Have your school-age DC had less illness this year compared to other winters?

[cheeseismydownfall]

We have three DC - two in the same primary (Y6 and Y4) and one at secondary (Y8).

The younger two are currently under the weather with their third cold of the winter. They (predictably) got their first within a week of going back in September, another mild cold before half term, and then this latest one a few days ago. All very normal - sore throat, snotty nose, feeling a bit crappy, but getting on with things as normal.

As I said, this is all very normal for this time of year. In fact, it seems exactly the same as any other year. But surely with all of the covid measures in place in their school (class bubbles, facing the front, windows open, frequent handwashing etc), shouldn't the children be less likely to pick up normal cold viruses as a result?

It makes me wonder how effective these measures really are in preventing covid transmission in schools, if the incident of common colds seems on a par with a normal year.

Obviously I only have my own experience to go on, so I am curious to know if anyone else's children have had less illnesses than usual?

I was only this thinking this morning how lovely it is to have a cold free winter.
DSs are y7 and y9. 1 of them had a mild cold in September. Neither of them have been ill in so long.
I think it is working in secondary.

We're currently home with chicken pox!

Mine have definitely had less this year. So far anyway.

No

No. About the same. We have all had COVID and luckily we were all symptom free apart from headache and weird nose burning for me. The usual coughs and colds have been the same. Iv got four kids ranging from 12 to 3.

Actually yes. DC are 8 and 5 and have had only one fairly mild cold this winter rather than the usual back to back snot/coughs. (Feel I am tempting fate even writing this!). However, I’m not sure it is covid measures, I suspect they are just that bit older and have more developed immune systems.

TBH I am not convinced the measures in primary school make much difference to transmission. We have whole year bubbles (70ish kids) and no social distancing within those bubbles. Normal playing at playtime for example. So plenty of chances to catch bugs. We’ve also had outbreaks of nits, worms (not in our family but other dc in their year) so clearly plenty of contact going on.

We don't usually get many and since Feb only three very mild colds between 4 of us. About normal I guess.

I think DD has had less colds compared to previous years but I could well be misrembering. She is on her second cold of the school year. Unfortunately, I can't remember how many colds she got last year.

I have definitely had less colds. Colds turn to bronchitis for me and so I usually cough and wheeze from about the 1st week of October. I haven't been on the tube nearly as much and put it down to that.

We've had far fewer illnesses this year. There were lots going round at the beginning of the year, pre-Covid, DD seemed to get a D&V bug every month, but since the first lockdown we've had maybe 1-2 cold types illness each? One appeared shortly after the start back in Sept/Oct but other than that it's been much better for us.

Mine haven’t had anything (yet!). My youngest has been quite poorly for the last few years each winter. Nothing serious but he caught everything going. I’m amazed we hadn’t had anything yet. They go to a very small, rural school which I’m sure makes the control of things much easier. They also have had them outdoors much more than normal for this time of the year.

Dc currently being treated for worms I can’t help thinking that if they’d been properly washing their hands at school like they’re supposed to this wouldn’t have happened! Other than that, seems there’s the usual bugs going around. That said, touch wood, we’ve not had any cases of Covid.

Fewer colds etc here - touch wood!

Definitely fewer colds here. Only 1 minor sniffle out of 2 children who would usually be snotty on a regular basis. I bought 2 bottles of calpol in March and they're still in the cupboard - unheard of!

Definitely fewer coughs and colds here. Family of asthmatics and usually lots of colds in Autumn. My children are teenagers and have been washing hands a lot and wearing masks. DH says working from home (usually commutes on train) has meant zero coughs colds for him since March.

My daughter has had more illness this year. April time -very ill - at the time tests were not available like they are now so no idea if it was covid or not. Ill in September and November - both negative for covid. Normally, she will get one cold type virus a year. She has had 3 in a matter of 9 months.

About the same, two colds each. Weirdly I haven’t caught any of them.

Yes definitely. 2 of my dc have had 100% attendance this term which never happens.

My two (and me!) have definitely had less illness this year.

Yes, thankfully. DC are 4 and 2 and 4-year-old started school this year.

Both have had two very minor colds since August (of the sneezing, runny nose variety) and nothing from March to August.

In comparison, from September last year to February this year..

• We all had norovirus.

• DC1 had two or three major colds/coughs that caused her to cough so much at night she was actually vomiting. There was one period when she was sick from coughing every night for 10 nights.

• DC2 had chicken pox (though weirdly DC1 nor I - I've never had it - caught it).

• DC2 had impetigo.

• DC2 had a weird random viral rash and slight temperature.

DC2 had just started nursery in the August, but still...

Mine have had less so far but January is usually the peak month for it so we'll see!

None of us have had anything viral since March. Ds was in school throughout lockdown. He has had to test a couple of times for random 37.8 temperatures ( school do temp checks) but no cold symptoms. He hasn't been anywhere indoors apart from school since March and hasn't mixed with anyone outside of his small class so limited chances of picking anything up.

Yep. On the whole, we've all been much less ill than in normal winters. This time last year, DD1 was off school with a bad bout of tonsilitis, she seemed to take ages to fully recover. DD2 was full of cold for what seemed like a whole month. So far, apart from DD2 having a runny nose, we're all fit and well.

My school aged dds have had one cold each. My 2 yo who is with me all time has had about 4!

Definitely hand washing, extra cleaning and vitamins have helped!

DSS seems to still be picking plenty of colds up, then bringing them home to us. He doesn't cover his mouth when he sneezes and leaves dirty tissues everywhere, because he thinks he's above having to try and contain his own disgusting illnesses.

Significantly less illness in our house, ds2 is asthmatic and picks up everything that comes into school. He has had one cold in mid September and nothing since. With two children in school and dh working in hospital there has been plenty of opportunity to catch things doing the rounds.

Not having poorly children in school has made a massive difference for us.