NC for this. I have been debating whether to post this.
Our 15 year old healthy Dd caught an unknown virus last year. She was fine one day, only a slight cough, and the next day the virus went into her brain and she spent months in hospital. She still is very exhausted. She has to take a huge amount of medication with nasty side effects. Unfortunately we will never know if it was the covid virus as it wasn’t tested for (test wasn’t available yet) and the consultant doesn’t know how she’s going to react if she gets covid.
She went back to school last September and has been getting fantastic results, despite going to bed as soon as she gets home. Just before Christmas, as covid was doing the rounds in her year, she was told by her teacher that she would not get good marks for an assessed performance piece because she wanted to do it socially distanced or wear a mask. She was very anxious because she wanted good marks but didn’t want to compromise her health further. She ended up having a huge rise in seizures. Unsurprisingly, a person in her group got covid a week later so they couldn’t do it anyway.
After lockdown they have now been doing the assessment in masks and distancing, as per guidelines. She is and feels much safer as they are not allowed to touch each other either. She has been able to join in and be a bit ‘normal’ again. And nobody in her year has tested positive for covid.
She’s a bright girl. She watches politicians in the House of Commons (with no windows similar to her classroom) and obviously much bigger and airier than her classroom. She sees how spaced out they are and they are wearing masks. But these are the people ignoring the scientific posts she reads about. And these are the people who give schools the rules right down to teacher level - the go ahead for her assessments to be touchy and unmasked again next week.
We are so lucky she is 16 now and can have the vaccine. She will be partially protected by next week.
There are so many parents who have younger children who can’t have the vaccine. And are trying to do a cost-benefit analysis every day by looking at how many cases there are, the science on variants and balancing it with their child’s education v health risk. Just like teaching staff too.
Dd is so brave having had so many cannulas, long lines and other invasive procedures over the last year so you can imagine what we think of people who complain about getting a bit sweaty with a mask on. Whilst she is monitored every night and has more procedures to go. To look at her you wouldn’t even know what she’s going through.
We know masks have got to go at some point but the fact that some mums and supposed teachers on here are ‘cheering’ and dismissing other posters with vulnerable children is pathetic. Have you no empathy?
Would you do that to disabled children to their faces too? The anxiety is real for a real reason you should hope you don’t ever have to go through.
I am leaving this thread now. Just please respect those children and staff who may not be as elated on Monday.