Nursery rejected DC because of Covid contact

[DinoRoar345]

DH has Covid. DS and I don’t (negative PCR and multiple LFTs). So I need to take DS to nursery and go to work. I said to nursery, if DS seems unwell please call me because he’s been exposed to Covid. And they said he can’t come in, please take him home!

Government policy is if you’re double jabbed or under 18 you do not have to isolate even if you’re a contact of someone with Covid. I need to go to work but now I have no childcare! Can I complain to council or Ofsted or something? I can’t stay off work for ten days when I don’t even have Covid.

So are you ok if other child with household covid case was allowed to attend and potentially infect your child, and you had to take time off work because of it?
Those are the government rules 🤷‍♀️
Honestly I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I thought they would kick DS out for a fortnight. But I checked the rules and it says quite clearly that contacts don’t need to isolate. So I thought it was fine to take him to nursery. I won’t be so honest next time!

I won’t be so honest next time! And so if your DS then transmits Covid to other children and their families you will be fine with that? Nice

I hope they are not charging you for the ten days because your child could have already been contagious for days before even showing symptoms

Its actually ridiculous that we are put in this situation of making it up asked go along my sons entire class was considered close contacts so they all pcr tested and carried on at school (primary) in my other sons secondary they were all close contacts so they pcr tested and did twn days of lateral flow tests but again carried on at school

What are people going to do when they decide to remove tests next year?

By the way have you checked whether your employer actually wants you at work? Because they face the same issue. My employer was more understanding about isolating as a result of contact with Covid rather than looking after children with chicken pox because Chicken Pox was not going to potentially infect the whole team!

Where its all gone wrong is part of you is worried that your child does have covid - that's why you asked them to look out for it - so you have now made the nursery worried that they might have it too and infect all the other children.
If it was the other way around and you heard another parent drop their child off while saying please watch them for covid signs....wouldn't that freak you out and you would worry about your child getting it?

Usually, if he stays isolated from your husband and you do a PCR test on day 5 for you and your child you can argue with the nursery he should be OK to go back.

@DinoRoar345
I think this is one of the most entitled posts I’ve seen in a while on MN. You are paying for childcare, not paying to put others at possible risk you know. You’ve already said you don't want your DH to look after your DC because you feel it increases your DC's risk but you expect the nursery to increase everyone's risk by letting children attend when there is Covid in their household. An unbelievably nasty and selfish attitude. We are still in the midst of a pandemic, grow up, stop being so selfish and realise you have to adapt to situations, just like everyone else.

The British government guidelines are nuts. Unvaccinated people, regardless of age, are far more likely to catch covid especially if it's in the household. Bringing a child who is a household contact to nursery is one way to ensure it rips through the entire place.

Your husband will have to look after your child. Yes I know he is ill. He will still have to, like the rest of us.

I honestly think that if you're a just close contact a PCR should be sufficient, but given how high household transmission is, if covid is in your household all members should isolate.

I think nursery were fine to do that to be honest, if two or three staff members test positive they'd probably have to close anyway due to ratios so you'd be in a no better position really! They have to consider their staff and families, and all the other children and their families

Blimey OP I really can’t believe your stupidity!
How will we ever get Covid under control when people like you want to spread it around without thought for anyone else ???
It doesn’t really matter what the ‘official rules’ are - surely common sense should prevail?! My 2 children had Covid one after the other - even though I’m double vaccinated I took the logical sensible steps in only going out in an absolute emergency JUST IN CASE I happened to carry it! Common sense!

@ittakes2

Usually, if he stays isolated from your husband and you do a PCR test on day 5 for you and your child you can argue with the nursery he should be OK to go back.

I'm not sure thr nursery will believe the child has been completely isolated from the DH but in the same house - and I'm not sure I would, either.

I'd ask for a refund for those days since it's against Government guidelines.

I know the government says they don't have to isolate but i would still keep my DC off nursery tbf.
I don't blame the nursery for saying no.

I think as nursery have refused to take dc, then your husband needs to stop locking himself in the bedroom and take care of the child instead. He has to stay home. Child has to stay home. Done.

Go to work.

It’s not entitled or stupid at all, it’s the government rules so OP did nothing wrong. Unfortunately Op, you were obviously too honest in this case.
I’m glad my children could go to school when their brother had Covid, I did actually offer to keep them off but was told no and am glad they didn’t miss over a week of lessons for no reason.

I don’t want DC to catch it

But you are more than happy to send him to nursery for other children to potentially catch it.

Selfish Woman.

While they can refuse to take them, they can't charge you for services not provided.

The nursery will be following their own policy on infectious diseases, in fact they undoubtedly have a specific covid policy. My childminder is similar - I had to collect my toddler and not bring her back without a negative PCR test because she developed a cough - but I consider it entirely reasonable as she is protecting herself, her family, her business and her clients.
Given how the infection rates are so high among school aged children, I think that the government guidance about children attending school with positive cases in their household is beyond batshit, and understand why childcare settings aren't following it.

Own rules are being made up, as government ones are so loose! In my workplace, covid household contacts work from home (appreciate we are able to do this, many aren’t). Most friends who have a case in the household have cancelled non essential plans.

I appreciate childcare isn’t quite the same and I think it’s quite harsh BUT on the other hand, if I was a parent of the other children I’d appreciate it. Will nursery consider daily testing of your child as an alternative?

@Namechangehereandnow

Blimey OP I really can’t believe your stupidity! How will we ever get Covid under control when people like you want to spread it around without thought for anyone else ??? It doesn’t really matter what the ‘official rules’ are - surely common sense should prevail?! My 2 children had Covid one after the other - even though I’m double vaccinated I took the logical sensible steps in only going out in an absolute emergency JUST IN CASE I happened to carry it! Common sense!

I agree it’s common sense but OP has a job to do and now can’t do it! If the government wanted us to apply these rules, they need to make it guidance or law, not just rely on those that have a moral conscience. As there are plenty out there who don’t!

@ShinyHappyPoster

You don't want your DH to look after your DC because you feel it increases your DC's risk but you expect the nursery to increase everyone's risk by letting children attend when there is Covid in their household. That's quite a selfish attitude. As for your work, it's your decision regarding your DH and your DC that's impacting whether you go to work or not. FWIW I know lots of adults who have stayed home for the first 5 days after their DP's positive test just to make sure they don't test positive too.

I personally think the government should have kept some sort of isolation for household contacts in place, maybe not for the 10 days, but for 4-5 days then a PCR then release if negative. I know some cases take longer than that, but surely we'd catch a reasonable amount of cases before they can be spread?

The nursery can refuse access if they like but they can't charge you if they're not providing a service.

Private nursery? Can do what they like, you should never have mentioned it.

OP, you're keeping your DC separated from your DH because you don't want them to catch it. This means you should understand that other parents will feel the same way – whether that's because they are worried about their child being unwell or worried about the disruption to work, social life etc.

The best solution here (if your work definitely want you in) is for your DH to care for DC whilst you're at work. Yes, there's a greater chance of it spreading through your household. But that's just life at the moment. You were quite happy for your DC to go to nursery, putting others at risk of the worry/inconvenience you're trying to avoid!