I want to write a thread about the effects of the fear of #COVIDー19 on the mental health of children who have family who are extremely vulnerable & shielding.

First to clarify
- #lockdown is necessary until we have an effective track & trace system
- I value education

1/

- My children value education. My daughter will do her A levels next year.
- I am classed as extremely vulnerable.
- I’m not writing this because I’m scared, or because I went to take away people’s “freedoms”

Government policy is that children should go to school as normal
2/

My children have been going to school but the strain on them has recently begun to show.

We are in an area which has had until recently a low incidence of covid unlike the north of England which has been so badly hit . This is beginning to change

https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/thanets-coronavirus-infection-rate-soars-4701147.amp

3/

Thanet is 14 miles away from us & we use the same hospital.

Schools re-opened with bubbles comprised of whole year groups. Each bubble has well over 200 children. This week children have confirmed cases of covid in years 7,8 & 10.

4/

School policy says children wear masks in communal areas except at lunch.

My son is the only child in the school to wear a mask in class. He refused to go to class without. Recent shielding advice says that children with vulnerable families should go to school as normal

5/

Today one of my son’s best friends has been told to self isolate. A girl he sits next to in English has tested positive. His other best friend sits next to her in another class has not been informed. Please bear in mind that in classrooms it’s impossible to social distance.

6/

There is little ventilation in the classrooms, so with a virus spread by aerosol it is a veritable feeding ground, especially as no-one is masked in classes. Children are generally less adversely effected than adults & asymptomatic cases are highly likely.

7/

My children are classed as young adults so likely to be in the vector to catch & spread covid. The children all intermingle in various classes, lunchtimes & friendship groups. Many forget to mask up. It is impossible to contact trace with bubbles this big.

8/

My son is frantic. My daughter has been really stressed about the virus since lockdown. Both are terrified of catching the virus, not for themselves but for me.
Some brief background. I am the children’s sole carer & as I’m disabled, unfortunately (for them) they are mine.

9/

They have found me twice in the last four months in full respiratory arrest & been responsible for getting me to hospital. They are still in shock & are very aware that I’ve been told that I may not survive another arrest or pneumonia. I don’t want them to go through that.

10/

The addition of covid to the scenario has added a huge amount of strain. Our case is not special or singular. My children are among the thousands of #YoungCarers in this country who are juggling school, a pandemic & worry about those they love.

11/

My daughter said to me tonight that she would never forgive herself if she gave the virus to me. She wants to go to university next year but says she’s finding it hard to concentrate as she’s so worried. My son could barely sit still when he found out about his friend.

12/

They were skateboarding together yesterday. He also sat next to another boy who is now self isolating in maths. My son has severe dyslexia & finds it difficult to concentrate at the best of times. Now, he finds it impossible.

13/

He asked me why the government & the school don’t understand that it’s impossible to contact trace & isolate in school. Why the government & lockdown protesters don’t understand that it’s impossible to protect the vulnerable when people & children are mixing freely.

14/

I can’t take the worry away from them. School counsellors can’t take the worry away from them. School policy can’t take the worry away from them. Government policy can’t take the worry away from them. The actions of some of the public can’t take the worry away from them.

15/

I am concerned about their mental health. I can see their anxiety escalating. Many young people are in the same position.

I’ve been told that I’m alarmist, that covid is just like flu, that hospitals aren’t filling, that only 1% die so it’s no big deal, that it’s a hoax

16/

Tell that to my children & those like them who are living with the worry about those they care for & concerned for their futures.

I’ve read about the concerns regarding the effects of lockdowns on people’s mental health. Of course this is valid.

17/

I think we should also have a discussion about not locking down hard enough. About keeping schools & unis open despite evidence of links with the spread of covid.

Hopefully a vaccine will alleviate some strain but we are some way from that yet & we can’t get complacent.

18/

I would ask lockdown deniers, schools, the opposition & government to consider that the vulnerable often have young families who are shit scared of losing parents or vulnerable loved ones. They are not negative, muddled or confused. They are just #YoungCarers.

19/End.