CLL and minding grandchildren again. One in part time nursery and one starting school full time.

[GSBS1954]

As my granddaughter is starting school next month and we will be picking her up once a week from school. Plus, we are minding her young brother once a week, what are the potential issues with Covid-19 ? The baby will be going to nursery twice a week too.

[cajunjeff]

The potential issues with covid are that either child could get infected, you not know the child is infected and the child pass the infection to you. That risk cuts both ways. Unless you live a totally shielded life, you might pass covid to your grandchild. The risk of serious illness to your grandchild from covid is very slight, the risk to you much greater.

Everyone has to decide on their own comfort level. Someone who has cll and is relatively young and otherwise healthy might be comfortable taking more risk than an 85 yr old cll patient with heart disease or diabetes.

My personal view is that I am going to try to learn to live with covid. I go to work, but wear a mask if anyone is near me. I have a job where I can limit contact and keep my distance. I go to the store and doctors appts, but wear a mask and keep my distance.

I have a new grandchild. We all wear masks around her. We are so safe that its probably overkill, but that's what we do.

Your grandchild presents more infection risk to you than mine because yours is school age and around other children. I personally would be okay picking my grandchild up from school, but would take maximum precautions, meaning masks and no hugging, as much as that sucks.

Since covid can present with no symptoms, my default is to assume everyone I come in contact with might have covid. This includes family. But i do think covid will be with us for many more months and that we have to adopt strategies that allow us to get on with life, as best we can. Picking up a grandchild from school would be a risk I personally would take with precautions, I would not argue with someone who had cll who thought that too great a risk for them.

[Slowmo457 in reply to cajunjeff]

??????

[cajunjeff in reply to Slowmo457]

I don’t know how to respond to a reply that consists of only punctuation marks without any text. Is there something in my answer you take issue with or find not clear.

[Slowmo457 in reply to cajunjeff]

I'm sorry that meant that I don't have a clue.

[Poodle2]

Just want to say I will be in the same boat but I don't really have a choice 🙂I'm a primary school teacher although going back into an out of class based role, my son is going to Year 2, my daughter back to her nursery and we also have a baby that will probably stay at home. I don't have any new advice for you. I just pray we continue avoiding covid and none of us get sick...

[Davidcara]

Similar situation for me. I think we will find many of us are going to need to interact with children and grandchildren. Don’t know what the answer is. For me, disinfect surfaces, try not to get to close with at times is virtually impossible. Do not be around them if they are visibility sick. Wear a mask, big pain especially if trying to help them with school work. But, very important. Everyone wears a mask while in the car. No good answers unfortunately. Pray for a vaccine

[bkoffman CLL CURE Hero]

It's a real risk. How much depends on the prevalence in your community. See our official statement on this at CLLSociety.org

[studebaker]

It is very difficult decision to make especially, as it involves your grandchildren who are such a beautiful treasure to us.

You say minding your grandchildren. My understanding is that, you will not only be picking them up and dropping them at home, but they will be in your care for the day.

How comfortable are you about the risk you will be taking?

I would probably pick them up and spend some time outside and drop them at home. That is how I feel now, because my grandkids are adults now, but how would I feel being in your situation??

Good luck with coming to comfortable and safe choice.

Dana

[AnneHill]

My grandchildren will be going back to school and my daughter has been told that if a child gets covid in their class then the whole family will have to isolate. I wouldnt be able to help out. Its a nightmare. Sorry I cant advise you, Anne uk

[Cheshire2016]

Did you willingly volunteer for this childminding role, or is it an expectation or continuation of previous arrangements?

Have your children got other options for childcare, or are they putting pressure on you to do this?

If there’s other options then I’d be inclined to ask them to use these for the immediate future, just until safety in schools has been demonstrated, or a vaccine is available.

You’ll have the rest of your life to catch up with valuable grandchildren time, why risk that for an uncertain few months?

[GSBS1954]

So now the waters get muddied even further by the latest government revelation that children are highly unlikely to pass on the virus to adults!!!