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Original poster

It's 18th December. Christmas plans with family are made...

100 replies

ihatebikerides · 01/12/2020 20:23

... and you receive a message from school to say that your child has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid.

What will you do? Or, what might you do to avoid this situation from occurring?

OP posts:
lovelilies · 01/12/2020 21:45

We're only seeing my mum who's not in our household. She's 80 with COPD so wouldn't risk passing it in to her. We can have Xmas dinner another day.
I work front line, nothing changes for us really

TableCat · 01/12/2020 21:47

It wouldn't make any difference to us, we are staying at home for Christmas. My brothers are making up my parents bubble and MIL is too vulnerable to risk visiting.

Musicalmistress · 01/12/2020 21:48

@Givemeabreak88

We’ve just finished two weeks isolating because someone in my sons class tested positive, it was frustrating as he didn’t get any symptoms and neither did any of the other 4 of us so I doubt he got it and we all just didn’t have symptoms. I’m dreading this happening again but with 3 at school it’s a high possibility, I don’t see what else you can do though other than take them out early
Did you all isolate? Unless you were all in contact with the positive case then only your son needed to isolate surely.
Musicalmistress · 01/12/2020 21:49

Sorry @Givemeabreak88 just spotted your update further down when I refreshed the thread.

TableCat · 01/12/2020 21:51

Also as a teacher, I'm hoping not many children in my class have parents who take them out for the last week as I will have to provide online work and I'm not sure 'watch Elf' will go down well with parents so I'll have to plan proper lessons until the end of term (which will have to be done at school as well as those isolating) so as well as no Carol Service no nativity and no party the children won't get to watch Christmas films and make cards and calendars either.

Creepertime · 01/12/2020 21:55

My child has been isolating for 2 weeks as I tested positive. The teacher was sending work at 8pm at night and mid Sunday afternoon. It’s very unfair on the teachers to take a child out to isolate on the off chance and them having to pick up the extra work

Lemons1571 · 01/12/2020 21:57

I’m dreading this too, and we’re not even meeting up with anyone or forming a Christmas bubble. The thought of 18th through to new year without any fresh air at all or leaving the house, fuck me that’s grim.

SaltyAF · 01/12/2020 21:57

Well, as luck would have it, I'm a secondary school teacher. Somehow I'm not considered a close contact of any of the cases in my classroom so far, so I can't imagine I'll have to self isolate over the holidays either. Silver linings and all that.

SaltyAF · 01/12/2020 21:58

@TableCat

Also as a teacher, I'm hoping not many children in my class have parents who take them out for the last week as I will have to provide online work and I'm not sure 'watch Elf' will go down well with parents so I'll have to plan proper lessons until the end of term (which will have to be done at school as well as those isolating) so as well as no Carol Service no nativity and no party the children won't get to watch Christmas films and make cards and calendars either.
I'm not providing work for anyone who elects to take a child out.
Sweettea1 · 01/12/2020 21:59

Isolate. kids have had far to much distribution as it is they need routine they need school so ifs a choice between seeing granny or kids going to school then I choose school and granny would completely agree she knows how important education is.

XiCi · 01/12/2020 22:04

Same, and all of us will be lateral flow testing just before we go to my mum

Same here

Backyard72 Which private company will have enough tests for that. I strongly suspect the NHS will end up suspending testing for all but truly essential workers with symptoms and those who need a test for medical reasons for a few days before Christmas due to widespread misuse by the asymptomatic

Lateral flow testing available for everyone in my area. Results in 15 minutes.

Eccle80 · 01/12/2020 22:05

This was a factor in us deciding not to have family coming to us for Christmas, with three children in different schools we are high risk both of one them carrying it or needing to isolate, and i won’t have the anxiety in the run up of being told to isolate or someone getting a temperature and having to cancel last minute

LittleRa · 01/12/2020 22:08

I’m a teacher, and have a 6yo DD. I’m worried about one of our bubbles closing in the couple of days of term Sad

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 01/12/2020 22:20

Head teachers have been told today that they will be responsible for track and trace for cases in their school up to and including Christmas Day. So you might be half way through your Christmas lunch when the head of your school calls and tells you to isolate.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 01/12/2020 22:21

I'm not providing work for anyone who elects to take a child out.

Nor am I. We had 5 go today even. Gone until the end of term. I directed them towards something vaguely appropriate on Oak National Academy.

GlassLake · 01/12/2020 22:25

@Keepgoing88

I thought about this and in honesty what I would do is get all of us tested, and speak to people in planning on seeing, if they were ok with this approach then I would still see them if we all tested negative provided there is enough time to get tests etc
You can only get retested if you have symptoms. I order tests on-line for my sick children cos the demand is too high. School have me some in the end. Tested positive and able to inform contacts straight away. Thanks to people just randomly testing when they feel like it, genuinely sick people can't get tests.
SleepingStandingUp · 01/12/2020 22:25

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

I'm not providing work for anyone who elects to take a child out.

Nor am I. We had 5 go today even. Gone until the end of term. I directed them towards something vaguely appropriate on Oak National Academy.

Will they be fined?
wondersun · 01/12/2020 22:29

We haven’t been at school this term so will continue with the remote learning. It’s been a crap enough term without being ill with covid over the holiday so glad to be out of it. They won’t be working that week. The only thing I feel sad about is the social side of things.

Hoping the government see sense and offer choice soon. If parents can educate their remotely and there are no safeguarding issues it should be thank you very much, have an ink cartridge. Instead it’s threats of fines.

As a teacher I can’t see how educating with a 2 metre gap can be possible for those instances when a child is really stuck.

stovetopespresso · 01/12/2020 22:29

half of the kids in my 2dc's respective yeargroups are out. I feel like a sitting duck!! @RuleWithAWoodenFoot if the head called during dinner that would be quite funny really Grin but poor headteachers being on duty.

GlassLake · 01/12/2020 22:30

What I tried to type came out all wrong... you can only get a test if you are symptomatic so can't just randomly get tested 'for Christmas'.
Secondly I was unable to get a test by post or appointment for my sick children as NOTHING AVAILABLE!! Turns out one has covid.
When people randomly request tests, genuinely sick people then can't get them..!!!!!

GlassLake · 01/12/2020 22:31

@Keepgoing88

I thought about this and in honesty what I would do is get all of us tested, and speak to people in planning on seeing, if they were ok with this approach then I would still see them if we all tested negative provided there is enough time to get tests etc
You can't just randomly request testing.
Legoandloldolls · 01/12/2020 22:37

I would just isolate that child as your required too. I'm extremely unlikely to see my mum this Christmas unless she wants to see us.

I'm not taking my kids out of school early. I really do not need the stress of pisding off any education welfare officer.

Nonochair · 01/12/2020 22:37

In some areas (mine included) everyone is invited to get tested regardless of symptoms.
Whether that will still be in place in the run up to Christmas I don’t know.
If it is we’ll certainly be making use of it before seeing my parents

pheonixrebirth · 01/12/2020 22:43

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady @Backyard72
Same position here, if I don't take the kids out of school from the 11th they won't be able to see their Dad (my XP) at Christmas. He is shielding as he is extremely high risk. They haven't been able to see him since September apart from one weekend after they had been self isolated for 10 days because of Covid contact in school. I feel stuck in such a shitty position. I wish the school would put remote learning on for cases like this. My kids have definitely suffered & really miss their dad. I'm also worried that the school will fine me for the kids missing a week of school, something I can not afford. My rationale of them missing 1 week before Christmas is that they normally spend that week watching movies in class and not actually learning.

Porgy · 01/12/2020 22:45

@TableCat

Also as a teacher, I'm hoping not many children in my class have parents who take them out for the last week as I will have to provide online work and I'm not sure 'watch Elf' will go down well with parents so I'll have to plan proper lessons until the end of term (which will have to be done at school as well as those isolating) so as well as no Carol Service no nativity and no party the children won't get to watch Christmas films and make cards and calendars either.
I have to admit DH and I were talking about this the other day. Usually with my DC, they and practising the Christmas play as soon as they go back after half term. In December between two plays a day, Carol concerts, Christmas dinners, Christmas parties and the occasional snow days, I don't think my DC actually do much work.