If you're keeping primary kids home - how and why?

[Indecisivelurcher]

What I mean is, those parents choosing to keep primary aged children at home for a couple more weeks. Why? As in, do you think something will change in a couple more weeks? Options being schools will shut totally. Or the new variant will be shown to be no higher risk to children? I suppose I mean, what good is a couple more weeks? And how, I mean how are you managing around work, are you using leave? Are you working around the kids? In the first lockdown I was luckily able to reduce my hours, and then later on dh was furloughed. But neither option is available now as it would be personal choice.

I'm keeping my youngest off as my eldest is off anyway.

I have several CV conditions so am scared of the risk to me. We don't got to shops etc so if I were to get ill/hospital/worse it would solely be due to her which would be a horrid thing to grow up with :(

I'm hoping within 2 weeks we will either be in proper lockdown and the decisions are taken away or it will be clearer what we should do.

I don't want to lose school places.

I work in education and between myself and the dc we have been exposed to hundreds of others through primary, secondary etc.

I see for myself everyday how school is not safe and risk from catching covid can only be reduced.

Dd has a weakness where she needs oxygen urgently every now and then, I'm not risking it.

I don't want to go into work either although in the circumstances they are doing a good job. Unfortunately however slt have been quite removed through out..

Secondary dd is now thankfully off until the 18th.

Mine is nursery so I'm not sure how relevant my contribution is. I'm keeping DD (3) off until I get a sense of how infections are doing in my area (currently 700+/1000 and up). I'm worried about the transmissibility (sp?) of the new variant, the state of my nearest five (!) hospitals and I don't want to expose DH, I or DD's teachers to any more risk than is necessary, even if she herself would be fine if she caught covid (and we don't know if she would be).

How? I'll work early morning outside the home - I run a food bank - while DH has her, then I'll take her for the rest of the day while he works, and work a bit more if she naps. The main difficulty will likely be social isolation and boredom. We'll revisit weekly.

I’m a SAHM so it’s an easy decision for me to keep mine off. Better to be safe than sorry sums it up. Why risk it?

@oohmamama

*@2boysand1princess*

The new strain has been around since September.

No increase in deaths or serious illness in children yet an increase in positive tests.

There is seriously no need to worry about children. Enough else to worry about!

I don’t think we can say this with enough certainty to continue to send Children and School Staff into unmitigated COVID non secure situations daily in Winter though.

What overwhelming clinical evidence are you talking about because the Scientists are saying the opposite and recommended School closures before Christmas.

We have an inset day on 4th Jan and PIL are having the kids because we have effectively locked ourselves down since they finished school. The minute they go back on 5th PIL won't come near us. If I was really convinced that school was going to end up closing again within a week or two I would consider keeping them off just to give us the option of some help.

Instead I'm being endlessly optimistic that they won't close while simultaneously making the most of them going back so that I can go in the office!

It's looming hopeful that we may not have to make the decision anymore.

Unions are advising primary teachers not to go back on Monday.

Head teachers u tion taking government to court

This today from Doctor Zoe on Twitter:

We've just got a parent mail from the school telling us that they will require proof of positive tests if a child is off self isolating.

I'm sure they are expecting a lot of parents to just say they are having to self isolate to buy ten days - but can they do that?

Also that if you keep your child off with symptoms the school nursing team will be in touch to ensue that the child has had a test.

Waiting until dh who is ecv has vaccine

The largest teaching union has told primary staff to not go into school on Monday

don't understand why in the face of overwhelming clinical evidence people think they need to shield their children from this?

The virus has mutated. We know little about how exactly this changes the course of the illness in children but we do know it's not good news for children.

Vulnerable people at home.

More continuity at home-no bubbles bursting, self isolating etc.

Many will be incubating the virus now post Christmas mixing.

The hospitals can't cope.

Children who need treatment for the normal colds and flus may struggle to get it-they would be better not getting winter bugs this year.

@WankPuffins

Also that if you keep your child off with symptoms the school nursing team will be in touch to ensue that the child has had a test.

They cannot force you to test your children.

I’m keeping my 10yo dd home at least next week. The Christmas mixing uptake hasn’t started yet. We’re now tier 4, south west.

I’ll tell the school the truth, I don’t believe this sort of mixing is safe after Christmas mixing.

@Satsumatrifle

don't understand why in the face of overwhelming clinical evidence people think they need to shield their children from this?

The virus has mutated. We know little about how exactly this changes the course of the illness in children but we do know it's not good news for children.

Vulnerable people at home.

More continuity at home-no bubbles bursting, self isolating etc.

Many will be incubating the virus now post Christmas mixing.

The hospitals can't cope.

Children who need treatment for the normal colds and flus may struggle to get it-they would be better not getting winter bugs this year.

Can you show me the source for your statement:

'We do know it's not good news for children'

Thanks

How are people squaring it with the school? That is my only concern. We are all low risk afaik and dc really wants to go back, but I'd honestly rather she wasn't!

We are in a Tier 4 area near London which has somehow escaped the closures. Our council and MP are a bunch of absolute raving mad Tories who seem to think all restrictions should be lifted to save the economy. So they won't be putting pressure on government to close schools in the area.

If we did keep dc off, I thought we risked thousands of £ in fines and a criminal record?

Well I guess I could be honest and tell them that I don't believe it's in anyone's interest, especially the staff for the children to go back.

But that ParentMail really got my back up. I don't think they would accept that reason.

I don’t think we can say this with enough certainty to continue to send Children and School Staff into unmitigated COVID non secure situations daily in Winter though.

What overwhelming clinical evidence are you talking about because the Scientists are saying the opposite and recommended School closures before Christmas.

@NotSoHappyNewTier

The recommendations for school closures are because of the rate of transmission in schools not because of any perceived increased risk to children.

@oohmamama

I don’t think we can say this with enough certainty to continue to send Children and School Staff into unmitigated COVID non secure situations daily in Winter though.

What overwhelming clinical evidence are you talking about because the Scientists are saying the opposite and recommended School closures before Christmas.

@NotSoHappyNewTier

The recommendations for school closures are because of the rate of transmission in schools not because of any perceived increased risk to children.

@oohmamama

So why are you sending your Children in?

I’ll post it again, @oohmamama from Dr Zoe today:

ooh

You are clearly aware from your posting upthread that the new strain does not leapfrog most children the way the old one seemed to. That's not good news.

My children/family aren't personally vulnerable but I think schools should be closed to slow transmission and protect NHS staff/hospitals.

I'm thinking of keeping mine off for a week to see how it plays out. I'll tell the school that. I imagine schools will be shut by next week anyway.

@AlbertaAlberta

How are people squaring it with the school? That is my only concern. We are all low risk afaik and dc really wants to go back, but I'd honestly rather she wasn't!

We are in a Tier 4 area near London which has somehow escaped the closures. Our council and MP are a bunch of absolute raving mad Tories who seem to think all restrictions should be lifted to save the economy. So they won't be putting pressure on government to close schools in the area.

If we did keep dc off, I thought we risked thousands of £ in fines and a criminal record?

I thought fines for non attended were along lines of £60 a day - don't quote me on that though!

I thought that too op! But I read on this board the other day that if they miss 5 sessions (ie a week of school) it's a £1000 fine and criminal record . Hope to God that's wrong!