I'm a teacher and I'm scared.

[NebularNerd]

I don't feel safe going back to work in September. When I became a teacher I did not anticipate doing so during a pandemic. I, like many others in secondary schools, will be facing up to 150 students a day, indoors, with no protection.
I am over 40 but not otherwise in a high risk category, although my husband is and we have elderly parents who will be exposed if I'm infected, as well as young children who will also be in school and potentially exposed.
I'm not disputing the need for children to return to school at all. I'm just starting to fear returning.
Anyone else feel this way?

[Fedup21]

@CodenameVillanelle

Ok, I appreciate the numbers of pupils will be large but many, many of us are working in close proximity to others with minimal PPE if any and have been all the way through. If you're teaching that many then I assume it's secondary and you can try to maintain 1 metre plus distance from them - keep your classroom windows open, wear a mask and get them to sanitise their hands on entering the classroom.

And what about if...

Your classroom windows do not open.
Your head says you are not allowed to wear masks.
You are at opposite ends of the school from any toilets/sink.
Your allocation of the school’s stock of hand sanitiser has been nicked or run out.

It annoys me when people say all you have to do is, x/y/x and you can’t!

No doubt you’ll accuse me of not having a ‘Can do’ attitude though.

[LaurieMarlow]

For me, I would be happier if at least students and staff wore masks.

Talk to your head. Have they completely ruled that out?

Talk to your union to say how focusing on that one issue would help you and others feel safer.

Could you afford to take a career break?

[RiaRoth]

@Rubyroost

*we are not allowed masks.

We are also not allowed sanitiser with alcohol in on school premises*

Says who and why not?

Government says no masis and school are following government guidance

Which also states that the risk of catching covid in a corridor in school is very low risk

[RiaRoth]

masks!

[JulyBreeze]

@Rubyroost mask wearing does not affect your oxygen levels, otherwise what would doctors and nurses be doing?

The Dept for Education guidance says No to masks in schools. (Individual schools may have decided individuals having hand gel is a health risk.... although I'd like to know how they argue that one!)

[NebularNerd]

I don't understand why anyone would argue AGAINST teachers and students wearing masks / having PPE, if it keeps everyone in school, and by default the wider community, safer? 🤷‍♀️

[Rubyroost]

@RiaRoth I didn't know that. I know lots of school are allowing teachers to wear masks

[Rubyroost]

@JulyBreeze I've read articles which suggests masks can affect oxygen levels

[Glamazoni]

I’m a nurse!!! How many teachers have died through covid?
Nurses need to go to work to save lives. Teachers need to stay at home to save lives.

[seven201]

I'm a scared secondary teacher. I'm due to have some long medical treatment that may get cancelled part way through if I come into contact with someone with symptoms. I can't stop worrying about that. If I could afford to resign I would. I'd fee much more comfortable if everyone (excluding the exempt) was wearing a mask and I don't see why they aren't in secondary. Just me wearing a mask with 30 kids aiming at facing me isn't going to help me. My windows open about 10cm so no air comes through. On the really hot days we have a fan but I guess that won't be allowed any more.

[Bridecilla]

In one of our run down FE buildings we have 1 female bathroom with 3 stalls and 2 sinks.

There are 4 big staffrooms (18+ staff in each) 3 smaller staffrooms plus 20 classrooms which are usually at full capacity.

I honestly have no idea how we can hope to control sanitation

[noblegiraffe]

I've read articles which suggests masks can affect oxygen levels

Usually on the same sort of site that suggests that CV is a hoax and the sheeple should just get on with life as normal.

Masks don’t affect oxygen levels, that’s been debunked.

[CodenameVillanelle]

@RiaRoth I didn't say I was a teacher but I have been working throughout with people in their homes

[Rubyroost]

@nobelgiraffe you're wrong, actually

[walksen]

People “like” me? I’m a nurse!!! How many teachers have died through covid? How many caught it at work? Evidence please!

Honestly, no one says when a nurse/ porter / doctor died said " prove" they caught it at work. We all assume they caught it as it is the most likely but is there ever any "proof", that they caught it from a patient. I would have thought the best you can do is show cases where the viruses have the same mutations and part of a cluster.

Kids are more likely to be asymptotic than adults so if they cat h it and pass it on the infection is only caught by the adult going for a test. When the child gets tested as a result it will be assumed they caught it from an adult.

As for shop workers at the peak 2m was enforced quite strictly. Yet now, we wear masks to protect them.

On the other hand, teachers are told you are only in close contact if you are within 2m for at least 15 minutes. When shopping I don't think I've ever stood that close to a shop worker for that long.

Meanwhile greater Manchester is locked down due to test and trace showing indoor transmission is driving infections but it at the same time it is safe to be in a room with 30 plus kids.

2m will be impossible to follow in a classroom the whole time and in some impossible full stop. And if there is a fight, do i put the mask on before or after I break it up? It is it safe if the fight lasts less than 15m. What if they are shouting and screaming etc.

[Freddiefox]

@SummerPeony

Not a single one of us wants to catch coronavirus. No one wants to think they’re at risk from dying every day, but nothing is certain - the virus isn’t going away. What is the alternative?

Part time teaching.
Smaller groups
Stop spinning us a line that bubbles are the answer when bubbles will share toilets and corridors.
Money to fund washing facilities.
Being allowed to inform parents when there is one case.
Stop pretending that it’s safe
Stop blaming the unions
Face masks.
A plan B for if it goes wrong and schools have to close.
Reduce the transmission in the community before we re open schools
Close bars and pubs.
A well run track and trace system.
The ‘cherry on the top’ elusive app that was promised in June.

[GisAFag]

Get the facts not the crap on social media then you might see that whilst there is a risk of death it is small for someone without underlying conditions. All this scaremongering is bollocks. We have to get on with it.

[RiaRoth]

[quote CodenameVillanelle]@RiaRoth I didn't say I was a teacher but I have been working throughout with people in their homes[/quote]
I think that was apparent from you post. There is no way unfortunately that your suggestions are possible in a school situaton. It would be good if they were

[SaskiaRembrandt]

@Ickabog

children don’t not replicate the virus the same way that adults do. Hence they are poor transmitters of disease.

Genuine question, what's the difference between a 15 year old 6ft child and a 18 year old 6ft adult?

Hopefully this doesn't sound goady, because I really am interested in the difference regarding the virus.

I've been wondering what the difference is between an 18 year old, 6 foot A'level student, and an 18 year old, 6 foot degree student, because the difference in their ages can be a matter of days. If we're expected to believe that the former can't transmit the virus but the latter can, could someone explain to me how that works? And why the degree student will be expected to wear a mask, abide by strict hygiene and social distancing measures, and probably receive much of their teaching in a digital format, but the A'level student will be taught in school, in an environment that is not conducive to controlling the spread of the virus?

[Trackandtrace]

@NeurotrashWarrior

Things to focus on:

We are testing a load more than we were in March. In many areas the cases are much lower than in March. We can track those cases.

We know more about what we are dealing with.

It's not great but I do find that helps a bit for me.

We also have higher deaths now than in week leading up to lockdown

[FlySheMust]

The anxieties felt by teachers about returning with no protection are very real. I hope they see their GPs and get signed off.

Maybe then Boris will allow basic safety in the classroom.

[walksen]

That depends on how old you are.

On average in the uk, at 40 the risk from covid doubles your risk of dying in the next year compared to all other causes and diseases combined.

There are people I work with in their 50's and 60's and for them the risk is at least 3 and 5 times the normal one. That's not scaremongering it's statistics.

And teachers seem to be the only worker whose protection has got worse/ been reduced instead of better as the pandemic has gone on.

[yikesanotherbooboo]

I am a front line hcp and feel uneasy about the risk so I understand how you feel. I think it is the case that once you are back at work the value of what you are doing and the camaraderie amongst your peers will help. Gradually our shielding staff have come back to work as they miss work and feel more useful there, even those who could work from home. All I can say is that even if you have all the risk factors you are still likely to recover from COVID.
I'm not on top of the mask issue but don't understand why you wouldn't be able to wear one ; or the children for that matter ( usual caveats etc).

[DipSwimSwoosh]

I'm against masks because I am claustrophobic. I don't go to shops any more. I have tried and it is unbearable. They are unpleasant to wear, and unnecessary if you don't get close to people. And I am at very little risk anyway.

[GermanSausage]

Why do teachers think they are special? I don't see supermarket market workers, bus drivers, nurses, shop workers, doctors etc etc etc etc living in fear? Many other workers mix with many people each day.