An East Kilbride mum has shared her concerns surrounding parents who are shielding whilst their children are at school.
The mum, who wishes not to be named, told the News that she has been shielding for the last six months due to the multiple auto-immune diseases and health conditions she has to contend with .
The 38-year-old sends her son out to Duncanrig Secondary school every day and worries that he may catch coronavirus and bring the disease home.
The terrified mum told the News: “Although shielding is officially over, the advice from my doctors is to be extremely careful and to continue to shield.
“My 11-year-old son has just started secondary school and I have to send him there knowing there has been a positive covid case.
“There is little to no social distancing and it’s impossible to minimise the risk of my son bringing the virus home.
“I’m more than aware that children are low risk, but we are hearing about more and more teachers testing positive and the main issue is that there seems to be no thought for shielded parents and the position they are in.”
Just last week, Duncanrig confirmed that a member of staff had tested positive for coronavirus.
Parents and carers were notified after a letter was posted on the school’s Twitter feed last Monday by NHS Lanarkshire.
It reads: “I am writing to inform you that a member of the Duncanrig Secondary School community has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating at home.
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“Others identified as close contacts are being contacted by Test and Protect and advised to self-isolate at home.
“NHS Lanarkshire is leading the handling of this incident and a review of the risk to the wider school community is ongoing.
“There is currently no evidence to suggest that there is transmission in the school, which will continue to remain fully open and operational.”
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The concerned parent shared her concerns with the school and feels like there is little thought being given to parents who are shielding.
She added: “When the positive case was announced I phoned the helpline for advice on what I should do and I was told to self-isolate for a fortnight, from my son, in my two-bedroom house.
“He’s only 11, and my husband works full-time so it was impossible.
“I just feel that there’s no real thought being given to parents in similar situations.
“The advice being offered is very ‘one shoe fits all’ and that doesn’t work in these type of scenarios.”
