Giving GC a hug

Children are super-carriers!!!!!! The Swiss obviously don't know that.

I think it's a complicated picture. I have been following the research reports as best I can. One hypothesis is that children can 'catch' and test positive for COVID-19, but it is extremely rare for them to become ill. Apparently they have fewer of the ACE2 receptors which the virus locks onto, and they seem to shed many fewer viral particles. However, there have been reports this week of a handful of children becoming seriously ill with gastro-intestinal symptoms leading to sepsis whilst testing positive for COVID-19. However, these are extremely rare incidents, and I think that schools are likely to go back, the youngest first, from 1st. June, seniors in September. Apparently, local authorities have been told this is the plan. As for hugging grandchildren, when the time comes, it will depend on your own risk factors and your attitude to that risk. For myself, I can't wait until I can hug my 5 year old grandson again!

It defies logic, currently.?

I m lucky enough to have my pregnant daughter and gs staying with me for the duration as daddy is a dr
He is 2 today , daddy called round at 7am and was in tears through the window
Sending hugs to you all on behalf of your little ones

I’d rather wait until the virus has died down completely. Just because children are less likely to catch it, they can still carry it and pass it on.

Better wait a couple more months, than never again.

I can totally understand the overwhelming desire to hug your grandchildren. There is an article in today’s Times about a study from China and the US which suggests that although children do not seem to suffer from the virus as much as adults do they are very likely to be able to spread it. This research suggests that the early reopening of schools could be unwise. It could start a second wave as the children could infect their parents and teachers. This study which I find worrying has been published in the Lancet.

Since January we have been self isolating as my husband was going for a transplant (now postponed).

We haven't seen our grandchildren (in our 70's & not allowed out) since beginning of February.

We are safe, they are safe...that's ALL that counts.

Actually if both the grandparents and their children and grandchildren have all been in their separate homes for the past weeks, the risk is minimal.
My DH has only been out of the house twice in his car, I have only been out on foot, just walking round the streets, all deliveries have been done with social distancing, the same in my family who are working from home, being home schooled etc, so until they start to circulate in the world outside, I would say that I could safely hug the grandchildren. I am not going to, but at this stage, it is much safer than it will be once lockdown finishes for them but not for us.

There is still too much unknown about how infectious small children are when they have it. Why on Earth would all schools be closed if they were low risk?

Children under ten are walking Petri dishes so why would you believe you can hug them and not put your health at risk ?
We all miss our families but we do what is right for the good of everyone.

I’m not sure how the Swiss think they know this. I had thought that young children can be asymptomatic carriers. Presumably there’s an awful lot nobody yet knows for certain about the dreaded plague.

Of course I’d really love to be able to give little Gdcs a cuddle, though. I’d also love to be able to sit next to Gdd1, who had a First Knitting set for her recent 5th birthday, and help her with it. She’s very keen on trying and my dd is clueless about knitting. I know there’s YouTube etc. but it’s not the same, is it?

It would be lovely if we could - I’ve got 4 DGC all under 6 , I’m missing them so much as we were all very close and had regular visits and sleepovers . But I’m not convinced that they can’t transmit the virus so I sadly don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon ...

Ooooh, we've got 5 under 10s!!!

Actually the best huggers we have are are 13 and 17 - the youngers ones cant wait to be off and doing

A lack of data doesnt = a negative result!

Just because there have been no recorded cases traced from child to adult doesnt mean it doesnt happen!
We do not yet have recorded data of the sun rising tomorrow, doesnt mean its not likely to happen!

We are not doing much tracing anyway!

Children can catch it from adults. Children can die of it although rare.

Even if the child version (if there was such a thing) couldnt be passed back to an adult, still ADULT to adult transmission could occur using the child as the "surface" (e.g. mum has it, dresses child, child goes hugs grandma, grandma gets it from where mum handled the child IYKWIM)

The data seems weak...we won’t be changing our behaviors any time soon.

Given that babies in the UK have been diagnosed with CV, I don’t really understand how this can be safe. I’d love to cuddle my GC.

Oh Kalu what a thought. I'm afraid that he's not a wee boy to sniff. Him and his brother are a pair of skunks!

Oh I couldn’t have resisted that either Jane. Both GDs are, 14 and 11 next week sadly no party. We are all missing cuddles more than anything. TG for social media allowing us at least, a virtual party.

Did you have a good sniff of him to keep you going?

I'm sure I'm not the only one Tangerine. I wouldn't have posted but it was so wonderful. Sorry. I keep remembering it.

I daresay you won't be the only one Jane10.

Other people might not admit to it though.

Just heard this being discussed on Jeremy Vine. The virologist was surprised. He also believes that children are being infected but with minor symptoms. Of course if they pass it on to Grandma and Grandpa the consequences could be disastrous.

I'm a very bad person but I couldn't resist a small hug of DGS last week. He looked so lovely in his tiger onesie. We'd met him and his mum by arrangement on our walk and stayed at a distance. The urge got too much for me (and him) and we succumbed to a small hug. I know. I know. ? We've all been isolating and it was his first time out of his house and garden.
We don't seem to have suffered any repercussions so far.

Both of mine are over 10, sadly .

I had not heard this and suspect it will be quite a long while before you are allowed to do this.