Can I drive my children to school if I have covid?

[petitdonkey]

Sorry to ask here but I’ve searched and searched online and just this.
Advice is clear that children have to attend school but how do I get them there? There are no buses as we are rural.
Dh took them yesterday and today then came home and tested positive. Putting them in a taxi is an (expensive) option but seems to put the driver at risk…
So I’m wondering if I’m okay to get them if we all wear masks and keep windows open? Obviously wouldn’t step foot out of the car.. Have any of you done this?

I had an arrangement with mine to drop them off a bit later and collect them earlier (small primary school). That way, I avoided other people.

They are teens so I don’t need to get out of the car at all, I just had one friend telling me I was breaking the law by going out in the car!

@petitdonkey

They are teens so I don’t need to get out of the car at all, I just had one friend telling me I was breaking the law by going out in the car!

Your friend is right. It's a real issue for parents but yes you are legally obliged to stay at home unless for e.g. medical emergency.

No, you are breaking the law by leaving your house.

Can someone else pick them up and drop them back home? Imagine if someone rear ended your car, or you got a flat tyres etc? Could you avoid other people?

Ok. I will just have to get a taxi tonight then keep them off school I guess.

As others have said, legally you can't. But every parent I know that's in this situation where there is no other option, is driving their child to school and dropping them off.

Drive them with a mask on and windows open, as long as you are fit to drive.

Who is actually going to stop you in the car and check if you are covid positive? No one.

What is the chance of a breakdown, crash etc ? Minuscule

What is the chance that if the above happens (unlikely) you then go on to infect whoever attends to you? Zero

Lets be realistic here people.

I don't understand why your children are going to school if you've got covid. Surely they're putting the staff and pupils at risk? Or have the guidelines changed?

I'm potentially in the same situation OP, I made a thread about it last night. There's lots of bickering going on about where I live, buses, can I make him cycle etc, of course I'd already considered all of those options. No definite answer really, some are saying they would drive them in, others wouldn't.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Who is actually going to stop you in the car and check if you are covid positive? No one.

What is the chance of a breakdown, crash etc ? Minuscule

What is the chance that if the above happens (unlikely) you then go on to infect whoever attends to you? Zero

Lets be realistic here people.

Exactly.

I would take them.

@Peppapigforlife Yes, the guidelines changed months ago. In England under 18s and double vaccinated adults do not have to isolate when they are contacts. The OPs children are free to go to school.

@Peppapigforlife

I don't understand why your children are going to school if you've got covid. Surely they're putting the staff and pupils at risk? Or have the guidelines changed?

That's the guidelines now. Close contacts don't have to isolate, everyone in the household can go about their business normally. Even though yes it seems daft when there's a high chance others will get it. Obviously tricky when kids need taking to school etc.

It does seem daft doesn't it. 'Don't go out, do go out; you can be asymptomatic, you can't be asymptomatic'. In theory you could send your kids to an 80 year old granny every day and the message is 'there's no risk'.

No. As it stands it would be illegal.

No you couldn't, that's never been the messaging Peppapig, come on. It's always been said that you can be asymptomatic, and that you should always be careful when seeng elderly or vulnerable people, that's never changed.

@wobblywinelover - sorry, I didn’t see your thread! Such a minefield.
@Peppapigforlife - the guidance has changed yes so although it seems crazy the school can actually refuse to authorise them being off. My eldest is un sixth form snd currently doing all of his ucas stuff so it’s pretty important he’s there.
I’m getting the children tk test morning snd evening but there’s not much more I can do/ one has had covid recently but the other hasn’t.

Yes of course you can. You are staying in the car if cannot be passed on.

Those saying no .. why not? It's just so ridiculous to me. Kids need to go to school.

Honestly I would and play stupid if anyone stops you. The kids being in school is more important than the risk of spreading COVID. Had it mild/asymptomatic, currently got cold that had gone to my chest had to get antibiotics. The rumour is they are stopping testing in April anyway

Utterly ridiculous that kids are still expected to be in school

I have covid right now and am driving my dc to school every day - they're in year 11, i live in remote village and there's no way he's staying at home, missing his mocks because someone thinks i can transmit covid through my car window! Police will not give a shit about this

Thank you all- far more sensible here than some of the replies over on @wobblywinelover thread where it’s turned into a bun fight about why children should be independent and get themselves to school!!

Two take seats from there- one person called 119 three times snd was reassured that yes you can take them. Another poster linked to the legal document about isolation exemptions- paragraph 2, c says ‘to fulfil legal obligations’.
Parents have a legal obligation to take their children to school. So I’m taking that.

I know lots of people are saying to use common sense but I think, when you’ve been totally law abiding for the whole covid situation, it’s nice to ask for collective wisdom sometimes.

No. It is illegal.

Practically I don’t know how it works.

I know lots of people are saying to use common sense but I think, when you’ve been totally law abiding for the whole covid situation, it’s nice to ask for collective wisdom sometimes. yeah I agree and to be honest most people's common sense probably hasn't had to deal with a pandemic before this one!

No, we're in the exact same situation at the moment. We've been making do with a combination of friends offering lifts and taxis for other journeys. Haven't got anything sorted for Friday yet, if we can't find transport they will have to stay at home.
And to be honest, we (me and DH both have covid at the same time) have felt so ill the last few days there's actually no way we'd have been fit enough to drive anyway. I have found that we got steadily worse over the first 4/5 days.