I’ve not written about Covid in a while, though I have had to deal with many situations involving it in working as an ADI.
I’ve explained previously, but I am carer to my two elderly parents, both of whom have age-related health issues which put them in the ‘extremely vulnerable’ group as far as Covid is concerned. I make it absolutely clear to all my pupils that they must tell me if they test positive, and I explain clearly why. And all of them have done so.
Two weeks ago, a pupil who is pregnant got it. So we cancelled for ten days. Although it may not be related (though evidence suggests it could be), she is now suffering from pre-eclampsia and has been in and out of hospital with high blood pressure and the other symptoms. I hope it works out for her and her baby.
But that is an aside. I got a text from a pupil this morning cancelling her lesson tomorrow because she has just tested positive for Covid. I also got a message from another pupil – who is a work colleague of/referral from the first – cancelling her next lesson on Saturday (she also had one Sunday and Monday, as her test is coming up).
I casually texted back that her friend had tested positive, and would she do a LFT before our Sunday lesson, and she came back with ‘yes, I know. She caught it off me’!
The penny didn’t immediately drop, since she told me she was back at work tomorrow (Thursday). But once it did drop, I asked her when she tested positive herself. Saturday – less than five days ago! And she has symptoms – she’s all croaky – and yet her employer (she’s a teaching assistant) wants her back tomorrow.
If you have COVID-19, you can pass on the virus to other people for up to 10 days from when your infection starts…
You should:
- try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days
- avoiding meeting people at higher risk from COVID-19 for 10 days, especially if their immune system means they’re at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, even if they’ve had a COVID-19 vaccine
This starts from the day after you did the test.
I spoke with her this evening and she fully accepts the need to suspend lessons for the 10-day quarantine period.
But I cannot believe her employer wants her back while she is still unwell.