'My son had a panic attack in the car'- 'Masses of kids and parents' crowding school gates spark covid fears in Derbyshire

Derbyshire parents have raised concerns about social distancing guidelines being flouted at the school gates- with one worried mum claiming her son had ‘a panic attack’ at the sight of ‘masses of kids’ walking past.
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As pupils across the county return to school for the first since March, there are fears that large crowds outside schools could contribute to a second wave of the virus.

It comes after a string of outbreaks across UK schools, forcing hundreds of pupils to self-isolate.

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Derbyshire parents doing their best to adhere to Government guidelines say collecting and dropping off their children remains a ‘nightmare’, despite the fact most schools have implemented staggered start and finish times and allow parents to wait in the playground.

(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Louise Hull-Bailey, from Bakewell, said: “You get people trying really hard, but the ones that don’t care ruin it for everyone else.

"They are all crowded together outside, so you can’t get out of the gates without bumping into anyone. Nothing has changed.”

Helen Lindsay said her son, who started secondary school this September, had ‘a panic attack in the car’ as he spotted ‘masses of kids’ walking past towards school.

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And Jenny Summerfield said: “I've seen most of the parents collecting trying their best to social distance but there are always the few that don't care.

"My problem is the school doesn't have enough space at the gate to distance if you're queueing to collect and social distance.

"If there is only one small gate to come and go out of its not good. Especially if parents are queueing through said gate.”

Parents have been left stressed by the issue not only in Chesterfield but just over 10 miles away in Sheffield.

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The city’s director of public health, Greg Fell, urged parents to take extra precautions.

He said: “We can’t tell parents what to do but we are encouraging people not to get too close and to wear face coverings where possible.

“But we are not going to be asking the police to monitor school gates and we are not asking schools to act as the police either.

“We can only ask parents to respect social distancing and wear a face covering. However a face covering is not compulsory as school gates are outdoors.

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"I know this can be difficult at school gates but we’re asking people to do their best to be respectful.”

Marcia Bigg, from Bolsover, believes rising case rates form part of a wider problem across the county.

She said: “It is not just at school, it is everywhere. Practically nobody is social distancing anymore.

"People are in and out of each others houses, parents walking their kids to school right next to each other, people in shops just reaching over you to get to things instead of backing off.

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"A lot of people not wearing a mask saying they don't have to because they've got a hidden condition.

"I have lost a third of one of my lung capacity and still manage to wear a mask.”

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