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Covid

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Original poster

He came into contact with a person who has covid

22 replies

Claire926 · 01/10/2020 23:40

My friend is doing a PGCE which he started a few weeks ago. Today he told me that he has come into contact with a woman on the course who now has confirmed covid which he and 6 others are going to have to self isolate for 2 weeks. I did warn him multiple times before he enrolled that the uni was in a high risk area.

If this person has got tested for covid what would have made them get a test? Had the person had symptoms but still came into the uni? I feel sad and frustrated from him as I doubt he could catch up with 2 weeks work and he does not deserve to have his health or others put at risk. He is a highly anxious person when it comes to the covid situation and now he cannot see anyone will probably make him feel worse.

I don't know how I can support him as he has also found out his best friend died too and I cannot even see him. I can't believe he is in this situation.

OP posts:

Embracelife · 01/10/2020 23:43

Covid is everywhere.
It s two weekss
Facetime him
Send him ready meals
Realistcally many of us will face this
He can study online
Dont catastrophise.

ElizabethG81 · 01/10/2020 23:47

Jesus

MsJaneAusten · 01/10/2020 23:50

Eh? He’s doing a PGCE? Primary or secondary? He will be in contact with hundreds of people once on school placements! If any school staff make it through the winter without having to isolate I will be amazed. Honestly, you have to calm down a bit. His situation is not unusual (in 2020 terms)

outttcast · 01/10/2020 23:52

The person he was in contact with who had confirmed Covid might have been a symptomatic and only found out via test and protect. Or who knows?
It's really not any of your business really.
And two weeks will fly by. It's 2020. This is a normal event just now.

Original poster

Claire926 · 02/10/2020 18:42

I just can't believe we are going to having to keep closing everything down and isolating and losing pay from jobs. I understand it is a health issue but the government don't realise the mental health issues that arising.

OP posts:

OpheliasCrayon · 02/10/2020 19:01

Im sure that he is going to be fine with coming into contact with it. It's everywhere and it isn't going away any time soon - if he's chosen to do a PGCE and go into the teaching field, then he's had to accept that he's going to come into contact with covid and all sorts of everything and anything. He will also be aware that there's no social distancing in our area of work (I'm a teacher ) and there's not much we are doing ppe wise etc. He will have known all this so whilst I'm sure you have your friends best intentions at heart, to be blunt - he's an adult and he will know what he's getting into. Its tough he has to isolate but he will make up the work. I'm sure most of us have had some time or other off when training (I know I did many moons ago) and it's always been the case that you're allowed a certain number of days off of placements etc without having to make them up. If you do lose more than that time you just have to do extra placement days. And I'm sure unis will have taken into account the likelihood that this year PGCE students will probably need to isolate at some point.
I know you're just being caring but honestly you're catastrophising, it's not the worst situation in the world and this isn't going to be the first time this happens in your friends career, be it covid or something else.
Send him some messages, chat to him if he's bored but he's probably going to use the time to get some assignments done because PGCEs are extremely work heavy and he can probably make very good use of the time. It's honestly not worth worrying about

toomanypillows · 02/10/2020 19:08

Right now this is good training for him if he's doing a pgce

I've been in contact with students who have tested positive and have just returned to work following my isolation.
25 of my colleagues are isolating and we have emergency supply teachers in to cover (4 of my colleagues have tested positive and 2 are waiting for results)
In universities and schools this will be the way it is.

Just got most of my form back today, but many of them have missed the last two weeks of learning 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

It sounds like this is the first person you know who has been impacted. He'll be fine. I'm sure he can cope with online learning

SoloMummy · 02/10/2020 20:45

If he's going to be a teacher he needs some resilience, as it sounds like you could do with too!

Feelingconfused2020 · 02/10/2020 22:28

This is a really normal event. He will be fine and will.be able to catch up. I hope he hasn't caught it. You need to calm.down a bit.

Original poster

Claire926 · 03/10/2020 13:32

Thanks for all of your replies which has helped. I suppose I am anxious as I caught a virus 2 years ago which lasted 7 weeks and I suffered from side effects of ill health for approx 18 months and lost my job. I just don't want to go down that road again! I know by continuing to look after my health I should be ok.

OP posts:

Original poster

Claire926 · 03/10/2020 13:34

Plus I have been going into a primary school with work so I don't feel so anxious as the children wash their hands and follow the rules.

OP posts:

outttcast · 03/10/2020 19:04

Op so it was you that has to isolate or your friend?

OpheliasCrayon · 03/10/2020 19:13

@Claire926

I'm confused OP - who Are you talking about in your original post -- you or your friend because your updates are about you? I'm very confused what's going on here.

Original poster

Claire926 · 03/10/2020 19:29

@outttcast

Op so it was you that has to isolate or your friend?

It was my friend that has to isolate. I have had a bad virus before so I'm being cautious.

OP posts:

Keepdistance · 03/10/2020 19:48

Op it is airborne so the kids washing hands although it might help isnt going to stop it 100%.

OpheliasCrayon · 03/10/2020 19:49

Im still lost OP! Your post was saying you were worried about him missing his work.......not you getting it! Nevermind. I'm sure you'll both be ok!

Original poster

Claire926 · 03/10/2020 19:52

@OpheliasCrayon

Im still lost OP! Your post was saying you were worried about him missing his work.......not you getting it! Nevermind. I'm sure you'll both be ok!

I know it is confusing, it's just some others on here said I need resilience training. I should have said my own experiences were what made me worry about him. I'm sure he will be fine, he is an adult.

OP posts:

OpheliasCrayon · 03/10/2020 20:10

No one goes into a career in teaching without accepting that they're going to catch stuff....pandemic or not.

cardibach · 03/10/2020 20:50

@MsJaneAusten

Most school staff won’t isolate unless they have symptoms themselves. Secondary teachers don’t isolate if a bubble they teach in has an infection as apparently we can stay 2m from everyone. We can’t.

Original poster

Claire926 · 03/10/2020 21:08

I forgot to mention I spoke to him last night and the women on the course who was coughing said after to the group half hour that it was ok that she had gotten over covid the week before. She even had a positive result from a test. He said he spoke to 111 who said she is clearly still displaying covid symptoms. I just can't believe people are going out into the community when they should be isolating.

OP posts:

WilsonMilson · 03/10/2020 21:13

Get a grip. Thousands are in the same situation, including my dc - 2 children in his year have tested positive and as a close contact he’s self isolating for a fortnight. Covid is everywhere. I doubt many of us will get through the next few months without having to isolate. That’s life now.

Scarby9 · 03/10/2020 21:24

I teach on a PGCE course, leading the only face to face sessions the trainees are having alongside their time in the classroom. In the first four weeks of term we have had four trainees having to self isolate and two school placement bubbles closing.
The self isolating trainees join in our live session from their homes via Zoom as well as they can and still prefer that to all the rest of their non-school academic training sessions, which are all online.
Most PGCEs, like other Uni led courses, are online this term, so your friend can probably join taught sessions as normal. If there is face to face training, they should ask what the system is to enable them to catch up if they can't join in virtually. Yes, they will miss school time, but the DfE has waived the absolute necessity for the 120 days in school this year, so that isn't a deal breaker.
Basically, welcome to education in the time of coronavirus. We are expecting it to be like the hokey cokey - in and out of school and training on a rolling, but unpredictable, programme. We are remaining calm and just trying to get on with it. Your friend needs to do the same, and you can help by accepting that it is what it is.

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