Sheffield mum worries for clinically vulnerable daughter on return to school without restrictions

A mother from Sheffield is worried about her clinically vulnerable daughter returning to school with social distancing and bubble rules relaxed.

Sienna Roberts, who is ten, has a tracheostomy and suffers from collapsed airways - her carers still wear full PPE and her family has continued to shield despite the relaxing of lockdown restrictions.

Sara, Sienna's mother, has been hospitalised with Covid-19 earlier in the pandemic and her parents were told she might not make it through the night at one point.

Sara was hospitalised with Covid-19 earlier this year. Credit: Sarah Roberts

Sara said: "It's been both physically and mentally draining having to shield for such a length of time Sienna is a very social butterfly she loves being out and about and mixing so for Sienna to be constantly in the house trying to keep her entertained and engaged was really hard."

She added: "Obviously I'm extremely nervous I'm going to be worried so are the staff as well they will do their best to keep Sienna safe. I would have preferred the isolation rules to be different."

Sheffield Council has said that schools have been working extremely hard to return in the safest possible way.

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They added they were doing everything they could to keep children safe while maintaining education and face to face learning.

Public Health England has said that schools aren't hubs or drivers of infection, but the government has said that they expect cases to surge as schools open.

The Government says it wants to reduce disruption schools by removing bubbles and face coverings.

Sienna has said that she is looking forward to returning to school and seeing her friends.