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

There have been 197 'outbreaks' in school since 1st June in the UK. Despite HUGE protective measures being in place.

Smaller teaching groups
Focus on outdoor learning

No chance in my school. There are no extra staff for these smaller groups, and there is barely a playground. We can't even have whole year groups out to play at the same time because we don't have the space for more than 60 children to play.

mumsneedwine

I think schools will be shut again very quickly. And staff will get sick. If parents think mask wearing is traumatic then I can't imagine the trauma of knowing your teacher is on life support.

I've got my transition days with my new class (in groups of 4 - 6) tomorrow and Tuesday. I'm going to be showing them my mask and visor options, we're going to talk about it.

That'll give them 5 weeks to get over the trauma of seeing them

Temperature checks Don't really prove whether you've got Covid or not and schools will have to ensure they are fully calibrated every morning to ensure the temp checks are being carried out correctly with every child esp if they are going to be used as a basis for making a parent take unpaid leave from work
Masks Children cannot be trusted to use them correctly all day every day - I don;t care that other countires have adopted their use, this still dosen't mean they are being used in the correct manner.
Smaller teaching groups Where do you propose schools teach all these smaller groups given that the majority of school buildings aren't of adequate size to accomadate splitting all the children up , not to mention the extra staff. Or who is going to fund all the time off parents will need to take to accomdate blended learning
Focus on outdoor learning With our weather conditions and when we are approaching winter..... Where is the money going to come from to make outdoor spaces appropriate for children to be taught in for considerable periods - forest school is a world away from learning phonics and long multiplication whilst sat under an umbrella in an all in one waterproof or do you agree with Denmarks approach of carrying out lessons in the local graveyard?

The problem is, all the potential approaches people keep suggesting that have worked elsewhere simply can't be adapted to our school system set up being the inadequate buildings, class sizes etc.

Bring on September so teachers can finally have something to do except worry themselves half to death! Most of us who are working as normal have realised its really ok. Teachers please believe by half term you'll all be stressing about something else completely

Children cannot be trusted to use them correctly all day every day

The appropriate phrase here is don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.

Bring on September so teachers can finally have something to do except worry themselves half to death!

Children cannot be trusted to use them correctly all day every day

The appropriate phrase here is don’t let perfection be the enemy of good

No, its just a case of there is no point in enforcing something that is rendered completely useless because it is not being done correctly.

Its like going out in the rain with a hole in your umbrella - I'm not being offered any protection from the rain just because of the fact I have one with me - it still has to be fit for purpose and used correctly.

Most of us who are working as normal have realised its really ok

I am the only one of my whole friend/family group (apart from two NHS workers) who have actually been into work at all since mid March.

My colleagues and I have all been back in the building teaching our ‘normal‘ hours since 1st June. None of my non-teaching friends are back in the office as ‘normal’.

@openplankitchen

Bring on September so teachers can finally have something to do except worry themselves half to death! Most of us who are working as normal have realised its really ok. Teachers please believe by half term you'll all be stressing about something else completely

I really hope your words don’t come back to bite you in the ass for mine and my children’s sake.

It’s like going out in the rain with a hole in your umbrella - I'm not being offered any protection from the rain

Well you’ve just destroyed your own argument because clearly an umbrella with a hole in offers some protection from the rain. It reduces the amount of rain on your head.

The goal is reducing transmission, yes?

It’s like going out in the rain with a hole in your umbrella - I'm not being offered any protection from the rain

You totes should’ve used a condom analogy instead.

In Germany (which everyone seems to tout as being the grandmaster in all things Covid) they only ask children to wear masks in corriders or toilets and not in the classroom itself. In Canada, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, mask wearing is optional for both students and staff. Despite this there hasn't been the huge explosion in cases in schools that everyone is scaremongering about happening here.

Yes, but all of these places have a combination of : smaller class sizes, reduced class sizes, larger grounds and classrooms,social distancing, and/or some form of blended learning. I'd also welcome a fact check on your assertion that in none of those countries have there been outbreaks. I would not model anything on Sweden tbh but even there , the oldest are not I school, there is ,however, draconian enforcement of attendance for staff and pupils and high levels of illness and absence.

For those who keep arguing that schools will close down and people will learn there could be a worse shitshow : I am afraid I think this is wrong. The guidelines are so weasel worded for secondary in particular, that there will be almost no closures, 'just' lots of absence and chaos, I believe.

In my school the bubble Is virtually 1200. there is now way the school will close because of tow cases and teachers have basically been excluded form any inclusion as a member of a bubble. I think you will find the whole thing ahs been set up to try to mitigate whole scale absence. Which may well lead to spreading...

But that's the point isn't it @motherrunner

I may get covid. I may die from covid. It's a risk like any other. Life is full of risks. But when we get used to risks we learn to live with them. It's what humans do.

I can guarantee there will continue to be cases of covid in schools. Imagine if there's 1 case a month. The first case everyone will feel worried. By the tenth case it will just be a normal part of life.

The quicker teachers get back to normal and stop their panicking the better!

[quote mumsneedwine]@Orangeblossom78 we've had some of the disengaged back too. As well as 3 key worker pods. So many staff been in covering it all as well as teaching remotely. I am shattered. 3 days to go ....[/quote]
I think you’re all amazing. I taught for 17 years but third child tipped us into me being a SAHM for a bit. Honestly can’t imagine all you’re juggling and have so much respect.

Well, the South Koreans do all sorts of things such as those and still had problems it seems...

The quicker teachers get back to normal and stop their panicking the better!

Panicking? 😂😂😂 You think panicking teachers decided to shut schools?

The guidelines are so weasel worded for secondary in particular, that there will be almost no closures, 'just' lots of absence and chaos, I believe.

I also believe that. Chaos being the key word.

@Letseatgrandma you really don't know anyone who isn't back at work except teachers?!

The point is teachers aren't back to normal. They are teaching very small classes and are therefore worrying about teaching full classes in September. Thankfully when they're back at work normally they will soon stop worrying.

Health anxiety isn't good for anyone

@openplankitchen

But that's the point isn't it *@motherrunner*

I may get covid. I may die from covid. It's a risk like any other. Life is full of risks. But when we get used to risks we learn to live with them. It's what humans do.

I can guarantee there will continue to be cases of covid in schools. Imagine if there's 1 case a month. The first case everyone will feel worried. By the tenth case it will just be a normal part of life.

The quicker teachers get back to normal and stop their panicking the better!

You think that schools staff wanting some procedures in place to mitigate risk in our work place-just like everyone else has-is ‘panicking’?!

Imagine if there's 1 case a month. The first case everyone will feel worried. By the tenth case it will just be a normal part of life.

There have been 197 outbreaks in the last 6 weeks. Just so you can update your trolling data.

@ohthegoats

The guidelines are so weasel worded for secondary in particular, that there will be almost no closures, 'just' lots of absence and chaos, I believe.

I also believe that. Chaos being the key word.

Weasel worded, sums it all up perfectly.

@ohthegoats yes I think chaos is pretty accurate