Teaching with asthma

[halfdeer]

In light of the decision made by the government yesterday I'm wondering whether teachers with asthma should be at work?

I'm really keen to do my part in keeping everything running but I'm also concerned about my own health. This year has been particularly bad in terms of my lung health, with three chest infections and flare ups of asthma since November. What would everyone recommend?

I plan on speaking to my Head today but understandably he's very busy at the moment! Live and work in Outer London and no confirmed cases of Covid-19 at the school as far as I'm aware...

I may be a bit late to this but have people actually read the guidelines for vulnerable groups?
I am asthmatic and in a job where close contact with people is absolutely unavoidable.
The guidelines say working from home is "strongly advised"( this is the overall group not the new guidelines for more vulnerable individuals.)
The guidelines don't say " you must not go to work".
So I feel stuck with it,unless my employers close.And going into work pretty much cancels out any other social distancing I may do as I'm not a social butterfly normally!
I feel for all you teachers,and its not just you

I'm waiting to hear about our rota but hate the fact that I might need to refer my headteacher to the guidelines for asthmatics. Any tips???

DP asthmatic and frontline. So far told to continue working- shameful.

I always thought it was if you have severe asthma, on a high dose of daily steroids or if you need to take your blue inhaler so many times a week (I think it's 3 times) I've never been in hospital due to asthma. I work in the nhs and had contact with positive patients, it's never been said I shouldn't because of asthma but the nhs is been strict about who can self isolate/be moved. I'd hope that if you aren't absolutely vital then your employer will allow you to work from home or it will just add to the problem if you get very poorly. Asthma UK have put up to date info on their website about who should self isolate.

There's very helpful info on the asthma uk website, saying who is considered vulnerable based on the medicine you are prescribed.

www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/

Sorry posted too soon. My son is in this category, not sure what that means for me as a teacher, can't imagine how I could still teach and have him shielded.

Jamrolypoly if he is on those meds, he needs to be shielded. Is he on the meds listed?

He is on those. I emailed my head and explained it today, including a reference to the NEU guidance, but no response. She left me off the rota which means self isolating for 14 days, but a quick email back wouldn't have been to much to ask.

The head's own union (NAHT) states that they should not be having the vulnerable group of teachers in school.

Stand by your guns.

I've spoken to my gp today and she said asthma is only a vulnerable group for those on steroids or those who have been hospitalised. I've no idea what to do now. Dr has said I'm ok to work but friends in other schools have had all staff with asthma sent home

Do you mean oral steroids?

Yes oral steroids. I have a steroid inhaler but she said it was oral steroids she was referring to

I think the trouble is there are two vulnerable groups.

'Vulnerable' e.g. anyone with asthma, heart conditions etc, and

'Extremely vulnerable' e.g. anyone who has had an organ transplant, or severe asthma.

The advice for 'vulnerable' people is to social distance and work from home: www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

And for 'Extremely vulnerable' to 'shield' i.e. to stay indoors and have no physical contact with the outside world. www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

The government has been much more clear in regards to the 'extremely vulnerable' group.

But you are vulnerable even if you have mild asthma, is my point, so your doctor is wrong. You do have to be on a high dose of steroids (which can be inhalers or tablets) to be 'extremely vulnerable'. Asthma UK has good guidance on who falls into which category.

A friend of mine was given similar advice by his GP. He was told that the advice was not mandatory and so employer had absolutely no reason to let him work from home. It’s no wonder that people are concerned and confused when they are given what seems to be conflicting advice. Are asthmatics more at risk or not? I’m still not entirely sure. I assume so am I wrong.

Yes I've read on asthma UK website and thought it also said about asthmatics on steroids!

No letter here (yet?).

Don't know whether to think that Asthma uk's advice shouldn't be linked to by the NHS Wales site if the doctors haven't been told to follow the advice that's listed. I'm expecting the letter but have read on mnet about various gps telling patients, that no, it's for those who officially are brittle or severe or who have hospital admissions.
What's the point of the list then?

I initially semi-panicked when reading I 'qualified' (for the prize no one ever wants to receive!) but now I wonder if I will get a letter at all.

I'm not expecting a letter for my asthma. I think it will be for those listed as vulnerable and the asthmatics on steroids etc. My asthma isn't considered a concern for the nhs surely if my gp said I am fine to work. I'd feel very guilty being off unless I had a letter. Not judging anyone who has self isolated. Wish I had the strength to do that. I feel like everyone at work would judge me. There are 4 of us in the same boat at work.

The 12 week isolation is for people with the most severe asthma. Asthmatics who are advised to have the flu jab are in the ‘strongly advised’ not to be at work category. As far as I’m concerned the government and the unions have been very clear that we should not be at work however, some GPs are giving conflicting advice. Which causes, IMO, confusion and people like the previous poster who thinks we’re all ‘swinging the lead’.

I don't think there's any 'swinging the lead'. I said there was no judgement. My personal situation is that my school don't consider me and the other colleagues with asthma like me to be vulnerable

Sorry. I’m being a bit snippy today - not sleeping. Feeling particularly stressed at the moment because despite what my school have said up to now I think I will be expected to go back after holiday regardless. This illness terrifies me - I think that I could cope if it wasn’t a respiratory illness - I know what it’s like to not be able to breathe. It seems the most awful way to die. Sorry again.

I feel exactly the same. I feel all managers and heads should acknowledge that even though there are varying degrees of asthma, it is not always stable and, like in my case, is normally manageable but if I have a cold/virus, it flares. It's frustrating that some headteachers have sent staff home with asthma and others haven't. This virus worries me sick too

I really had to put my foot down with work (teacher) as they were happy to actively send home the pregnant members of staff but then 'leave it up to you' for all the other vulnerable people. I've had a recent chest infection with 2 courses of steroids and work have seen me not well before and after I had a couple of days off when I was really bad. And it still came as a surprise to my boss when I told her I was officially requesting to work from home.

I did wait until the Friday we closed to pupils to put in that request.

Durr....forgot that this was a thread about teaching anyway and I didn't need to specify.

Asthma uk's advice has been tweaked slightly. It has removed the 'having had 2 courses of steroid tablets within the last year' and now doesn't mention steroids at all.

Im really confused. I've just looked on asthma site and can still see a clear list of the things relating to asthmatic which includes steroid liquid or steroid tablets. Are you looking on asthma UK site?