Fellow pregnant teachers -how are you feeling about Coronavirus?

[mouse1234567]

Hi all,

Teacher here -26 weeks pregnant. Just wondering how everyone else is feeling about working in schools and the spread of coronavirus? I’m feeling quite vulnerable and although it’s great that kids don’t seem to suffer badly from Coronavirus -I feel a bit like Boris doesn’t really care too much about the staff who work at schools and may suffer more! I understand it would cause huge social disruption-but also find it frustrating when I’m hearing about others working from home!

Also interested to hear if you schools are taking any special measures?

All the best.

Hi!

I'm a high school teacher and 24 weeks with triplets! I'm also feeling extremely vulnerable !

I don't have any answers - just that I feel exactly the same! Nothings been done in my school.. the cleaners don't even clean the tables

I feel exactly the same and very worried but as I’m so early still - 9 weeks - I haven’t really told anyone so can’t even voice my concerns openly

@Prettylittlelady I am still early in my pregnancy too so haven't wanted to tell anyone about it yet, but working in a school does make me worry more about the risks. I am tempted to tell my head of department soon just so he will understand what's going on in my head but I didn't really want to tell anyone until after my first scan.

It's tough, as they want to keep schools open forever and we're being dismissed as panicky if we want to raise this as an issue. No special measures undertaken in the school I am in at the moment (long term supply). Apparently there does not seem to be a lot about any adverse effects on pregnancies, but if you f.ex need to go to triage, it will be very difficult, and I am worried about that- how will we get there, how easy or difficult will it be to be seen by anybody, how will NHS cope with the strain, will there be enough midwives and doctors to take care of patients etc?
I feel very disappointed by the school and the whole system as I know other countries where the virus is not as advanced as in here took much stricter measures, what is happening in the UK is not fot for purpose.

Hi all-seems there are a lot of us worrying. The kids are just so bad at cleanliness aren’t they!

For those of you in early pregnancy it must be stressful -I think if you have a discreet boss and feel able to it might be worth mentioning?

@Helena112 triplets -congrats. But yes u must be feeling very vulnerable.

Apparently people with coughs and fever should be off for a week from tomo -that would mean sending a lot of the kids home -not sure how much schools will enforce this? But it would make me feel better!

@MonaLisaDoesntSmile I also feel that the school I’m at isn’t taking many measures-which makes me more concerned-but I guess the government is not giving much instruction either! Yes it seems like -the keep calm and carry on Britishness is in play here!!

Bloody hell @Helena112 - can you get signed off? I’m not advocating shirking but I’d be faking a cough under your circumstances if need be. I think you’re an exceptional case! (Also, massive congratulations and good luck!)

I'm 8 weeks and feeling incredibly frustrated right now. I've actually told HR already partly because of this, as I wanted to be able to say I wasn't comfortable being in if it came to it. Today at school there were some suggestions we might be closing next week at some point, but Johnson's announcement will have scuppered that. I am worried now... The official reassurance that there are no risks is great, except that obviously women in China etc haven't had it while in the first trimester, which is obviously the danger time anyway.

Schools are such a hotbed of disease anyway, I'm not sure people outside of education realise this!

@mouse1234567 It's not even the kids, it's the fact that anyone can carry it and not know that freaks me out a bit and that no one addresses. Even if kids wash hands and I wash hands, you can still get it and pass on when you breathe. I have two other kids, no one to help out if I need to self-isolate, so I will be exposing them too. It's hard not to use staffroom, canteen, equipment is not desinfected at all between uses...

I'm pregnant and work in a bank. I'm also feeling very vulnerable as I see a lot of people on a day to day basis and some people are just gross. Today I had one person cough on me and another pass me their card that they'd been holding in their mouth. We haven't been supplied with anti bac gel because everywhere is sold out.

Sorry, I'm not a teacher but was intrigued in the post.

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and found this page really helpful. Of course, it's early days and they can only work with the info they have, but I found it reassuring that, yes, our immunity is lowered during pregnancy but there is no evidence unborn babies are at risk.

www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/national-guidance-on-managing-coronavirus-infection-in-pregnancy-published/

I do TA roles in secondary schools. I'm really not comfortable at the moment - I wouldn't normally be worried but being 15 weeks it makes me feel very vulnerable.

I don't really need to be working at the moment (we do fine on partners salary) and I do agency TA and other education roles. Because I'm agency I can leave at any time, but I've only been in this role for a week. I kind of would feel a bit silly if I quit now, but on the other hand feel like it's for the best!

I'm very conflicted!!

Lots of pregnant ladies will be at the front line of coronavirus, teachers I wouldnt class as one of them! Lots of pregnant woman are in much worse situations with no option to work at home and even if/ when schools close many other pregnant woman wont have that luxury.

@ALC1985 does it mean we can't be concerned?

@mouse1234567 Hi mouse! So pleased to see you and hear that your pregnancy is going well. I'm a couple of weeks behind you but I'm scared too! Your post could have summed up my thoughts exactly. I'm worried that the kids could be carriers and pass it on and that BJ doesn't care about people working in schools. I wish I knew what his personal advice to his fiance was as she must be at a similar stage to us!

I'm actually starting mat leave Monday, but I'm feeling anxious, because of teachers attitude of invincibility (I am guilty of this too) dragging yourself in when you're on deaths door, I can't imagine any teachers self quarantining for a cough... which ibviiusly isn't at all helpful at all.

Luckily, it doesn't look too bad for baby/ mum, but I'm generally nervous about my dad who is very unwell and think those teachers who haul themselves in aren't thinking about those more vulnerable people this is all in place to protect.

I also think that general pregnancy anxiety is making things so much worse for me.

@ALC1985 I totally agree that many pregnant women will be in much more vulnerable positions and really admire and am grateful for those who work for example in the NHS and caring roles and look after us so well. All the same -this is just a space for some of us to share our worries and I think they are warranted-teachers or not. One can help it if they feel worried and anxious. And the fact is many people in far less vulnerable roles are being allowed to work from home already (though I do understand this is not a given and many are still in work) and this would make me much more comfortable.

I'm pregnant
I teach 150 a week.

The RCM published a report on corona and pregnancy on Monday:
https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/coronavirus-covid-19-virus-infection-in-pregnancy-2020-03-09.pdf

The consensus is that we are at no greater risk and nor are our babies.

@Josiejo12 I feel for you -why are people so disgusting with personal hygiene -especially at this time!

@Miltonj I would be tempted to step back from your role if you don’t really need to be working and feel uncomfortable?

@mynameisntlouise thanks for the link-it certainly is reassuring -I just hope the information for pregnant ladies continues to be positive.

@Zest11 hi! Glad all going well for you too. All these years of infertility and now this hey!! Just as I was starting to relax about the pregnancy now I can feel him! I thought he exactly the same re his fiancé -she must be due very similar time! I am trying to be positive but -about 20% of the class are always ill and spluttering everywhere!! I also worry about potential of developing pregnancy complications down the line -I have a gestational diabetes test next week and am at higher risk of pre eclampsia -toe conditions that are higher risk . Fingers crossed I remain healthy!

@ser91 congrats on starting maternity leave -I’m with you on general preg anxiety! I agree -we have to actually think of others and stay off if we are ill-as do the kids tho!

@Flora20 schools are such a hotbed too are right! I feel for you in the first trimester and agree -there is no research now so who knows how vulnerable you are. Try to stay positive tho and remember you are you are young and healthy and not too many weeks left till the second tri. All the best

@SpaceDinosaur yes I agree at the moment it’s looking good -I just hope it continues that way.

I am also on long term supply and beginning to feel quite stressed about it all. We are pregnant with our third baby as we lost two previous baby boys due to extreme prematurity. So with only being 16 weeks I am feeling very vulnerable. I don’t know who to turn to. The school are very much on the ball with cleanliness and preparation for closure but its the kids they are 5/6 year olds cleanliness isn’t on their agenda. I am contacting my midwife Monday morning for advice I am not taking any risks. X

I am 32 weeks and have heart disease! The anxiety I feel about going to work is overwhelming. All my other high risk/pregnant friends are working from home, but there's just no option to do that as a teacher. I am considering just taking early maternity leave to be honest. BJ isn't really considering those vulnerable people HAVING to go into work everyday.

@Micheal2019 I’m so sorry to hear about your two previous babies, what a tough time you have had and of course you must be very worried. Unfortunately cleanliness and having a school plan for this isn’t so good where I work. Also I want to start sending the kids home that are coughing, but whether the school will and the parents will be tricky!

@Rcurtin87 that must be very stressful for you with your heart disease. I have a colleague (not pregnant) with heart troubles who feels very vulnerable. We are just so trapped in public sector work and there is no bending the rules -we just had to wait for the government.

Most people I know pregnant are now working from home and it all just feels a bit unfair. I am only 27 weeks and really don’t want to give up work early but am also considering whether I will want to return after Easter if it’s still rife and we are all made to return.

I am nearly 35 weeks pregnant and I’m starting to get a little nervous now. I’m a primary teacher and due to go on maternity leave in two weeks. After watching the question and answers on Sky News this evening, I’m seriously considering not going into work. The health expert on there said that they cannot be certain that if you catch the virus, that it will not pass onto the baby in the womb. With it being so new, who knows what complications could happen. Because it is so uncertain I’m starting to think I can’t risk it x

@user1493400455 I think at 35 weeks I would seriously consider taking maternity leave. It’s not to much extra really. Having said that, if schools close at the end of next week you may regret not holding out??