Schools Reopening?

[ClimbDad]

A major, peer reviewed study into transmission in South Korea has established that tweens and teenagers spread the SARSCOV2 virus more than any other age group.

The study involved more than 65,000 people and used South Korea’s exceptionally effective contact tracing system to look at who brought the virus into households. Tweens and teenagers were the highest index case age group. Younger children transmitted at the same rate as 20-somethings.

This is a large scale, rigorous piece of research that proves children are effective at transmitting the virus. It was conducted in a country that implements strict social distancing and mask wearing among children. The authors say the rate of transmission would have been higher if children weren’t subjected to those measures.

Plans to reopen schools more or less as normal in September will place many lives at risk, and increase the likelihood schools will have to close again. The government needs to acknowledge schools will be highly efficient vectors of viral transmission and change its reopening plans.

Published Paper:
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/10/20-1315_article

Article on the paper:

www.bloombergquint.com/business/covid-19-spread-fastest-by-teens-and-tweens-korea-study-finds

Cleaned? What is this word you use??

I mean some schools are considering literally abandoning non core subjects to focus on core for non exam years

Hmm, are you talking about the lies reported by the Times regarding Harris Academies?

I mean some schools are considering literally abandoning non core subjects to focus on core for non exam years

Very much doubt this based on the guidance that clearly says students shouldn't be dropping subjects and reiterates a broad and balances entitlement for all.

@noblegiraffe no- I’m not talking about that- I personally know teachers in schools that are considering doing that and some teachers (who teach non core subjects) are very upset about it

If the schools shut again then this years year 11's (Due to pick up results in August) and this years year 10's are likely to end up being school years that have to spend an extra year in education as they'll have been so much disruption to their education.

It's not great either for this years year 6's either to be honest with starting secondary school,it's a big jump from year 6 to year 7 let alone missing a huge chunk of school and then starting secondary school for it to shut again.

The issue won't be the kids but teaching and support staff.My kids school had to start making closures prior to lockdown starting due to staff shortages.

It's going to be even worse now their shutting down the furlough scheme too.The economy cannot code.I cannot imagine another recession alongside covid19 and government won't have the financial resources to support universal credit on a potential mass scale.

I find all of this absolutely terrifying.

Where are these vaccines they say they have?

Very much doubt this based on the guidance that clearly says students shouldn't be dropping subjects and reiterates a broad and balances entitlement for all.

I’m in Scotland and whether they still are there most definitely were some schools planning to teach only literacy, numeracy and “health and well-being” to primary and junior secondary pupils.

I mean some schools are considering literally abandoning non core subjects to focus on core for non exam years

Possibly this was discussed before the guidance came out. I doubt it is being discussed now.

Agree with the OP, the plans need to drastically change.

Other workplaces have to be Covid secure but school staff are expected to work without social distancing and PPE. The virus doesn’t cease to exist because it knows it’s a school .

The risk to children may be very low but they can still suffer with it and also they can pass onto others not so low risk.

Add to that parents who send in sick children, who aren’t following the guidelines etc.

Children’s education is important but it can be done via many means, it’s not more important than staff lives.

Every secondary case from a child index case in that study shared the initial exposure. Sorry if this has already been shared.

twitter.com/apsmunro/status/1284794522174664704?s=19

Add to that parents who send in sick children, who aren’t following the guidelines etc.

I worry that with many people already worried about losing their jobs, and struggling to take time off, there will be an increase in this sort of behaviour come September.

Well the government could increase ssp or adapt the furlough to cover 80% of people told to isolate or testing positive who would lose out otherwise. People who do not get full pay when Ill tend to be lower paid.

For all the talk of people not being penalised for doing the right thing, lots of people who can least afford it are.

The figures are showing that contact tracers can't reach 50% of people in Blackburn for example which is much higher than the national figure. People living week to week with little savings might ignore the call because they can't afford to not work.

They could increase SSP but surely personal responsibility has to apply. Knowingly sending an ill child to school or going to work ill during a pandemic should carry harsh consequences.

I can still send my child in if they have a runny nose and sneezing but no cough, fever or loss of smell right?

I'm not saying it's right but It happened in Leicester though, sometimes due to employer threats and when you are living hand to mouth some people will proritise their family over others though won't they?

People send sick kids to schools and nurseries all the time, to go to work or whatever. Might only be a small percentage of people but that is all it takes. Still others think kids don't pass the virus on anyway so what's the harm?

But if you can't afford yo feed yourself/your children if you don't work then I can understand why you wouldn't want to be off.

It's be lovely to live in a utopia where personal responsibility around corona is the top of the list. However affording food comes first.

But surely we don’t just resign to that? It’s yet another aspect the government needs to be made to look at and solve.

This bizarre all or nothing, back to normal or stay locked down forever, all back to work with no changes or the economy tanks, rhetoric is really handy for government. Cummings must have creamed himself when he devised it.

We don't have to resign ourselves to it. More deprived areas have less successful contact tracing. This has and will lead to more outbreaks.

Doing something about it and following through on the rhetoric might make us all safer. The government has allowed a proliferation of insecure working conditions and faux self employment. We've paid millions of people up to 2500 a month for what 4 months to stay home but we can't afford to pay people 300 a week when they are actually infected rather than 95 quid a week? With the number of infections we have at the moment it can't be that expensive compared to furlough.

Agreed. Amongst those vulnerable workers without sick pay are contracted out hospital cleaners. What kind of madness is having infected workers in hospital because they can’t isolate and keep food on the table?

A temporary boost to ssp and ensuring it kicks in from day 1 needs to happen.

@walksen I don't think it's that simple. Lots of people on zero hours contracts etc would simply be laid off if they refused work.

The best thing would be to have the 1 hour turn around test for everyone with symptoms. No more self isolating for 14 days. No more closing bubbles. Quick test, isolate if positive, everyone else carries on

If you have symptoms, you are supposed to remain in isolation, even with a negative test.

Even as a teacher I’m unclear what happens with pay if eg I have to self isolate because my son has symptoms. It’s not sick leave and we only get 1 day paid parental leave. Some schools have staff absence insurance but I presume that only covers sick leave and won’t cough up for isolating in a pandemic.

The government will presumably wash their hands of that as well as the cleaning costs and signage and other expenses that are meant to be covered by already screwed school budgets.

They’ve already driven a local authority bankrupt in recent years may as well add thousands of schools. Then no doubt that will be our own fault too.

[quote openplankitchen]@walksen I don't think it's that simple. Lots of people on zero hours contracts etc would simply be laid off if they refused work.

The best thing would be to have the 1 hour turn around test for everyone with symptoms. No more self isolating for 14 days. No more closing bubbles. Quick test, isolate if positive, everyone else carries on[/quote]
No because you can have it but not have the markers yet. Hence 7 days from point of exposure as it can take that long to develop

Not sure what you mean about refusing work. I'm talking about increased ssp for anyone with a positive test / maybe self isolating if told to do so by track and trace and proof provided to employer.

Got to be be honest about the self isolating in that I am not fully up to speed. I though you might not be allowed to stop isolating on a negative test -does it take a few days for viral levels to be detectable?

I get having strong opinions. I’m quite opinionated myself but at least make some effort to be abreast of the facts before wading in telling people what they should do. That particular gem could cost lives

The government will presumably wash their hands of that as well as the cleaning costs and signage and other expenses that are meant to be covered by already screwed school budgets.

Yep