Covid 19 case in private nursery with worker - DNephew exposed

[CleverCatty]

Probably been done to death here but my DNephew (2.5 years) is currently being tested for Covid 19 as his main nursery worker (who he's spent past 2 days with) has tested positive for Covid 19. They're in a large city in SW England, private nursery.

Several people in the house they live in (DBro staying with relatives) including DBro have chronic health conditions which make them vulnerable.

I know it was DBro and his DW decision to send DNephew to nursery but surely private nurseries should have been shut too or have better protection in place?

Why is he getting tested? He would still be in the incubation period if he had caught it

What better protection so you suggest?
It spreads both before symptoms start and even if they get no symptoms at all

@dementedpixie

Why is he getting tested? He would still be in the incubation period if he had caught it

It's not me testing him - he's had some symptoms I think.

@dementedpixie

What better protection so you suggest? It spreads both before symptoms start and even if they get no symptoms at all

Private nurseries to close for one?!

Why should they if they don't have to?
Although I'm in Scotland and ours are only open for keyworker children

What do you think a nursery could put in place, while caring for a 2.5 year old, that would be guaranteed to prevent the transmission of a virus?

I would say if your vulnerable don't send them, rather than they close. I'm afraid people know the risks when they send their kids to nurseries.
Workers and key workers especially need childcare, employers aren't being quite as flexible in this lockdown as they were the first time.

I also wouldn't have tested him, I found the test traumatic enough and as dd 2 had to isolate anyway I didn't see the point in putting her through it.

I hope they are all ok

Nurseries should be closed like schools (open to vulnerable/key workers). It’s purely a government financial decision to keep them open SAGE recommended closing.

I don’t say it lightly as DD is at nursery and it would be very difficult if they close. But I do think it’s wrong and I am worried for the staff and us.

There’s actually a petition if you google it started by a nursery worker.

@dementedpixie

Why should they if they don't have to? Although I'm in Scotland and ours are only open for keyworker children

If the virus can be spread so easily then of course they should close.

Part of the reason my DBro moved from London to SW England was not only his health but the fact that a mother in the nursery his DS attended in London, came back from abroad with Covid 19 - didn't tell anyone, and sent her son to nursery - again a private one.

SW England where they are has had lower cases.

This was a poor decision from your nephew and his wife. We are sending our kids to nursery but neither of us are vulnerable and we don't see anyone else.

They should have either kept him at home or stopped living with vulnerable family members for a while.

The problem is that if a nursery closes down of its own accord, they are totally stuffed financially. If the government mandates their closure, then they can claim financial support. And at no point in this lockdown have all nurseries close to all kids, because people with young children still have needed childcare...

@DrCindyPops

I would say if your vulnerable don't send them, rather than they close. I'm afraid people know the risks when they send their kids to nurseries. Workers and key workers especially need childcare, employers aren't being quite as flexible in this lockdown as they were the first time.

I also wouldn't have tested him, I found the test traumatic enough and as dd 2 had to isolate anyway I didn't see the point in putting her through it.

I hope they are all ok

They've been going back and forwards between sending him and not - however, the MIL is a teacher and she's recently started WFH (Zoom lessons) and the FIL is disabled so has to be at home all day.

My SIL (the DM of child) also works.

The above is why DNephew has been at nursery because it's hard to work with a toddler around.

They will of course keep him at home now.

I'm unsure if Doctor advised he was tested.

thanks - hope they're all ok too!

Is this in Bristol?

Don't blame the nursery as they chose to send him there and should have been aware of the risk.

If the nursery is allowed to stay open then why should they close?

@HazelWong

This was a poor decision from your nephew and his wife. We are sending our kids to nursery but neither of us are vulnerable and we don't see anyone else.

They should have either kept him at home or stopped living with vulnerable family members for a while.

They know this now obviously but it's a bit bolting the stable door isn't it?

I think basically as the risk has been low so far then the vulnerable family members (including DBro) assumed what with vaccine on the way that the risk was low.

@borageforager

Is this in Bristol?

it's actually in Bath. Nearest test centre is in Bristol.

@dementedpixie

Don't blame the nursery as they chose to send him there and should have been aware of the risk.

If the nursery is allowed to stay open then why should they close?

I'm not blaming the nursery as such but surely if the workers are at risk of catching the virus they should be more careful etc if they then come into work.

It's since emerged that he was outside with worker and only in morning so maybe the risk of catching it is reduced.

You can’t blame the nursery! Private nurseries open for key worker children too...The decision was made to send the child to nursery. If they didn’t absolutely NEED to, then they should have kept him at home.
How exactly do you expect a nursery worker to properly care for children of such a young age without engaging is actions that increase the risk of virus transmission? You cannot work completely safely with children of that age....they need close contact with their carers.

It’s rubbish all round really but presumably your nephew’s parents knew there was some chance he’d be exposed, even if small, and needed the childcare so they could work?

It’s not really fair to say the nursery workers should have been more careful. You don’t know where they might have caught it.

I hope all involved stay well.

I don't really understand what you want from this OP? You think nurseries should shut because your DN parents made the choice to send him into nursery and he has now possibly caught coronavirus. If the risk was that high for them and family members, they shouldn't have sent him in. With the best will in the world there will never be a zero percent chance of coming into contact with Covid unless you live in a bubble and never see anyone/ get any deliveries etc.

Of course there was a risk he would catch it. It's a virus, and all childcare places can do is to minimise that risk. There is no way to run a covid free environment (if we could manage that there would be no transmission in hospitals).

Hope he (and the extended family) remain well.

I'm not blaming the nursery as such but surely if the workers are at risk of catching the virus they should be more careful etc if they then come into work.

What do you mean by be more careful? There's every chance they caught it from a child with no symptoms/ symptoms so mild that they've gone unnoticed. Maybe they caught it at the supermarket- they're allowed to go shopping like the rest of us. I'll bet they're washing their hands so often their skin is raw. What more can they do to be careful?

This seems a bit of a backwards post, and I understand it's because you're worried.

You're saying nurseries should shut because they're not safe. His parents understood the risks, but because it's hard to work with a toddler around, they took them. How would it be any easier if the nurseries closed? He would have to work at home with the toddler, or start a childcare bubble with someone else- both of which were options to him, but he chose not to take, because he weighed up the risks and thought they were low?

I'm glad nurseries are open. There has been less spread through nurseries/ childminders locally than in the factory settings that some other family members work in. By a very large margin. And I live/ work in a highly affected area.

I hope he tests negative and his key worker is okay too.

@CleverCatty

I'm not blaming the nursery as such but surely if the workers are at risk of catching the virus they should be more careful etc if they then come into work.

And what if the nursery worker caught it from an asymptomatic child?? Or from a family member who is an NHS worker??

The your nephew’s parents surely assessed the risk and decided to send him anyway. Nothing to do with the nursery or their staff

Yes, it’s all fun and games for the sahm sending their dc to nursery’s so that they can “socialise” until the virus comes home with them making the household sick and unwell, or staff get sick.