Don't tell staff child isn't well

[Todayisgood2]

I'm a teacher and a child in my class who I have close contact with isn't well. Not covid symptoms but viral. Her brother the same. Her brother is a close contact and now isolating as his teacher tested positive.
I have vulnerable staff in class and have been asked not to mention that this child isn't well. He will be kept off school and had a test today.

I feel like I should as although not classic symptoms the child isn't well and it could be coronavirus. What do you think?

Who asked you not to mention it?

Won’t the staff member notice the child isn’t there anyway?

Sorry didnt explain very well. Head teacher has asked me not to mention child isn't well. Shes told staff that brother of child was close contact so self isolating and the child in my class is staying off too. Not mentioned that either are I'll just said they have no covid symptoms which is true but....children dont necessarily have the classic symptoms.

If the staff are going to panic at the child possibly testing positive maybe it does make sense not to tell them especially if it is unlikely they have it. The staff should be in unless child tests positive and then they’ll trace it back to 2 days before symptoms started. Whether they’re vulnerable or not doesn’t matter in terms of informing them and the child won’t be in anyway.

That’s all you have to say, really, isn’t it? The Head shouldn’t be lying to vulnerable staff about the Covid status of contacts in the class, but without a positive test there’s a limit to what the SLT can advise.
As class teacher all you can do is ensure guidance is followed for this staff member as strictly as possible, to keep them as safe as you can. If they don’t feel the procedures are adequate they have to raise this at SLT level. Any one child (or more) in your class could be asymptomatic at any time and be a risk to them.

I don't see why you would need to discuss the child specifically in this situation to be honest.

The child in your class has a brother who is isolating because there has been a case in his bubble. There isn't anything to say.

You're not being asked to lie. If the child has symptoms then she needs to go home and be tested. If she doesnt have symptoms then she is ok to be in school and and staff should be doing what they can to keep a distance, good hand hygiene etc.

Of course few schools are able to have brilliant social distancing, but given any child could be asymptomatic and covid positive, if your colleague is thay vulnerable then they need to discuss a separate risk assessment with the head for their working environment.

Sorry, just seen your update that the child is off.

They aren't a positive case. There's no need for anything else to be said.

Today's Sunday? Why is all this happening on a Sunday? nvm.

I think you're right.
I'd be sitting there drawing out the chain of infection and the timeline: Brother's teacher tested +ve, now brother is ill, now his sister. Who's next?

You're right about there being more symptoms than just the 3 symptoms the government list. Good luck yourself.

wobblywindows
I'm going to guess that there's something by email and the OP is doing the teacher Sunday night planning stint.

how can you say child has viral symptoms but not covid ones.
look how the list of symptoms has expanded since March.
and even detecting is an imprecise science.
i'm not sure i understand your actual query, but i would take a broad margin of error, and follow precautionary principle.

Don't tell them you have been asked not to what is the point in causing unnecessary worry if the children are being tested and it comes back positive then yes they need to know but not until then.