Anyone else confused? Extra precautions?

[F1zz]

What does this mean for a lupus patient who is a teacher?

[suzannah16]

I think it's vague enough to say make your own decision but if you shield don't expect the govt to help you. I got a letter from scottish govt last week saying I should make my own decisions based on local cases but I can't find out how many local cases there are.

[Barbara17 in reply to suzannah16]

publichealthscotland.scot/c...

Hello Suzannah. The above link should help you find out where cases are close to you.

[suzannah16 in reply to Barbara17]

thank you. that really helps.

[JenniferZhou]

I'm also confused. He said right at the end of the shielding part 'not to go to work if unable to work from home' and then nothing else? It felt like he just dropped a huge bomb and then moved onto the next subject. I'm hoping there will be further communication to clarify things. I work in a supermarket pharmacy so could potentially be forced to continue working.

[baba in reply to JenniferZhou]

Yes he did say that!

[Susieliz39]

I work in school leadership as well as being a lupus patient. As new info comes out I will post what I know.

Take care everyone

S x

[F1zz in reply to Susieliz39]

Thank you. I love my job but extra worried as I teach drama and kids are constantly talking which I know is one of the factors of transmission. It's not like they sit quietly behind desks

[Spanielmadlady]

What if I shielded last time?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people over 60 and those who are clinically vulnerable are being told to be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise their contact with others.

Anyone who was formally notified that they should shield last time and not go out to work will be advised not to go out to work this time.

[Susieliz39]

Have just read that there is further advice to be issued on Monday with regard to clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable groups. X

[Hidden]

It was very ambiguous and will leave a lot of people vulnerable and in a difficult position with employers. Mine are luckily very understanding and remote it is now again . To assess ones own risk is ok but I feel the shielding should have been put back on the table

[baba]

See section 9 of the following:

gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa...

[Hamptons]

I think it means go to work. It seemed to say no shielding this time, workplaces should still have all appropriate measures in. I await the deluge of gov guidelines and like others will upload juicy bits. So, many questions, what happens to my pregnant one, the one whose husband had to shield last time. Pupils with shielding family.

[F1zz in reply to Hamptons]

I know. It says minimise exposure to those outside your household but I'm in a room with 30 kids a day and secondary so a 100 kids a day sometimes more. But I love my job and want to be in the classroom.

[Roarah in reply to F1zz]

I live in the states and we do not have shielding. Teachers over sixty, pregnant or with listed preexisting conditions in my district either go back to inperson teaching or we need to take family medical leave which is 12 weeks or we can resign. The decision in my district was made because upon review of quite a lot of data it is shown that teachers and daycare providers had less recorded infection rates than the general public.

My districts schools has had 8 positive cases in the two months since opening no infection was caught nor spread within the school. The cases were linked to teachers eating out together and students having sleep overs or playing hockey. No one in class with an infected teacher nor student caught it from the positive persons. Masks and distancing is working in my schools. My town just this week has 5 cases per 100000 per day infection rates on average. Before this week we were less than 3 per 100000. I had a positive student four weeks ago and a different student was positive last week, non related to the first not in the same class at all. I am quarentined again this week but I am not afraid I caught it.

If you chose to stay at work study after study world wide suggest it is indeed safe to do so. I never take my mask off inside ever, no coffee sips nor eating for me in the building.

[Hamptons]

I know, we do the job for more than the money. It’s hard. Hopefully, your school has good measures in place. I think it’s worth a chat with your line manager about your concerns. See if there is a way of home and school working.

Maybe wear a visor mask in class to give some more distance. Schools should provide those.

Ultimately you have to do what’s right for you. You would be entitled to sick pay.

[F1zz]

So if shielding work from home but if not go in?

[F1zz]

Hmmm I would say Lupus is a rare disease but I'm not on imunosuppressants. God I'm so confused.

[F1zz]

I'm currently having a flare which would put me at high risk according to summary. But I'm not on the flow chart as. Not on any meds in the blue box.🤔

[Hamptons]

Latest guideline released today is if you are extremely clinically vulnerable then work from home. Clinically vulnerable with concerns to speak with line managers. Increased use of mask at transitions and break times where social distance cannot be maintained.

Hope that helps

[F1zz]

Thanks!