Have you thought about DD / DS having to self isolate over xmas?

[scjo]

My son told me today that there is a group of his fellow students who will not be going into school for the w/c 21st December in case they are exposed to someone who tests positive for CV and as a result has to SI for two weeks, including over Xmas. I am tempted myself to do the same, although it would not look good, especially as they have all missed so much. But my kids need to see their Granny and more importantly, she needs to see them.
Thoughts?

Surely if they wanted to make sure they were 'safe' to see grandparents, they would need to be self-isolating from the week beforehand, though?

When is the end of term for your DC? The schools around here finish on 18 Dec so it's not an issue.

14 days prior to Christmas is the 10th so if they're staying til the 20th it still gives a ten day window of possible infection 🤷🏽‍♀️

@NewModelArmyMayhem18

Surely if they wanted to make sure they were 'safe' to see grandparents, they would need to be self-isolating from the week beforehand, though?

Yes exactly! So stay at home and keep away from the 200 strong bubble at school...

But a 14 day incubation period is very unusual - the vast majority of cases start within 5 days of contact.

@KittenCalledBob we’re seeing cases develop later than 5 days. What’s your evidence or is that anecdotal?

I've thought about it, and if he is, then it's fine. We won't be seeing anyone anyway as ds's remaining grandparents have one of them terminally ill and on palliative chemo now, so even a cold would be too high a risk.

"Yes exactly! So stay at home and keep away from the 200 strong bubble at school..."

No, you'd need to finish school on 10th December

That would halve the risk of isolation but not remove it. Because if anyone in their class got it at any point in the 2 weeks before Christmas then your kids would miss Christmas. A few days less doesn’t remove the risk completely.

However it does significantly lower the risk of them passing it to their grandparents, if you can all isolate for a week before meeting up.

We aren’t doing it as cases are low here and grandparents are moderate risk. I have friends who are stopping on the 18th though, 3 days less school in our area.

[quote m0therofdragons]@KittenCalledBob we’re seeing cases develop later than 5 days. What’s your evidence or is that anecdotal?[/quote]
Isn’t 5 days govt policy for travellers, basically? Self isolate for 5 days then take a negative test & released. So presumably there is some evidence somewhere.

They'd need to be pulled out of school earlier than that.

Incubation period aside, if you're track and traced any time after the 10th then your Christmas - by rights - is off. You'll be isolating.

It's not about our catching it, teens are typically asymptomatic, it's about abiding by self-isolating rules. If DS or DD was sent home to SI, they would have to be home for Xmas.

Both of mine are at home due to a burst bubble, one until 7th and one until 14th. If they get sent home again we will not be seeing anyone at xmas

If it's the children saying it, is it because they are concerned about Granny, or because they don't want to be self-isolating over the holiday ?

And if they don't go to school, will they be isolating at home, or going out with their friends?

@KittenCalledBob only about 1/2 of cases are within 5 days, @m0therofdragons I agree , but a 50% reduction is a good start

Yes I’ve thought about it. If they have to isolate then they have to isolate. I’d still rather they were in school for that last week after all they’ve missed until now.

DS school are doing total remote learning on Teams from 14th December to allow the kids a chance to isolate and be able to see family over the festive period. All of the lessons will be live, as if they are in school and they are expected to join all of the lessons.

It won't be the same as being in school, but at least it's making the best of of a difficult situation.

Exactly my point! What a great idea from the school.

@scjo

Exactly my point! What a great idea from the school.

Yeah, brilliant if you’re at home or have secondary aged children. Not sure the hospital I work at will be keen if I tell them I can’t run those particular clinics that week as my children will be at home. Especially as most of my colleagues have school aged children too so they’d be closing down entire departments.

Is it a private school, swimmum? The DfE have overruled state schools who have tried to do this using powers under the Coronavirus Act.

If you’re afraid of self isolation over Christmas then you should all self isolate from the 10th to be sure. So no shopping, no going to work, no eating out, no meeting up with people outside. Self isolating means self isolating so no going out at all
I assume you’re not working because I can’t see many employers going for that one.

If you’re prepared to go half way then you should be prepared to go all the way.

I suspect the parents taking the kids out early are doing so because they’re planning to travel earlier and spend more time with family than the rules are permitting, I don’t believe for a second it has anything to do with not wanting to self isolate over Christmas.

I was about to ask the same thing @noblegiraffe

@noblegiraffe

Is it a private school, swimmum? The DfE have overruled state schools who have tried to do this using powers under the Coronavirus Act.

It's a state secondary school, but a faith school, so the Governors approved it apparently. I suppose they have managed to get around the rules by stating that learning still continues, but entirely live online. They tested the systems recently and had a whole day of remote learning.

Slightly dreading this and counting off the days! We are not doing a Christmas bubble but keen to see relatives outdoors during the festive period. Sods law will dictate that DD2 will get told to isolate on 18 Dec! DD1's sixth form college are going online only from 10 Dec to get around this very problem.