Clinically extremely vulnerable and school drop off/pick up

[SistemaAddict]

I've read that the children of the CEV are still to go to school but yet we are not supposed to leave the house except for exercise, medical appointments etc. So how are auntie parents going to manage school pick up and drop off safely? I don't drive so can't drive close and drop him off. The walk there and back amounts to 5 miles a day so that's my exercise done but should we really be mixing with all the other parents and kids being dropped off and picked up?
Anyone else in the same situation?

Is your school run outside with masks? I’d assume the risk is very very low.

I’ll be taking and picking up my 2 primary aged children and just make sure I stand away from other parents.

This is not really an issue is it? Fair enough the Gov haven't included a long list of ifs and buts in the guidance but apply some common sense and you'll be fine surely.

Easy to say it's nothing but some people are v vulnerable to covid indeed. I will continue to do school runs but only as I use wrap around care so very much off peak for drop off and pick up. I wouldn't do it if I had to use public transport or at peak time. In those cases I would ask a friend to help out. Of course I would do it if no option though.

Would your school consider a slightly later or earlier drop off and pick up? That's what our school have been letting us do for the last few weeks.

@BeakyWinder well it clearly is an issue for the op as she's so vulnerable so rather than saying anything constructive why not just avoid posting if that's not possible for you.

I would have a chat with the school. They should be able to make some sort of provision such as meeting you with child at the gate or arranging a different time if sd is hard with the school set up.

CEV (are) not supposed to leave the house except for exercise, medical appointments etc

Where does it say that etc. does not = escorting a child to school

I’d say the risk of an outdoor walk to school with a mask at drop off is far lower than having a child in school all day with multiple others with no SD and then coming home. You would think they would have covered that in the guidance.

If you’ve been fine in yourself about taking the risk to do it up to now, I’d just carry on. Outdoors, mask on etc.

Talk to school about the mixing bit - can you hand over to 1 member of staff somewhere or drop earlier/later etc.

Your risk hasn’t changed with the rule change.

I'm in the same situation and I walk my kid to school and walk back again. No issues with being outdoors, certainly not compared to the risk of living with my three vectors children.

@Understandingnotignorance you're right, I'm grumpy. But if we took every word of the guidance literally OP should immediately remove her children from school, and if she can't get a grocery delivery slot they should all starve to death because she isn't allowed out for shopping either. It's just got beyond surreal and people need to apply common sense. Sorry for being harsh OP.

School has always posed the biggest risk to me as my 2dd are at secondary school in huge bubbles of 360+. Ds is year 1 but the set up of the school makes it difficult to distance. I drop him later and collect earlier but there are still lots of parents around the gates and path. I'm one of a handful that wears a mask but I've noticed the school across the road has asked parents to wear masks. Our school won't as they haven't been mandated to.
I'm a lone parent to ds. It's a worry but I do all I can to be as safe as possible.

I've just read the guidance as it was on another post (rather than what was on the news) and it says this:

"Travel
You should avoid all non-essential travel by private or public transport. This includes not travelling to work, school or the shops. "

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Now, I'd say that school comes under essential so I'm confused as to why it includes travelling to school as something not to do. I'm admittedly tired and full of other worries and easily confused but I'm probably not the only confused one.

They've rushed this out just a few hours before the lockdown begins, it's no wonder you're stressed tbf. Sleep on it, in the morning if getting up and doing the school run as carefully as you can makes sense then do it, if not then make a new plan tomorrow.

This includes not travelling to work, school or the shops

Do they have any helpful suggestions as to how to make that work? So far, I only have driving up to the school gates and getting my six year old to just commando roll out of his car seat and make his own way there as a workable alternative.

@SistemaAddict

I've just read the guidance as it was on another post (rather than what was on the news) and it says this:

"Travel
You should avoid all non-essential travel by private or public transport. This includes not travelling to work, school or the shops. "

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Now, I'd say that school comes under essential so I'm confused as to why it includes travelling to school as something not to do. I'm admittedly tired and full of other worries and easily confused but I'm probably not the only confused one.

It says you should ‘avoid’. If you are a single parent with no one else who can take your child to school, you cant avoid it. If i were you, I’d speak to school - make sure they’re aware of your status - and tell them that you will be dropping your child off 10 mins after everyone else and picking them up 10 mins earlier.

I've just had the official email from the NHS to give me the guidance and also an email from school that says everyone is to wear masks at drop off and pick up from tomorrow so that makes me feel much better. It's impossible to SD at school so this is a big improvement.

Oh that’s good about masks, Sistema. Try not to worry about the school run. You really aren’t at great risk outdoors.