Should I carry on working?

[devotion]

Hello

I run music classes for children under five, i am self employed. I am on a break at the moment but start back in August.

I am 12 weeks pregnant and know some of the mothers coming with their children will be pregnant and all the children are high risk being under five.

My dh wants me to stop holding the classes until this is all over. This is my work and I need to work so I can get enough weeks in to get my maternity pay.

Obviously I dont want to put myself or baby at risk, I want to do the right thing.

I thought I could minimise the risk by displaying a sign on the door asking parents to not bring their child in if they or their child have any symptoms, I will also have a large bottle of antispetic hand wash for parents and children to use before coming in.

Do you think that is over the top?

I am just trying to protect myself, the children and any other pregnant women.

Also, do all pregnant women have to take the medication? I read the relenza's side effect can be wheezing. I suffer from panic attacks and anything that effects my breathing would trigger one - weirdo I know

I am really funny about taking meds and I;ve read alot of people get it mild so does that mean you only need it if its a bad case?

Thank you for your opinion on this.

Are you planning on not mixing with any people until this is all over?

I know it sounds over the top, to be honest its my dh who is really worried and does not want me to continue my classes.

He thinks because I am self employed and I can minimise my risk that I should stop.

But if one in three is going to get it then I will probably get it from someone anyway.

Plus if I was going to go this far then I would take my dd out of nursery, she goes twice a week.

Do you think its too over the top to take the precautions suggested if I do continue my classes.

I know if I was going to a class who were taking these precautions that I would feel happy that the risks of catching it off another adult or mum while i was there would be minimised.

I would say a sign asking parents not to bring children if they or their child have symptoms is perfectly reasonable. Same for the hand wash. You are just educating people on how they should be behaving anyway.
If people weren't selfish they wouldn't bring ill children to a class anyway as they would think of the risks to others.

Also don't forget you should be cleaning any instruments the children are touching everyday too.

Good luck with you pregnancy!

Of course you should carry on working.

oh gosh of course you should carry on. does your dh think you should stay in the house alone for the duration of pregnancy?

if it was me I would carry on to be honest, with the sign and the handwash and dettoling all the instruments regularly

Yes you should carry on. There are steps you can take to minimise the risk and control to what extent you are in contact with anyone symptomatic, as you've described.

Your dd being in a nursery you have no control over is more of a risk to you, as is your DH (presumably) travelling and going to work everyday.

I think the steps that you've outlined above sound reaonable and sensible. It would be encouraging as a parent to see such common sense being exercised.

I agree, your precautions are sensible and will probably be reassuring to parents who attend. After all, they will be having similar anxieties at the moment.