End of isolation

[AnEpisodeOfEastenders]

Boris Johnson has indicated the requirement to isolate after a positive Covid test will be scrapped at the end of this month. All I can say is about time too! Let's get back to life.

I think we all understand this has to happen some time but I wish they'd kept to the original timescale and waited for the rates to drop a bit more at least. It does feel like a deflection on Johnson's part.

I'm really anxious - DD, just turned 11, is mildly vulnerable and they've just given the go ahead for her to be vaccinated - but she's had Covid twice in six weeks, hasn't recovered well from her second bout at all and can't be vaccinated for another 10 weeks (as it will then be 12 weeks since she had it). I'm so worried she'll get it again in that time as it's still rife in her school.

What I wish more than anything is that the government would sort out proper sick pay, decent pay to allow people to stay at home and recover - particularly important when this moves from law to guidance. But of course, they won't, and people will still be forced to go out when unwell.

@CloudsandTeacups

Is adequately ventilated spaces really a draconian adjustment? This would be the greatest help and was promised (but unsurprisingly has not been delivered) These staff work annually through flu season without issue. I do not think telling them to do something else is the solution. I do think the government adequately ventilating teaching spaces would help and stronger messaging about vaccines.

I'm all for better ventilation, but thinking that would cause Covid to all but disappear from schools, and make classroom's "safe" for someone who is immunocompromised is very wishful thinking.

If someone is immunocompromised, and at serious risk of Covid, then I'm not sure how they've managed perfectly well all these years in a germ-infested school! When my DM had chemo and was immunocompromised as a result, I isolated from her when I had a cold as we knew that would be a risk, and that was years ago.

Very unlikely to get Omicron twice... She almost certainly had Delta then Omicron.

Sorry that was to @changingstages

It would be so helpful if money could be put into schools to help with ventilation, as I am assuming that would help with some other illnesses too.

I know people always hate threads about moaning teachers (and I am not employed in school) but schools have been dealt a really shitty hand throughout this pandemic both from pupils, families and staff point of view. Money has been thrown at many other sectors but not education. From the minute the Government closed schools in the first lockdown they have not had an adequate plan on how to deal with this, hence the reason some schools provided work in the first lockdown and others didn't, as the curriculum was suspended and schools in effect didn't have to teach anything. And it hasn't really improved since. Their first guidance on schools reopening was obviously written by someone who knew Primary schools, and then Secondary schools were somehow shoehorned in. It has been a farce and an absolute nightmare for everyone involved in education.

@Tillyloveslettuce

This isn’t like just ‘all’ infections though - it’s much more contagious. And those saying schools will stabilise, why on earth do you think that? The teachers will still get sick and whilst kids fortunately might not get that sick education staff still can. I’m triple vaxxed and currently off sick with covid, struggling with my asthma and no way I could be in class teaching right now. All of my colleagues who’ve been off this term have been rough too. All this has done has convinced me that I need to resign. I’ve risked my health for others for the past two years and frankly, you don’t deserve it.

Don't blame you.

[quote ihaveonecat]@greenteafiend my condition isn't curable, I am immunocompromised for life and my vulnerability is equal to someone on chemo as my bloods react the same. So not an option so do something for a time being[/quote]
I feel sorry for you, but if it wasnt covid it would be flu or norovirus you'd be at risk from.

I had to isolate from my Grandad when he was having chemo when I had a cold, and I was a carer for my Nan at the time. Illness wise i felt fine, albeit tired and snotty, but able to go about my day. This is where covid is now.

I'd be concerned that you're so blinkered to only covid matters, that you're underestimating the much more serious risks you would face from something like the flu or noro etc. Even for the CEV covid isnt as deadly as MN would have you believe

@Nidan2Sandan not blinkered but if I start adding noro/flu/colds to my list, I will never be able to leave the house ever. And that's a terrifying thought to be housebound for life

@toomuchlaundry

It would be so helpful if money could be put into schools to help with ventilation, as I am assuming that would help with some other illnesses too.

I know people always hate threads about moaning teachers (and I am not employed in school) but schools have been dealt a really shitty hand throughout this pandemic both from pupils, families and staff point of view. Money has been thrown at many other sectors but not education. From the minute the Government closed schools in the first lockdown they have not had an adequate plan on how to deal with this, hence the reason some schools provided work in the first lockdown and others didn't, as the curriculum was suspended and schools in effect didn't have to teach anything. And it hasn't really improved since. Their first guidance on schools reopening was obviously written by someone who knew Primary schools, and then Secondary schools were somehow shoehorned in. It has been a farce and an absolute nightmare for everyone involved in education.

This. Although I think I get more wound up by people moaning about teachers' valid concerns, than teachers expressing them.

[quote ihaveonecat]@Nidan2Sandan not blinkered but if I start adding noro/flu/colds to my list, I will never be able to leave the house ever. And that's a terrifying thought to be housebound for life [/quote]
And I hope you don't add those to your list... You've clearly lived life as a teacher without any serious consequences despite it being full of bugs. Given you have anti-virals, doesn't that change the equation for you re Covid?

@treeflowercat

Sorry that was to *@changingstages*

Yes, the timescale of when she had it made us think this was the case - but the data for Omicron reinfection is still not very clear, as far as I can see. Are you coming to that point of view with stats to back it up, because if so I would really, really like to see them - it's really stressing me out!

Nobody I know who have recently had covid would stay at home if they had it again. We all work with the public

Most people had few symptoms and were bored!

If there's no pay then they would be In Work, no question.not ssp either, they have bills to pay.

@treeflowercat not a teacher
And it might do yes but it might not, and I'm just asking people to be a TINY bit empathetic

Seriously half of me thinks fuck it catch it, the other half thinks you already have a million rate conditions, long covid is fairly likely. I've been to the supermarket and the shops in the last two years, that's it. I don't socialise at all, I don't go to pubs, bars, restaurants, shopping centres, date, and I'm about to hand my notice in at work where I have been for 5 years

I'm already on citalopram and seeing how much people keep telling me it's fine and going on about other viruses is enraging. I'm listening to blood cancer U.K. and my consultant and what they are saying is very different to what is being said on here

If I went and told my consultant I had been out and about because other people said it was fine and there were anti virals and flu was as much of a risk I would get a WTAF face from him

Supermarkets and shops are no different to any other public place though?

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat nice bit of generalising there about a whole profession.
My local GP surgery literally had the door shutters down for more than 18 months, well beyond the double vaccination period for the general population. Just because my local surgery offered a poor service doesn’t mean that all GPs are rubbish.

I also dislike the sense of doing things for the greater good from your post (being a shining example…) as this is what all staff in my school already do and have done since before Covid because they care about the school community. This kind of rhetoric is also always used to justify piling more and more responsibilities on the staff in schools with no funds or time to do it in. The paltry covid catch up budget being an example of this.

Anyway, back to the end of isolation topic. This was always on the cards when covid becomes endemic. I don’t trust the PM though and believe it’s a political stunt to introduce this early with the aim of detracting from all the negative press he is getting.

@DoctorSnortles

Fucking marvellous. Schools will continue to be great fun to work in. All the folk who talk about how 'the poor children have suffered enough' let's see how you like it when teaching staff drop like flies and your precious moppets are back to remote learning.

I'm into my 3rd week of absence as it's hit me so hard. V hard day today, no idea if I'll be back next week. I hope so but I'm not pushing it. Staff will still be off with this.

I'm pleased. I believe it's the right step.

Teachers won't get it over and over again.

My friend working Covid wards has had it twice and needed the full two weeks or more to recover.

I think the end of isolation should wait until all vulnerable 5-11 year olds have been offered their vaccine. Not sure how far we are with this as a country yet?

I'd love to hear what the long term plan would be instead from the 'you selfish bastards' brigade

Don't hold your breath; since there have been no workable answers in 2 years I doubt there'll be any now

Realistically Boris is doing this to save his own political skin, but it had to happen some time and now seems as good a one as any, while there's at least something left

@WarriorN

Teachers won't get it over and over again.

My friend working Covid wards has had it twice and needed the full two weeks or more to recover.

But this is not the norm. And if they are working on covid wards, their viral load would presumably be much higher than what the average person (or teacher) is exposed to

@GirlInACountrySong

Supermarkets and shops are no different to any other public place though?

Well I couldn't get a food delivery, and I needed antibiotics for a UTI urgently but they couldn't deliver them for 2 weeks and the covid help system has vanished as covid is no longer an issue apparently so that was that

It's hard to isolate 24/7 without support to enable that

Also why should your health condition dictate your ability to do a job

DP is epileptic, he also wanted to be a pilot. Using your argument he should have been able to be allowed to fly a plane then? After all his health condition shouldn't dictate his ability to do that right?

But this is not the norm. And if they are working on covid wards, their viral load would presumably be much higher than what the average person (or teacher) is exposed to

Viral load apparently doesn't seem to be a factor when I looked into that. We caught from my toddler and were surprised at how bad we were.

I've teaching colleagues who've caught it twice and one 4 times now.

Hopefully newer variants may enable better immunity 🤞 but who knows? Omicron didn't. It's not as serious but it does lead to extra absence everywhere.

No isolation will help schools definitely but it will also mean more do actually catch it. I suppose it's a transition period but we've no idea what new variants could emerge.

It's hard to isolate 24/7 without support to enable that

BINGO! Yes, you're right. It is hard to isolate without support and yet we are asking people up and down the country, many of whom arent even unwell, to do just that!!!

Glad to see you've just cottoned on as to why the isolation system now has to end, as its doing more harm than good.