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Original poster

Told to isolate - can i collect children from school?

254 replies

petitdonkey · 16/03/2021 13:02

Apologies if this has been done! I’ve just received a notification to isolate for eight days (I went to the supermarket on Saturday and was at work- no other contact!) - my children are at school, perhaps a stupid question but am I allowed to drive to pick up and drop off this week?? I have just emailed work who I guess won’t be thrilled...

What a PITA!!!

OP posts:
OliveTree75 · 16/03/2021 13:44

@Delatron

This is Mumsnet at its best. So far better that the teenagers to get on public transport or get a lift with someone else (really??). So it’s better that they get in a friend’s car in close contact with them than the Mum stepping out of the house, getting in the car, driving them. Not leaving the car. The Mum would not come in to contact with anyone else.

That’s far more risky than public transport and shared lifts? We’ve lost the ability to use any common sense.

Exactly this.
PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 13:44

But her kids are AT school. They can't live there for 8 days! How do you propose she gets them home?

Apologies, I misread that post. Having just found out you need to isolate, it would obviously be fine to collect children if there was no other way of getting them home. I thought it was a continuation of the discussion on the the topic of getting children to and from school during the whole isolation period.

SleepingStandingUp · 16/03/2021 13:44

@Pootles34

PurpleDaisies - they are at school now!
I'm sure school can give them a pillow and a sink to wash their knickers in. It's only 8 daya
ThePlantsitter · 16/03/2021 13:44

I don't see the difference between staying at home with your teens and staying in the car with your teens. But nobody should let that interrupt their enjoyment of reminding OP of the RULES she HAS to follow ffs (given to her by an optionally installed app that most people don't have/have turned on).

Pootles34 · 16/03/2021 13:46

I have turned off the bluetooth on the app, after it failed to notice me sleeping in the same bed every night as my husband who'd tested positive. It seems completely shit - particularly when they've spent so much money on it.

PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 13:46

I don't see the difference between staying at home with your teens and staying in the car with your teens.

You don’t see how a tiny enclosed space is different from a house?
The isolation guidance is to avoid contact with your other household members. You can’t do that in a car.

MargosKaftan · 16/03/2021 13:46

Drive to pick them up. Do not get out of the car. Have the kids sit in the back with the windows open and a mask on. (Keep a mask on yourself)

If your household are out when they find out they have to isolate, then you have to be able to get home. This includes your dcs. You need to get them.

I would get a test myself for peace of mind.

For the rest of the week, call the school and see they can suggest any thing. (Although I think if you can park on your drive so you don't need to walk down the street to your car and can drop /pick up without having to get out of the car, id still do that, as frankly its no risk to you infecting anyone other than your dcs, and presuming you don't live in a massive country house where you can restrict yourself to one of the wings, you will be mixing in the house with them all the time they arent at school anyway.)

Bubbinsmakesthree · 16/03/2021 13:47

@petitdonkey

I’m so sorry I posted now. It was just a knee jerk in the absence of someone irl to ask. I’m not an idiot- I understand the rules but no, there is no public transport. I have one friend that could get one child but am I then not putting her at risk of having my child at close contact in the car? I think I will have to make the decision to collect them today then keep them home fir the rest of the isolation period. I will not get out of my car or be in contact with anyone.

Again, apologies for annoying people- I have been meticulously following all of the rules so was just a bit baffled when the text came through. Thank you to those of you who understood my dilemma.

It’s a perfectly reasonable question to ask!

It’s very easy for people to sit behind a keyboard and say ‘rules are rules!’ when don’t actually have to deal with the reality of the situation.

WaterBottle123 · 16/03/2021 13:49

Ignore the crazies on this thread OP who don't understand that COVID can't fly out of a sealed car.

Of course you can drive the kids and not leave your car. Park a couple of streets away if possible to avoid anyone trying to say hi etc. Wear a mask.

Don't feel guilted into taxis etc when every logical, educated person can tell you that you can't be putting anyone at risk by sitting in W car.

WaterBottle123 · 16/03/2021 13:51

@Delatron

This is Mumsnet at its best. So far better that the teenagers to get on public transport or get a lift with someone else (really??). So it’s better that they get in a friend’s car in close contact with them than the Mum stepping out of the house, getting in the car, driving them. Not leaving the car. The Mum would not come in to contact with anyone else.

That’s far more risky than public transport and shared lifts? We’ve lost the ability to use any common sense.

@Delatron

Exactly. FFS MUMSNET get your shit together

SakuraEdenSwan1 · 16/03/2021 13:52

@PurpleDaisies

How on earth can people still not know what self isolate means? It’s been a whole year.

Stay at home.
Do not leave your house.
This is so clear.

There is really no other way teenagers can get home from school? Really?

Oh shut up with your patronising comments, she has no one else to pick the kids up and let's be honest Tack and Trace is not reliable what so ever.

@petitdonkey ignore the perfect parent brigade on here, your kids come first.

Beautiful3 · 16/03/2021 13:53

Yes i would drop off and collect, without leaving the car.

WaterBottle123 · 16/03/2021 13:53

Hang on OP - you got this notification through the shitty, bugged SERCO app not even proper track and trace?

Didn't realise anyone still used that let alone listened to its usually wrong notifications. Just another waste of public money handed to Tory donors.

RuggeryBuggery · 16/03/2021 13:54

In my opinion, totally fine to drive them in the car and stay in the car.

Also, the notifications via the app are notoriously unreliable so I personally would not have taken any notice

RuggeryBuggery · 16/03/2021 13:55

... unless you were actually phoned up and told to isolate in which case I would of course take notice. But would still drop kids off to school, staying in the car.

gamerchick · 16/03/2021 13:55

Was it that stupid app? It's not recognised as valid anyway. Total waste of money that thing.

Suzi888 · 16/03/2021 13:56

You aren’t meant to, but it sounds like you have no choice.

Sparklingbrook · 16/03/2021 13:59

@gamerchick

Was it that stupid app? It's not recognised as valid anyway. Total waste of money that thing.
Yes the amount of people that got a notification to isolate when they’ve not left the house. Or like a PP said NOT had one when they know they’d been in contact. Hmm
Delatron · 16/03/2021 14:00

Look OP I’m not sure anyone is using the app anymore. It’s not very reliable. Nobody will check on you. Plus you are not going near anyone driving your kids to school.

I’m guessing your kids have just gone back to school? Please don’t keep them home down to some hysterical posters on Mumsnet. They need to be back surely.

Alternista · 16/03/2021 14:00

We live rurally. My kids get the school bus but it seems ludicrous to me that if I had got the notification you had, it would be fine for them to keep getting said bus but not to sit in a car with me who they live with 🤷🏻‍♀️

In your situation, I’d pick them up without leaving the car today, but I don’t know what I’d do about the rest of the time. None of this hangs together particularly well and you’re not unreasonable to question the logistics.

MargosKaftan · 16/03/2021 14:02

@Purpledaisies - yes some people don't have anyone else who can collect and deliver dcs home. She can't just abandon them at school and she can't afford taxis.

But OP, hadn't realised it was just the app and not actual person from track and trace calling you. Get a test, but id take that as much lower risk. That app just will mean you've been in the same building, doesn't mean you actually came within 2m of the positive person.

ILookAtTheFloor · 16/03/2021 14:02

So glad I deleted that app.

TheOneWithTheBigNose · 16/03/2021 14:03

I thought even the government had quietly acknowledged that the shitty app isn’t fit for purpose. They’ve certainly stopped mentioning it’s virtues anyway.

PurpleDaisies · 16/03/2021 14:05

yes some people don't have anyone else who can collect and deliver dcs home. She can't just abandon them at school and she can't afford taxis.

You obviously missed the post where I said I’d misread the one talking simply about getting the children home rather than taking them to and fro everyday while isolating.

Blue565 · 16/03/2021 14:07

I love these answers

If you need to pick up your children and have no alternative option then this takes precedence regardless of any restrictions/laws.