Teachers - Anyone else worried?

[foundlingfar]

Any teachers on here concerned about the current covid stats? I am surrounded by kids in my class who's families are isolating, they clearly have symptoms but have tested negative so are able to attend school. I feel like I can't do anything to protect myself and my family 😕. I work with very little children so I'm constantly tying shoe laces, helping to zip up coats, comforting children etc. I'm just so anxious and feel like other workers have been told to 'work from home' or 'limit contact' whereas teachers have been largely expected to get on with it. I know we're not the only ones but in primary, we aren't even allowed to wear masks as children need to see us speak etc. I know this is an awful thing to say as I love my job and children, but it's like we are putting the kids before our own health?! And come of us have families and our own children too!

I've accepted that I will get it at some point soon. We have loads of kids or siblings isolating etc. I have my windows open and gel my hands but that doesn't help when you're accidentally sneezed on. I can't see an alternative though. It isn't fair on the kids to not be in- I want my children to be in their school too. I do feel that media keep forgetting primary and nursery are forgetten.

Forgotten*

But surely the purpose of working from home is to avoid overwhelming the nhs, that we're not all off sick at the same time. It's not to protect people from catching omicron?

I’ve become kind of resigned to getting it but yes it’s shit. It’s so strange talking to non key worker friends who’ve been WFH they basically live in a different world to those of us out and about!

I’m a supply teacher so if I get it I don’t get paid as well and I’m living pay cheque to pay cheque as it is. luckily I don’t live with anyone vulnerable but I’d love to go visit my 93 year old grandma but I’m constantly covering classes riddled with covid so I can’t.

I'm the same. Stuck between a rock and a hard place - I don't want the children to be off as it isn't fair, but working so closely with children and therefore up to 30 families at a time, it's so tricky to stay safe. Just a moan really - anxiety levels have been high all week trying to avoid the coughs and sneezes!

I hear ya! I work in a classroom with windows that don’t open, and we have told we are to sit with the children when we are not teaching from the front, so no more sitting at the teacher’s desk or keeping a ‘safe’ distance. Kids are coughing and sneezing, and hardly any are keeping masks on. They may have done a test in school this week, but so many aren’t testing at home. 😫

I’m the last one in my department still in, and we are on day 3!!! I also spent a whole inset day in a room with them all so guessing I’m about to test positive, can’t work out if this will be a welcomed
Relief!

I'm not worried about getting ill (have now had it twice...) but I AM worried about the growing levels of chaos and stress at work associated.

But even those 'working from home' often have children or teenagers coming and going, carrying the virus.

@Birdkin

That’s what I find the shittest, avoiding vulnerable family members as worried I’ll pass on covid

University staff are also in work too (at least at my uni they are!) I have a few colleagues that are refusing to come back on to campus this term. Unfortunately there are going to be some disruptions to the student experience as a result.

I appreciate that some people are genuinely at risk from this variant but I'm not particularly concerned myself and would much rather be in work than wfh which became stressful and monotonous for me. Like a pp I don't think education should be disrupted again unless there's really no other option.

I'm worried about the disruption but not about Covid itself. It feels as fruitless as avoiding a cold in winter right now.

At the moment, we're very lucky. Just 1 teacher and about 15 children off with it. But it feels like a ticking time bomb to mayhem.

To be honest, I wish asymptomatic testing woukd just go and people go for proper tests or just stay off if at all unwell. Seems like the only way we'll get through.

If they have symptoms they should be doing PCRs

I returned to teaching in 2020-dont ask! I knew I was at risk so lost a bit of weight. Managed not to catch it until Christmas hols-from my non-teaching husband. Triple jabbed and was fine. You are likely to get it but not necessarily from school. We just have to get in with it now I’m afraid.

I agree - this week has seemed like a ticking time bomb. Already 4 staff down within 3 days but hardly any children off at all, although some clearly have symptoms. I guess it's up to the parents and families to make the decision whether to test their children or not - and I fear most aren't doing that.

@foundlingfar

Cant you send them to student services (or whatever your schools calls it) and tell them to call parents/carers to collect and test.

I do this when a kid is clearing coughing

And out nursery does this

It's tough on everyone and I don't think there is an definite answer. I too have resigned to the fact that I will probably get it a 2nd or even 3rd time.
The current situation is uncharted territory, all we can do is sit back and watch the situation unfold. (That is what the government is doing anyway)

I don't think we can - I guess it's up to the parents whether their child attends school and we just have to get on with it I suppose! Coughs and sneezes are common amongst young children, it's just tricky when you know some families are isolating yet the children are visibly unwell.

Honestly, no, I’m not worried.
I may or may not catch it, I may or may not catch many things.
I’m triple vaccinated.
So is everyone else around me.
We have only 1 child off at the moment and all staff in as normal.
I would be more concerned about disruption than covid.
I also really dislike the phrase ‘keeping everyone safe’. It’s meaningless. You can’t keep people safe from life unless you never allow them to leave the house. And even then approximately 6000 people are killed in household accidents every year.

I feel like a sitting duck between my own class of 33 and then my 3 children all in different classes - we are exposed to sooooo many families. It is what it is, I suppose.

@foundlingfar

Speak to your line manager; a coughing kid who’s family have covid defo should have a negative pcr before being in class. I wouldn’t put up with that.

What makes you think you’ll be unsafe if you catch the current variant? Are you CEV? Unvaccinated?

For the vast, vast majority Omicron is extremely mild or has no symptoms.

And yes, I’m a key worker who has been in work throughout the pandemic and I’m vulnerable.

At this stage my concerns are chaos, workload created from the and the temperature. Ive ordered a thermometer so my whining can be backed up with accurate data. Last january I was teaching in rooms at 11degrees.

One thing which would partially help would be to get air filters into every classroom

Please sign and share the petition for government funding to do this petition.parliament.uk/petitions/595205

We're nearly at 9000 signatures and at 10 000 the government has to respond. It's also been retweeted by Professor Christina Pagel.

Everyone is going to get covid eventually, whatever their occupation. It isn't just school staff at risk, remember those DC with it are bringing it home to their family too. We all just need to get on with it now I am afraid! Keep yourself as healthy as you can, get the vaccines if you can and brace yourself. Thankfully omicron is not serious for most people.