Thread: Because you can't trust other parents will do the right thing.

[Nevilledog]

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Kathleen Schmidt
@Bookgirl96
I wasn't going to share this, but I think doing so is a public service, so here we go: it's likely that my 12yo daughter has Covid. The past 3 days have been crazy, but I think telling the story of how this happened is important. Thread:
3:04 PM · Nov 17, 2020

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https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1328821328225382401.html

I wasn't going to share this, but I think doing so is a public service, so here we go: it's likely that my 12yo daughter has Covid. The past 3 days have been crazy, but I think telling the story of how this happened is important. Thread:

It's hard to be 100% honest about this because I have to admit I made a mistake. The mistake is that I allowed my daughter to play travel soccer (outdoor) this fall. She had played softball in the summer and there were no incidents. Same w soccer until now.

The league took all the precautions they needed to, and we the parents followed protocol. What I hadn't thought about was parents from other teams NOT following protocol. SO here we are.

I was alerted Sun morn(11/15) that a kid from an opposing team they played on 11/8 tested positive. Our team's season immediately ended and all the girls are now under quarantine. I had to pull my daughter out of hybrid schedule until Mon 11/23. However:

After a strongly worded email to the league president and a board member, they called me personally to tell me the kid on other team who tested positive ALREADY had a sibling with Covid at home when her parents allowed her to play the game against our team.

LET ME REPEAT: The parents of a soccer player on an opposing team knew they had a kid at home with Covid, yet still attended the game AND allowed their kid who HAD BEEN EXPOSED to Covid at home play the game. My mistake: assuming parents would not do that.

Monday, my daughter started presenting Covid symptoms: chills, headache, cough, stuffy nose, bad stomach. I scrambled to get her tested. It'snot easy to get a test right now. Ended up at a CVS in another town who could take her for drive thru test yesterday. Results by Thurs/Fri.

In the meantime, I've had personal guidance from someone at the dept of health in my county and I am very grateful for that person's attention and guidance. I can't emphasize this enough: it is important to do the right things once you/a kid has been exposed.

I have called every single place I had been since 11/8. I have been in touch daily with the school nurse. I have alerted every teacher personally. I have kept the league updated and now they must inform the team we played on Sat 11/14. I have my 12yo in isolation.

I also have to: alert my 16yo's school nurse, teachers, and football coaches. He will now have to quarantine as well.

The Dept of Health told me we must act as if my daughter has tested positive. That means a 24-day quarantine for us.

I will absolutely follow protocol. I always wear a mask and social distance, but now--we can't leave the house. Thankfully, we wfh and can have stuff delivered.

Why am I telling you this? Because this is a perfect example of community spread. Because you can't trust other parents will do the right thing. Because I made a decision to allow my kids to play outdoor sports w protocols and one of them was exposed anyway.

I have always taken Covid seriously. My pneumonia back in September has left me with an ongoing health issue that I wouldn't wish on anyone. But I made a mistake. I should not have let them play.

The 12yo is a defender and doesn't come into close contact with other players much, but was still exposed. Parents in the group chat were trying to convince themselves that no way were their daughters exposed. YES THEY WERE.

The fact is, you can't trust other people to do the right thing. Parents whose kids are showing symptoms or have a sibling at home w Covid ARE allowing their kids to go to school and play sports. That is the reality we live in.

It is true that being a responsible parent when Covid is involved takes a lot of work--notifying people, updating people, getting tested, etc. But you are doing the responsible thing because it is not just about you/your family. It is about your community.

What made me incredibly angry on Sunday was the part about the parents who allowed the other kid to play knowing their other kid was home with Covid. It is so negligible.

I hope that this thread helps others see what can happen if you 100% trust that people are complying with Covid protocol. My advice: Assume that no one is complying. Assume that parents are sending kids to school anyway. And as always, wear a mask. *End of thread*

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. This is exactly why I trust NO ONE

except my wife. And she is more cautious than I am.

[BusyBeingBest]

2. Not sure why parents are letting kids play on sports teams.

Can't imagine anything less important right now. They're lucky if they get to sit in actual classrooms without an outbreak. Stupid people.

[PirateRo]

3. Strongly worded email? This would have triggered a lawsuit from me.

Not that my kids would have been back in school, let alone participating in sports or after school anything. They’d be homeschooled this whole time.

I can imagine my kids growing up with the thought they’d killed their own parents or grandparents so republicans can win elections or hand over wealth to the richest among us.

[Hekate]

4. Someone thought they were just telling a little white lie, & that COVID's no big deal for kids...

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. "I'm shocked, shocked

to find gambling is going on in here."

I would bet even money the parent in the OP thread is going to have a bunch of people over next week for Thanksgiving.

[Wicked Blue]

6. I hope your daughter and the rest of your family are okay

You are a hero.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

7. Testing around here may be a wasted effort

Lots of Trumpers that likely wouldn’t stay home unless they were quite ill.

Do we really think that people who don’t care enough about others to wear a mask are going to sit at home for 2weeks just because they tested positive?

[4Q2u2]

8. But But But

My kid is going pro so they need to keep their reps up!!!