Should teachers be extra vigilant to infection in their every day lives to reduce school transmission?

[WhyNotMe40]

As the latest PHE report states that in June there were more staff than students affected by the covid19 coronavirus, there are suggestions that teachers should take measures to reduce bringing the virus into schools.

Voting: do you think teachers should change how they behave out of schools to protect the school?
YABU yes
YANBU no

Also - what activities or behaviours do you think teachers should avoid or do to further this aim?

My DH has just pointed out that either schools, shops, cafes, gyms, etc are safe to open or they're not.

And if school staff are expected to behave differently from the rest of the population then we deserve to be financially compensated.

Apologies OP...I posted after just reading a twitter rant raging about how teachers are being 'goady'...I should have read the thread 😳

@Clavinova I think that if the measures taken by staff already are not enough to stop transmission, then more measures should be mandated, and funded. That's the gist of what you said and we agree.

But the measures that could be taken are not palatable to parents or the taxpayer, are they?

If teachers are contracting the virus in unacceptable numbers, despite following the guidelines outside of work as the rest of the population does, it doesn't take much to work out there is something that we need to change about their work environment, but there is no money or reasonable suggestions on how to do this.

If schools are the safe environments that the Government keeps telling us they are, why does it matter what any of us, student or staff member, does outside the premises?

Why single out teachers? All of us have a responsibility to take precautions to avoid spreading infection. I've worked on site as normal throughout the pandemic, I take seriously that if I contract the virus I could spread it to hundreds of colleagues and patients and I act accordingly. Teachers will no doubt do the same- not because they are teachers but because they are responsible human beings. The way we behave at work and the actions we take outside of work have of course changed now that the virus is such an issue. It will obviously be the same for school staff.

I guess the answer is yes that teachers should be following the guidance but not doing more than required, just as we all should.

In my view, teachers should be allowed to wear masks and pupils should wear masks when moving around the school. Probably not in classrooms for pupils, to be honest (unless pupils wish to wear one because they live with shielders), as I think fiddling is likely to be an issue if pupils are not very motivated and I suspect it is likely to be a behavioural issue, but that is just a personal view

However, any teacher who says "I am likely to get it in the classroom if anything" as an excuse to hold a party or go to a dinner party is being irresponsible, just as any other person in society would be being irresponsible. Same as any parent who says "the kids are at school anyway" as an excuse to mix widely beyond what is permitted.

I have not been in a supermarket since March, didn't see any family members except my household until a couple of days ago and have been following the rules, although I am well aware of neighbours and others not following the rules even during the height of lockdown. I don't see why I should restrict my life for the benefit of others when it is not 'reciprocated'. e.g. like the parents of yr 6 children who didn't send their children back to school in June but did let them play at their friends' houses. In my primary school I will be working across 2 bubbles (which in my opinion makes them 1 bubble), spending time in a tiny classroom where I will barely be able to stay a foot away from anyone, let alone 2 metres. I would like a bit more protection at school rather than me making even more sacrifices.

I will keep following the rules, just as everyone should. I just don't see why teachers should be under more restrictions than anyone else. The riskiest thing I will be doing is going to work.

My most consistent point (for weeks, if not months) has been that measures should be taken to avoid staff to staff transmission in schools as a priority - and yet there are still teachers on other threads denying that this should be a priority.

@Clavinova, how would you propose to do this?

@SaltyAndFresh

My most consistent point (for weeks, if not months) has been that measures should be taken to avoid staff to staff transmission in schools as a priority - and yet there are still teachers on other threads denying that this should be a priority.

@Clavinova, how would you propose to do this?

I'd expand this to

How do you plan to do more than close staff room, zoom meetings, limited classrooms, no ppa in workrooms, no shares offices which are already happening.

When camping this summer the shower cubicles had to be ventilated for 15 minutes between people using them.

Maybe that's what we need to do to classrooms between teachers. And fit extractor fans to every classroom where they can't open sufficiently to do so.
Might need more funding though!

Indeed.

Opening windows will be fine only when the weather is mild and it's not raining.

What are parents avoiding?

Why more funding?

Just some funding would help!

Ha true

My most consistent point (for weeks, if not months) has been that measures should be taken to avoid staff to staff transmission in schools as a priority - and yet there are still teachers on other threads denying that this should be a priority.

Ok-what measures should be taken @Clavinova

apple.news/ARbOf8JjARpyIqw1rsLkScg

This seems a very balanced report.

How do you plan to do more than close staff room, zoom meetings, limited classrooms, no ppa in workrooms, no shares offices which are already happening.

Are all these measures being carried in every school? I thought some schools couldn't get to grips with zoom/didn't have the correct equipment? Are you allowed to wear masks when pupils are not in the building (before/after school)? If not, why not? What are the arrangements for Inset Day? Will staff be socialising together outside of school? Sharing cars?

carried out

Oh no! I pressed yanbu by mistake. Of course they need to be more careful than people who have limited contact with others, just like anyone else who has a job where they are interacting with more people than the average! They are not special.

Is there a reason why staff shouldn't socialise with each other outside of school, within the rules? Others can,

Zoom is a catch all phrase for any video conferencing : this s not the same as teaching via zoom.

I agree with your points about INSET and masks .

Sharing cars is also allowed if the group is consistent and masks are worn.

Just a thought : perhaps the DFE should be clearer in their guidelines about meeting, inset, parents' evenings .

Is there a reason why staff shouldn't socialise with each other outside of school, within the rules?

Not within the rules, no, but I suppose those teachers who think schools are a hotbed of infection should avoid doing so.

Not within the rules, no, but I suppose those teachers who think schools are a hotbed of infection should avoid doing so

The reason I think that infection is likely to spread in schools is because there are hundreds if not thousands of people in them. I don’t think that a couple of teachers socialising with each other outside of school is going to be any more likely to contribute to this than any of the children or parents socialising outside of school. As far as I know, this is still allowed? I believe it’s even encouraged if they spend money whilst they do it.