To prepare DC for the fact that schools may not open?

[collageofphotos]

It's now looking like full school re-opening is in doubt, unfortunately - I'm so torn about whether to be open with my DC (10 and 8) about this fact or just keep talking as though it's definitely all back to normal in September.

I'm leaning towards the latter, but wondered what others are planning to do? For context, one of my DC is desperate to get back to school, the other is absolutely dreading it, which makes things complicated...

It feels like it will be a huge shock to suddenly have to announce on eg Sept 1st (as last-minute announcements seem to be this government's specialty ) that it won't be happening after all, but on the other hand I don't want them to be worried for a whole month before we know what's actually happening...

[speakout]

Our schools are all set to open in 10 days time. ( UK)

[Piggywaspushed]

I don't think they will fully close , though. that's what I mean by hokey cokey. Some kids in, some teachers out, some teachers in, some kids out, in , out, in out.... you get the drift.

[QueenBlueberries]

You're right, Piggy. It's like playing whack-a-mole. My gut feeling is that there will be severe staffing issues, you can't just magically appear more supply teachers out of thin air, there is a limit to how many supply teachers schools can buy in if too many teachers are ill. Schools are not getting more funds to cope with this. It all has to come out of current budgets. So if too many teachers are ill, year groups may be sent home at very short notice. I am really not looking forward to this.

[Piggywaspushed]

The teacher doesn't even have to be ill to be honest. She or he could be in a household with someone who is, or who has symptoms.

[BubblyBluePebbles]

The UK Government's handling of the Coronavirus will continue to be diabolical, so I would tell your children:

I am not sure, so we'll have to wait and see...

[Marzipan12]

If someone in a bubble has a positive test the whole bubble has to isolate for 14 days. That could be a class bubbles of 30 or a high school year group bubbles of 300 plus teachers. Theresearch going to be alot of disruption and time spent isolating first family's.

[Piggywaspushed]

This is not correct. There is nothing that clear in the guidance.

[Mistressiggi]

@speakout

Our schools are all set to open in 10 days time. ( UK)

They really aren't Speakout, we are opening then but we aren't set up! Hopefully after a couple of inset days it will be different!

[Marzipan12]

Rainbow yes.

[Letseatgrandma]

@Rainbow12e

So what is the procedure when a child is ill?
Say child has a cold and cough. Parent gets a test and then waits till the test is negative, child goes back, all ok.
Child has a positive test, all children in that bubble (So all his class, breakfast club and after school club) all have to isolate u til they get a negative test result?

It’s down to the school/PHE to identify the people who have been in close contact/close proximity with the person who tested positive. There are descriptions of how close people need to be and for how long-this is a tricky one as staff/children move.

I’m sure they’d want to send as few as possible home as it’s disruptive, but if there’s a positive case in the school, it’s clearly best for everyone that they are extremely cautious and send home the maybes too.

This is from the guidance

[Piggywaspushed]

marzipan : you are not right and this is confusing people!

[Piggywaspushed]

They cannot return whilst they have symptoms, even with a negative test.

[Piggywaspushed]

Precisely.

[neutralintelligence]

I wish our government would prioritise testing and schools. They have finally found some tests with a quick turnaround (other countries have had fast testing at airports for ages now) and aren't planning on using these in schools until later in autumn/winter? But they will use them in airports first? I understand the need to prevent infected people entering the country (which the government allowed freely in February, March, April, May, some of June), but holidays aren't as important as schooling. The aviation industry has a lot more hold over the government than schools and unfortunately this government's decision-making is mainly dictated by pressure from their donors and supporters and areas that generate tax revenue.
If a person can get an accurate test to be allowed into the country within a matter of hours, then that should be available in schools to prevent weeks and months of unnecessary lost education (and cumulatively years if all the pupils' lost school time is added together).

[neutralintelligence]

Plus of course identify who actually the virus and stop the spread asap

[Keepdistance]

The study with the french boy needs to be withdrawn. It clearly says he had multiple viruses and it is already known that makes you less contagious. (Obviously why studies that are useful are not done on small sample sizes).

I cant see pubs shutting. Loses too much money. Online kids are still getting some education. With many wfh there are probably more job losses via pubs than people with childcare issues.

Plus obvious issues that people with kids work in care homes and hospitals and increasing spread at school takes it into those places and workplaces and public transport etc.
Ideally people wouldnt be letting their kids hug people or play out with others or going to several places in a day but they are and they cant see the contribution they are making to the spread.