to place blame. It makes sense though that by the time they go back last contact would be 14 days. They said only get tested if he develops symptoms and the whole class are expected in 29/09 if symptom free. Until then team viewer it is. At least they are doing that!

ShutUpaYourFace · 23/09/2020 14:56

I must add through that we are not in a high transmission area. I don't know a single person who's had this virus. We do respect social distancing and have followed the rules as there are elderly relatives nearby we wish to protect. School to us is the biggest risk to catching this virus and this just proves it. Surely returning schools has a lot to do with this second wave. I am all for kids getting back (my youngest went back in June) but it's worrying and brings it home that it is everywhere. Hopefully the hand washing pays off and we don't get it!

Original poster
swimmingc · 23/09/2020 14:56

Yes I believe it's 14 days from last contact. Even if I did get my son tested and it came back negative he still wouldn't be allowed back into school as I think they say it could be negative today but then positive in a few days

OP posts:
BatShite · 23/09/2020 15:05

I can't make much sense of the isolation rules. DD is currently off for 14 days, along with 3 other year bubbles because for some odd reason her school allowed some random bloke to come in (they still havernt said what for) to contact with all 4 groups..and he has since tested positve for covid.

BUT, if DD has to stay off due to being a contact of that guy, she shares a room with DS who is in another year who didnt have contact with covid guy..we assumed he would need to be off too due to..well..if she had it he would have it realistically so if shes a risk so is he, yet got an angry call from reception this morning asking where he was and saying it would be marked as unauthorized!! His year, and nursery are the only years currently left in the school..feels quite shit to have them tell me off for this when it seems common sense to keep him off too :S

dementedpixie · 23/09/2020 15:08

No, its just the child with contact that stays off unless they get symptoms and then everyone else isolates

MojoJojo71 · 23/09/2020 15:11

@Frazzled2207 absolutely agree, I have emailed my local MP today

Stinkyguineapig · 23/09/2020 15:12

I think what people are missing is that it might not just be 2 weeks isolation, if your child gets sick during thats then 2 more weeks isolation for you, then if you get sick... You could potentially be off work for over a month.
The government need to help in these situations!

....or even if none if your household gets sick, if a child in your DCs class is tested positive and the whole class isolate.....could happen multiple times even if no one in your household is ill.
Plus the scenario that your child might have a temp for say 48 hours....it takes 3 days to get a test, so you need to isolate while waiting, then another 3 days for results ...which might be negative, and you've just taken a week off work/school for a child who was well enough to go back 3 days previously. This will be unaffordable for so many families.

VanGoghsDog · 23/09/2020 15:34

@IWantToBeMelissaWhenIGrowUp

She doesn't meet the criteria you posted.

OP - as a key worker your employer should be registered for employee testing, ask them to request home tests for you and your son and as soon as you get those (negative) results you can resume work/normal childcare arrangements (if you have any, as I assume the school will stick to the 14 days!).

JS87 · 23/09/2020 15:39

[quote VanGoghsDog]@IWantToBeMelissaWhenIGrowUp

She doesn't meet the criteria you posted.

OP - as a key worker your employer should be registered for employee testing, ask them to request home tests for you and your son and as soon as you get those (negative) results you can resume work/normal childcare arrangements (if you have any, as I assume the school will stick to the 14 days!).[/quote]
That's not correct. You can't get out of self isolation after contact with a positive case by getting a negative test. The whole reason for the 14 days is that it can take that long for the virus to multiply enough for you to a) possibly show symptoms or 2) get a positive PCR test.

VanGoghsDog · 23/09/2020 15:51

14 days isolation is only if symptoms appear.
Seems everyone/school interprets the advice differently.

They're not interpreting it differently, they have just got it wrong.

VanGoghsDog · 23/09/2020 15:52

You can't get out of self isolation after contact with a positive case by getting a negative test.

Why do employers of key workers have a special portal to order tests for staff who have been told to self isolate, but don't have symptoms. What is the point of that service?

Squeekybummum · 23/09/2020 16:00

I have just started another thread asking the same thing. My 6 year old has been told to isolate for 14 days. As teacher tested positive. The letter we received said we can still go to work, but how can I, my son is too young to be left alone. So what am I meant to do. I have been furloughed for a while and only went back last month. Doubt work will pay me. This is so shit as I have 2 other children in different classes, so this could possibly happen again in a month or so.

Original poster
swimmingc · 23/09/2020 16:05

@BatShite

"BUT, if DD has to stay off due to being a contact of that guy, she shares a room with DS who is in another year who didnt have contact with covid guy..we assumed he would need to be off too due to..well..if she had it he would have it realistically so if shes a risk so is he, yet got an angry call from reception this morning asking where he was and saying it would be marked as unauthorized!! His year, and nursery are the only years currently left in the school..feels quite shit to have them tell me off for this when it seems common sense to keep him off too :S"

It doesn't make sense. I got told from school reception I should be isolating my 7 year old away from the family and he shouldn't even be eating with the family.
I should also, according to school, leave ds who is 7 at home alone to pick siblings up It's all getting ridiculous.

OP posts:
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.