Thread by @jillpromoli

I was speaking with a teacher today about a common problem in schools every year that we need a solution for before September.

What happens when a child is sick at school? What happens when a child is sick at school during a pandemic?

1/10
#COVID19 #onted #onpoli #publichealth

In normal times, many parents aren't clear on sick day policies, or are unable* to observe them. Sometimes kids are fine in the morning and develop symptoms during the day. In both circumstances, kids can't be in the classroom.

What happens next?

2/10

The school will call home and ask for the sick kiddo to be picked up. We've all been there. We're fortunate. I work from home and can get to school quickly in an emergency. But what happens if someone can't? If parents work farther away? *If parents are out of #sickdays?

3/10

Where does a sick kid spend the time until someone can come, or until the end of the day if no one is able to come?

Most people would assume a sick kid can wait at the office, away from a classroom full of students they could pass illness on to.

That's often not the case.

4/10

Office administrators can't be required to supervise children, so sick kids are often sent back to their class. This could mean continuing to participate, despite their illness, or even sleeping at the back of the room.

5/10

Going into September we know we can't have sick kids in the classroom. Flu-like symptoms in a child could be the flu, another respiratory infection, or #COVID19. We don't know, and risks that shouldn't have been taken before can't be taken now. So what happens?

6/10

We've been living with #COVID19 for ~6 months now, and known sick kids can't be in class with these symptoms, but I've heard multiple reports of exactly this happening right until we shut down in March. Ongoing conversations with teachers suggest this is still in question.

7/10

Knowing sick kids absolutely can't be in the classroom as we attempt to send our kids back in September, however that looks, what plans are being made to make this possible? Where do sick kids go when they're already at school? What do parents do if they're out of #sickdays?
8/10

*Any plan for a wider reopening as we move forward needs to include better accessibility and affordability of #sickdays so people are able to stay home when they or their children are sick. @fordnation is not currently planning to make this happen.

9/10

forjudeforeveryone.com/sick-day-right…

We need to see plans for how our schools will manage children who show symptoms while at school and we need to see our governments enable us all to take the time to care for themselves and their families. This is vital.

10/10

How did I miss tagging our education minister?

@Sflecce, what are the plans to manage this while we deal with #COVID19? With increased risk of exposure from a hybrid model (kids in separate childcare on off-days) and parents asked to take more days off, this will be an issue.