Pregnant teacher in covid tier 4

[Luckynumber5]

Hi all,
I’m just wondering what precautions are being put in place for pregnant teachers in schools in tier 4 (am in London) with the new more contagious covid variant? RCOG (and my doctor) says strict social distancing and doctor also advised wearing a mask. Currently 24 weeks pregnant but very worried about getting sick with covid after CDC research showed pregnant women 4x more likely to go to ICU, especially in 3rd trimester. Midwife also said pregnant women with covid need to be checked for blood clots. Local authority and Union will support working from home after 28 wks. School have said they will support this too. Wondering if there have been any changes for anyone with increased risk in school? Legally, the workplace must not pose any additional risk to staff than outside the workplace so I’m interested to see what schools are doing to meet this obligation.

P.S please no posting of replies saying ‘pregnant women at no higher risk’ as my doctor has clearly told me this is not the case.

@Glitterynails thank you for posting this.. does make it much clearer that without being able to social distance we shouldn’t be in, no matter the gestation. This should help some of us. It’s in the Gov reopening schools document that schools need to follow so I think if they still refuse then it would be reasonable to go further with this.

Also the NEU posted new advice last night calling for schools/gov to ..

review of all risk assessments in the light of the much higher transmission of the new variant.

Social distancing of 1 metre between pupils in all schools and colleges to replace the current practice of cohort distancing which allows whole year groups to mix without any social distancing.

Masks to be worn by pupils and staff in secondary school classrooms and colleges

School staff to be made a top priority for vaccination - along with health care staff and starting with the most vulnerable.

Until vaccinated, Clinically Extremely Vulnerable staff and other high risk groups to work from home, supporting children who are at home.

neu.org.uk/press-releases/january-return-school

My risk assessment needs reviewing so for the interim until risks have been re-evaluated and mitigated with strict social distancing I have been allowed to WFH.

Really hope these little changes will help you other ladies to be able to too!

P.S RCOG have also updated their findings if anyone wants to have a read. The ‘over 35’ are more likely to need hospital treatment bit worried me a little as that seems very young- my age in fact

@LittleRa
Keep emailing too so that the responses are in writing and therefore recorded!

I asked to be referred to Occupational health therapist to assess for the risk assessment. I got told to stay and work from home from January until April as that's when I go on my maternity leave. Head wasn't happy but I don't care, my baby is the priority for me and I'm still able to do my job from home. Be firm and persistent. I'm now 22 weeks pregnant

Glitterynails doesn't really help as still so vague. More precautionary could mean wear a visor, wash hands more. Without it saying should not not be working face to face role or should be working from home, we are all still in same situation. Very open to interpretation - who really knows what is safe.

As far as I can see, we can’t work effectively with social distancing 1 metre in a primary school. I can’t help my pupils when I’m not next to them. In small groups this is even harder, in my case impossible. Once we get to 28 weeks, we are even more at risk. I’m not sure how feasible it will be for me work at school. It’s going to be crap having to have these kind of conversations with heads who are unreasonable at the best of times. I’m just hopeful mine will be ok.

[quote Luckynumber5]@LittleRa
Keep emailing too so that the responses are in writing and therefore recorded![/quote]
Definitely!
I have emailed this morning and I put “as you know my consultant has already advised I should not be working in a public facing role where social distancing is not possible but you have mentioned that you have advice that contradicts what my consultant has told me”.
As @Bestofyou1982 just said, it is so hard when it’s still quite open to interpretation. I know my Head will just say well I’ve written you risk assessment.
This morning I’ve spoken to GP surgery reception, hospital antenatal department reception and hospital pregnancy Covid advice line. No one could really tell me anything new and the official line was still to follow the RCOG and Gov website advice. One person did say there may be updated advice coming out from RCOG in light of so many areas being in Tier 4 and to keep an eye on the website.

LittleRa good luck x

I've emailed my head this mirnignaskingnif they are aware of any updates local or national guidance that I could read that impacts my pregnancy risk assessment, following moving into tier 4, being beyond 28 weeks preganant and new variants of covid.
I'm super lucky that my head teacher has been amazing all the way through and is very supportive. Doesn't make it all any easier though, to know what to do for the best especially as I'm part of SMT and school is so busy right now.

@Bestofyou1982 I would expect any head saying that visors and hand washing are satisfactory protection against an airborne virus to produce evidence and reference this in my risk assessment and then sign their name to it for a future law suit.

@Glitterynails absolutely!! My doctor clearly told me visors are of no use as only protects from large droplets of the virus such as a cough or sneeze from someone within a meter. Hand washing doesn’t protect against covid particles in the air.

This issue is causing such stress amongst pregnant staff it’s so unfair we have to fight for our safety on an individual bases and our protection is only coming at the discretion of our head teachers.

My Head, as I've said who is super supportive, has replied to my email saying there is no new guidnace local or national- only for CEV who now should work from home. And for me to let her know of there is anything in my risk assessment I think needs amending. So I'm at a loss now.

I did read that post 28 weeks pregnant women should follow the national guidnace for CEV in which case should be working from home. But there is a weird and/or sentence so not sure if just 28 weeks and more or if need to have an underlying health condition too - unhelpfully all in same paragraph.

@Bestofyou1982

My Head, as I've said who is super supportive, has replied to my email saying there is no new guidnace local or national- only for CEV who now should work from home. And for me to let her know of there is anything in my risk assessment I think needs amending. So I'm at a loss now.

I did read that post 28 weeks pregnant women should follow the national guidnace for CEV in which case should be working from home. But there is a weird and/or sentence so not sure if just 28 weeks and more or if need to have an underlying health condition too - unhelpfully all in same paragraph.

@Bestofyou1982 It’s so rubbish isn’t it that the “advice” is wishy-washy and unclear!!

Where did you read after 28 weeks we should be cev? I’ve just drafted an email to my head. Sigh

Oh the picture! My phone didnt load it. Sorry

Pregnancy isn't CEV. If you refer to the NHS website it's considered a moderate risk only

Hi everyone, pregnant teacher here too. 24 weeks on Monday. I wondered if everyone was planning on emailing HR/HT prior to next week to ask about risk assessment etc or wait and see if anything is said to them?

Honestly all the concerns I had in my initial risk assessment were just brushed aside with "stay at the front" "keep your distance" "sanitise" etc....which made me feel like my concerns weren't taken seriously. I am secondary but also teach PPA primary. The amount of time children come up to the front of the class close to me and have to ask numerous times for them to remain seated. It just isn't feasible yet because tables have been pushed back (which keep moving forward) they have adhered to the 2m distance!?

Honestly worried sick!

Pregnancy isn't CEV. If you refer to the NHS website it's considered a moderate risk only

Well yes, if you have a covid safe workplace that has a chance of implimenting social distancing and appropriate PPE.

This is the LAW for pregnant women from HSE (also referred to on gov site) which overrides all.. it isn’t recommendation or advice from government, unions or RCOG, it is the legal right for all pregnant women and it says we must follow strict social distancing in the work place and where risks can’t be mitigated, working from home or suspended on full pay.

Anyone still working in school after 28 weeks should speak to their union. Mine have told me they will ensure school support it.

@Luckynumber5 Can you post a link to the page you’ve screenshotted there? Thank you

If you read that it says SOME pregnant workers will be at greater risk and defined as CEV. This doesn't say that ALL pregnant workers are.

Id imagine it really depends on the school and the specific circumstances of your pregnancy and what age groups you teach and what measures they have in place already?

Each and every time your 2m distance is breached you need to alert the head teacher. Each and every time. Alert them to the fact that your risk assessment is being breached and the workplace is not safe for you. Log it - follow each verbal alert up with an email. If a child needs assistance (not emergency) call upon the head teacher or someone else senior to deal with it.

@ivfbeenbusy are you a teacher? There are basically no measures in place. We are told to maintain social distancing even though we point out that it is not possible. Washing hands does very little against an airborne virus!

@ivfbeenbusy Are you my Head teacher

Out of interest @ivfbeenbusy, what is your issue? Why do you feel adamant that women in their third trimester of pregnancy who work in schools, of which don't have social distancing or other mitigation procedures in place to protect teachers shouldn't be able to work from home? Covid hasn't been around for long enough to know the full effects during pregnancy on mum and baby, and as appointments ramp up it's safer for midwives and hospital staff too. It isn't saying that pregnant women are all CEV, but as they don't know it's a lot safer to err on the side of caution. I think that's more than fair.

The main thing is that social distancing should be adhered to. Your risk assessment needs to set out how this will be secured and maintained.

Wow a few of us questioning ivf’s stance all cross posting at the same time.