Four teachers have died of Covid-19 in USA

[Shockingstocking]

The Times is running this sad story today. They make the point that we are just weeks into the new academic year.

These teachers were not all in the same state so difficult to see how this can be written off as specific to a set of circumstances.

I think we'll look back on what we're asking teachers to do, without protective equipment or social distancing, and feel ashamed of the way they were shamed and harassed to do their job in these conditions.

@Shockingstocking

They were all overweight.

Without context, that comment seems to lend itself to many interpretations that place you in a most unfavorable light.

Why have you only responded to this post? (Incidentally with a comment that speaks loudest to your own OP!!)

Wow! This evening Mumsnet is awash with reason, intelligent thinking and lack of hysteria. I like it.

I'm sure more died of flu last year.
Teaching is not an "at risk" profession.

And the implication being that their lives matter less? Or that we should perhaps keep overweight teachers on furlough? That seems overly charitable.

I haven't responded because it's true - I don't have data on other occupations etc. The Times didn't give those figures. I find it deeply concerning and I've said that already. So did the journalist who wrote the article. If you want to dismiss it, unfortunately I don't have any data to make a case against you. And I hope I won't in the weeks to come.

But the tone of rosielemonade is heartless and disrespectful. That, I can have a problem with without data.

I'm sure more died of flu last year.

How nice to be so sure that four teachers of died of flu in the states last year in the first three weeks of term. I wish I went around with the kind of knowledge that would allow me to feel so sure.

Can you tell us why you find it ‘deeply concerning’? Surely there isn’t an occupation in the world that hasn’t been affected by deaths of covid. It’s sad sure.

I’d be interested to know why their co-morbidities were.

*what

And the implication being that their lives matter less?

No such implication was in my comment or the other posters. You’re adding in words and intentions that aren’t there. The point I think the poster was making is, they are in an at risk group, and they are of varied occupations. Including but not limited to the teaching profession. Their occupation is irrelevant in this context.

You have a very emotive attitude and have jumped to conclusions based on nothing but what appears to be paranoia. I’d recommend you switch off the news for a few months and undertake a meditation course.

@ragged

Even teachers spend the majority of their waking hours away from pupils and colleagues.

What a fucking brainless comment this is.

People from all wall of lives have died ? Not sure what you are getting at

But I mean you can also say x accountants have died, y therapists have died, z dog walkers have died.

I’m sure some teachers died of CV over the lockdown period without coming into contact with children. People are inevitably going to catch it everywhere eventually and a very, very, very small number of us will die.

I’m kind of not understanding the point here.

I’m kind of not understanding the point here.

I think the OP's point is that COVID IS OUT TO GET US and that by opening schools we are murdering teachers. MURDERING!!

Shockingstocking it is clear though that although they were all teachers none of them died due to being teachers. One caught it at church, 2 were self isolating before schools reopened and the 4th managed a teacher day before getting symptoms.

Now that isnt to say at some point it wont happen but none of them died due to being at school

@Shockingstocking

I'm sure more died of flu last year.

How nice to be so sure that four teachers of died of flu in the states last year in the first three weeks of term. I wish I went around with the kind of knowledge that would allow me to feel so sure.

A very quick google throws up all sorts of stories of teachers dieing of flu, and being on life support and getting flu even though they had the jab. These are stories from 2015, 2016, 2018, stories of 63 children dieing of flu dieing one particularly bad season (which is much worse than child deaths from Covid). I am pretty sure if I googled supermarket workers or lorry drivers or cleaners etc etc dieing from flu I would get similar results. I think you are taking a fact in completel isolation and are unable to apply any sort of reasoning to it! Any figure can mean anything you want it to unless you have all the background and comparison info. 4 teachers die!! Could mean 4 is an insanely high number when compared to other occupations and other years. Or is could mean ‘only 4’ have died and other occupations have had 20 die.

For example first story that come up when googling ‘supermarket work die Covid’ brings up a story from APRIL stating at least 41 supermarket workers had died so far from Covid in the states.
June 2020 - story that 43 London transport workers (bus and train drivers) had died from Covid.
Over 7000 health workers have died from Covid world wide.

How old were they?

Any existing conditions?

What percentage of the teaching population do they make up?

I'm surprised the Times didn't include some of the details that have been mentioned here (if accurate). That one of these teachers hasn't been in a classroom and the other has been proven to have got it at church etc. Had they said this, I wouldn't have started the thread, to be fair. Also to be fair, I'll keep my eyes open for more info as I don't feel this is a nothing issue-if course schools are not "safe". But today's story doesn't seem to be evidence of that in the way the Times suggested. Strange that folk think it's the Guardian who can't be trusted in this way.

journo's often tend to be lazy.
sensationalizing all those countries with children just returning to school.
lots of people take a teaching degree, lots of teachers are older with serious health conditions.
and yes, those with health concerns needed to find a way to stay home (although with poor safety nets the USA will have a lot of unnecessary deaths).

The Times Journalist would have picked up the story circulating on the internet and then done a quick piece to put online. Looking at it they all come from individual local stories

I can’t see The Times story but a google this morning brings up other articles who all say the same.

Even those with the headline do seem to all now have the same facts underneath but the headline remains the same

Whereas actually the real thing is why are so many young (because they were young) African Americans dying of COVID so quickly in the US

So, 4 people who happen to be teachers have died do Covid-19...?

4 unlinked people from across the US out of 3.2 million teachers...?

That's not a bad figure. How many shop workers have died, for example, bet it's thousands

I'm surprised the Times didn't include some of the details that have been mentioned here (if accurate). That one of these teachers hasn't been in a classroom and the other has been proven to have got it at church etc. Had they said this, I wouldn't have started the thread, to be fair. Also to be fair

That's why BBC More or Less is good. It looks 'beyond the headlines' to look at the stats and understand the reasons for the figures and if they mean anything.

@Shooglywheel

I’d be interested to know why their co-morbidities were.

Me too.

I don't think it was unfair of the pp to mention weight. I'm overweight and know this heightens my risk. There are co-morbidities associated with obesity, so I don't think it was unreasonable of the pp to observe this.

Riiight so now you’re blaming the Times for your over-reaction and lack of perspective...