Corona Virus: How Are We Doing?

[winjim]

Staggering isn't it.
Our neighbour had approx 20 in his garden one day last week. Not sitting apart but playing football with the kids.
I don't care if they want to catch the virus but its who else and how many they will pass it to

I've seen people online with the attitude that the NHS wasn't overwhelmed and we have plenty of ventilators so it's all fine. Even leaving aside what that says about their attitude to the more vulnerable members of our society, do they really want to be put on a ventilator? Do they know what that entails? I'm glad we have them and if I get put on one as a last resort I'll be grateful, but I really really hope it doesn't come to that, it looks like an awful experience.

 

[DCLane]

I've seen people online with the attitude that the NHS wasn't overwhelmed and we have plenty of ventilators so it's all fine. Even leaving aside what that says about their attitude to the more vulnerable members of our society, do they really want to be put on a ventilator? Do they know what that entails? I'm glad we have them and if I get put on one as a last resort I'll be grateful, but I really really hope it doesn't come to that, it looks like an awful experience.

It's not just the getting ill but the recovery. SWMBO is part of a rehab unit where patients who are coming off ventilators and need months - not weeks, but months - of rehabilitation are coming in. They're still being tube fed but are just off the ventilator. Muscle loss, other medical complications, potentially still infectious. Her role as a Dietitian is to help get them off the tube feed when ready and onto normal food.

 

[C R]

It's not just the getting ill but the recovery. SWMBO is part of a rehab unit where patients who are coming off ventilators and need months - not weeks, but months - of rehabilitation are coming in. They're still being tube fed but are just off the ventilator. Muscle loss, other medical complications, potentially still infectious. Her role as a Dietitian is to help get them off the tube feed when ready and onto normal food.

A lot of people seem quite blasé about getting covid because they expect they would only have mild symptoms. The problem is that if it hits you hard, the long term consequences if you survive seem to be quite serious. It is a lottery I definitely don't want to play.

 

[winjim]

A lot of people seem quite blasé about getting covid because they expect they would only have mild symptoms. The problem is that if it hits you hard, the long term consequences if you survive seem to be quite serious. It is a lottery I definitely don't want to play.

It's the same with the attitude towards kids, thinking that they don't get it or are only mildly affected. Even leaving aside the fact that they can still spread it, which was the whole 'flattening the curve' idea, and even leaving aside the fact that some of them do develop acute respiratory symptoms, and even leaving aside the fact that we are now seeing this secondary Kawasaki like syndrome, who's to say what will happen to infected children long or even medium term? Even six months is unknown.

And that's with an awful lot of things left aside.

 

[C R]

It's the same with the attitude towards kids, thinking that they don't get it or are only mildly affected. Even leaving aside the fact that they can still spread it, which was the whole 'flattening the curve' idea, and even leaving aside the fact that some of them do develop acute respiratory symptoms, and even leaving aside the fact that we are now seeing this secondary Kawasaki like syndrome, who's to say what will happen to infected children long or even medium term? Even six months is unknown.

And that's with an awful lot of things left aside.

We are going through all that now. Our local primary aren't doing particularly well at social distancing with the small number of children attending, so we dread to think how it is going to be come June 1st.

Daughter 2 is in Y6, so she would be supposed to go in. We have raised some points politely about social distance and risk of transmission, but the school just answer with the standard kids don't get it/don't pass it. I am type 1 diabetic, so we are keen to keep additional routes of contact to a minimum, and the prospect of our daughter going by to school in these conditions fills us with dread.

 

[fossyant]

Even though my two kids are no-longer schools age, there is no point sending them now. At the best of times, kids are mucky germ spreaders, and whilst most won't get symptoms of CV19 they could pass it round, bring it to your home, and even teachers. Bringing it home could also add additional risks for any elderly relatives you may be dropping food off for, or even that occasional 2m stroll in the park. Leave them off until September and we know more about the infection.

 

[tom73]

The attitude of what look's to be a growing number people to this virus is just staggering.
Being ventilated is no joke and the rehab after can last for some time. The about of muscle loss is bad enough which having had it is such a long road and takes so much out of you even going little things. The longer your on a vent the worse it get's. Renal failure is common which can leave you with long term ill effects or worse and you find yourself on the transplant list.
Then that's if the covid don't get you 1st people really don't understand dying of acute respiratory failure is horrific , not quick , not pain free.
Do they really want to literally drown and know they can't do a thing about it?

 

[winjim]

We are going through all that now. Our local primary aren't doing particularly well at social distancing with the small number of children attending, so we dread to think how it is going to be come June 1st.

Daughter 2 is in Y6, so she would be supposed to go in. We have raised some points politely about social distance and risk of transmission, but the school just answer with the standard kids don't get it/don't pass it. I am type 1 diabetic, so we are keen to keep additional routes of contact to a minimum, and the prospect of our daughter going by to school in these conditions fills us with dread.

I don't know what your school is like but ours have said that parents won't be sanctioned if they choose not to send their kids back. It does mean other difficulties with childcare but I think ultimately it's your choice. Our daughter's in reception year and we really don't want to send her back, but we're worried for her social development if all her friends go back and she's left behind. If the childminder who's looking after her now goes back to taking her usual kids then we may have no choice.

I guess the year 6s are going back to get them ready for transition to senior school next year?

Anyway, with all the dickheads out this weekend I expect R>>1 and infection/death rates to skyrocket over the next fortnight so they may have to change the plans for schools. If this government are willing to admit that they've got it wrong which I sincerely doubt.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I don't know what your school is like but ours have said that parents won't be sanctioned if they choose not to send their kids back. It does mean other difficulties with childcare but I think ultimately it's your choice. Our daughter's in reception year and we really don't want to send her back, but we're worried for her social development if all her friends go back and she's left behind. If the childminder who's looking after her now goes back to taking her usual kids then we may have no choice.

I guess the year 6s are going back to get them ready for transition to senior school next year?

Anyway, with all the dickheads out this weekend I expect R>>1 and infection/death rates to skyrocket over the next fortnight so they may have to change the plans for schools. If this government are willing to admit that they've got it wrong which I sincerely doubt.

I've liked your post but re the last sentence; I don't think it is a case of will the Gov' admit that they are wrong as they have been clear that all future reopening actions are conditional on the R being under 1. If the decision is reversed at the due time due to the risk being above that considered acceptable by the medical/health advisors then they will have to backtrack and modify the plan. I can't see a better way to manage these fluid situations. For sure it may engender uncertainty in some quarters but that's the nature of the beast at the moment - and life in general tbh.

 

[tom73]

No-one will be fined government guidelines make that clear.
School's will need a total rethink as will the whole education sector. If everyone sticks to the current timeline next years exams will be difficult to get up to speed. Believing the 1st term back in September can be as normal is madness.
What this current situation has laid bare is just how inflexible , out of date the whole education sector is.
It's the really vunrable ones I worry about many have just fell off the radar. Some I work with we are at the only ones who care about them. That work is not happening anymore. Safe guarding has just gone out the window for many.
How to support them and help them though this is where the planning needs to be. Many even if they want to go school can't as they are foster care many foster cares are self isolating. They will have support at home but will need much more.

 

[C R]

I don't know what your school is like but ours have said that parents won't be sanctioned if they choose not to send their kids back. It does mean other difficulties with childcare but I think ultimately it's your choice. Our daughter's in reception year and we really don't want to send her back, but we're worried for her social development if all her friends go back and she's left behind. If the childminder who's looking after her now goes back to taking her usual kids then we may have no choice.

I guess the year 6s are going back to get them ready for transition to senior school next year?

Anyway, with all the dickheads out this weekend I expect R>>1 and infection/death rates to skyrocket over the next fortnight so they may have to change the plans for schools. If this government are willing to admit that they've got it wrong which I sincerely doubt.

We are erring on the side of caution, and planning to keep her at home, at least while I am working from home full time, we have the other two at home anyway. High school have cancelled the appointment induction day, so we can't see much point in going back.

You could argue that sending year sixes back with proper social distancing measures in place could be made to work, but adding reception and year 1 to the mix is madness. The school our nephew attends in Germany have only taken back the last year class on a part time basis, he only goes into school with half his class every other day. No other year groups have been called back, even though there haven't been any new cases in their city for the last week.

I fear that the increase in R and subsequent second peak will not be seen until after schools are back.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

No-one will be fined government guidelines make that clear.
School's will need a total rethink as will the whole education sector. If everyone sticks to the current timeline next years exams will be difficult to get up to speed. Believing the 1st term back in September can be as normal is madness.
What this current situation has laid bare is just how inflexible , out of date the whole education sector is.
It's the really vunrable ones I worry about many have just fell off the radar. Some I work with we are at the only ones who care about them. That work is not happening anymore. Safe guarding has just gone out the window for many.
How to support them and help them though this is where the planning needs to be. Many even if they want to go school can't as they are foster care many foster cares are self isolating. They will have support at home but will need much more.

Worthy of a separate thread?

 

[tom73]

I've liked your post but re the last sentence; I don't think it is a case of will the Gov' admit that they are wrong as they have been clear that all future reopening actions are conditional on the R being under 1. If the decision is reversed at the due time due to the risk being above that considered acceptable by the medical/health advisors then they will have to backtrack and modify the plan. I can't see a better way to manage these fluid situations. For sure it may engender uncertainty in some quarters but that's the nature of the beast at the moment - and life in general tbh.

Hidden in the talk of 1st of June is the 25th of May the date the government get's updated from SAGE on infection rates.
So a get out of jail has been built in from the start.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Hidden in the talk of 1st of June is the 25th of May the date the government get's updated from SAGE on infection rates.
So a get out of jail has been built in from the start.

I guess one person's get out of jail is another person's perfectly rational way to failsafe a fluid situation.

 

[C R]

I guess one person's get out of jail is another person's perfectly rational way to failsafe a fluid situation.

The problem is that due to incubation times, there isn't enough time to see any negative effects of the lockdown relaxation before that meeting takes place.