US Doctor On Opening Schools

[mac12]

Dr James Hildreth, CEO of an American hospital and public health adviser to the mayor of Nashville, has a clear message about the opening of schools.

6 minute video well worth everyone's time.

[quote Beebityboo]@ClimbDad, you've misunderstood my comment. I am desperately hoping for everything you've mentioned as well as contemplating home schooling mine as I'm disabled and vulnerable. My comment was just my feeling resigned, it seems like this inept government will go forwards with the current plan regardless of the evidence .[/quote]
Apologies I misunderstood. @Beebityboo

I share your frustration. Nothing in life is zero risk, but we can greatly reduce risk by getting as many staff and students as possible to wear masks. The fact the government won’t even try this is mind boggling.

@pontypridd

Staff- At the moment masks aren’t allowed in schools are they?

There is nothing to say masks are not allowed. Just that they are not required except for personal care and dealing with child with symptoms.

The school I work in and my boys school are allowing children and staff to wear masks if they wish.

This doctor has provided evidence it’s not safe to open schools as normal. I would like to see the government provide evidence he is wrong. As he says, politicians aren’t qualified to make decisions about public health and they’ve been so wrong about everything else, why should we trust their gut feelings?

I think the problem is that the government isn’t bothered about the science any more.

That’s good daisy brown.

Other schools are refusing to allow staff or students to wear them. My friend works in one of these and our school has said nothing so far. I haven’t asked admittedly but that’s because I’m not sure my kids will be going back.

the problem is that the government isn’t bothered about the science any more.

This is the problem ginger. But are parents going to let their kids go like lambs to the slaughter, back into a Russian roulette situation?

Is everyone kind of that numbed and desperate and brainwashed? Even the teachers? Why are we not all making a stand against this?

That video ! The Doctor speaks calmly and with authority. More people should see this. It is quite clear that the current plans for schools won’t work. This Government doesn’t know what they are doing.
It is not safe to open schools.

Just done a quick search and found the Govt published this on August 7, which means they are fully aware of the risks of opening schools under the current guidance:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/907587/s0643-nervtag-emg-role-aerosol-transmission-covid-19-sage-48.pdf

"People should not spend long periods of time in poorly ventilated spaces with other people. It is recommended that organisations should take steps to ensure appropriate ventilation provision and improve ventilation or limit the occupancy of spaces that have inadequate ventilation."

" it is advisable to encourage face covering in addition to ventilation, social distancing and hand hygiene to interrupt transmission. They should particularly be encouraged in indoor environments with poor ventilation or when large numbers of people congregate to reduce the risk of super spreading events."

"Those spaces where there are several people in close proximity for a period of 30 minutes or more (e.g. social spaces, schools and university lecture rooms, meeting rooms, performance spaces) or where an infectious person is more likely to be present (e.g. GP surgeries, pharmacies) should be prioritised for mitigation."

I just can't get my head around the fact that they know the risks but are pushing ahead regardless.

Is this being shared more widely? On Twitter/ Facebook?

How do we ensure that it’s seen by everybody? Our government needs to see this but also know that it’s been everywhere. They cannot get away with this.

It definitely needs to be heavily shared. People need to hear this to make a fully informed decision.

There's another thread on here where hundreds of posters have said they would like all staff/ students to go back to school WITHOUT any masks or social distancing as their preferred option.

I just cannot understand the lack of support for teachers' and students' safety given the scientific evidence.

It's like living in a parallel universe.

Wow @mac12 😮😬 unbelievable

I can see why government might want to plough on with reopening regardless but what I really can’t understand is why they can’t at least permit masks (current back to school guidance limits their wider use). It’s not like the virus magically disappears at the school gate. I also can’t understand why the Health and Safety Executive aren’t doing more to prevent this.

@GingerandTilly

I think the problem is that the government isn’t bothered about the science any more.

Yep. They only care about using the science when it says and shows what they want it to say and show.

Yes it is on twitter its from this

www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/health/coronavirus-aerosols-indoors.html?smid=tw-share

@Ickabog

"Yep. They only care about using the science when it says and shows what they want it to say and show. sad"

That is the problem that everyone has with science. Factual data is always interpreted and can be used to justify and argue both sides depending on how you use it

The Dr himself if you look at his twitter is very politically against the way the Trump regime has handled this. Rightly actually the american response has been appalling.

But his evidence is that it is in the air. Not that we can catch it from the air. Unfortunately that cannot be shown I dont think at this point

@AllTheWhoresOfMalta

As someone who’s worked in poorly funded stage secondary schools for more than 12yrs, I can tell you that this plan the government has won’t work. Everyone who’s familiar with secondary schools is saying it won’t work. Primaries are a different matter; I think with careful planning, distancing and masks they may be able to do what is being asked of them, but in secondaries we are talking “bubbles” of 300+ kids in some cases with no staggered start or finish times and no distancing. The virus will run riot very quickly.

And yet over on a thread about what kind of schooling parents want, the vast majority are saying “let’s just go back to normal now, stop being snowflakes!” and 100% buying into this (corrupt as fuck) governments narrative. The government should have been investing money, time, expertise and energy into creating a suitable blended learning situation for this academic year.

Having taught in state secondaries for 25+ years, I totally concur.

When do you all think it would be safe to open schools? When there’s a vaccine?

The government also released a document a few weeks ago for school leaders on what to do when education staff die of covid, e.g. how to break it to pupils that their teacher has died.
They know what they are doing.

@LynneThePA Noone on this thread has said to keep schools closed. Wearing masks and working smarter to enable more social distancing would mean we actually get to keep schools open.

People who are backing the DFE's current plans to open as usual with no masks and no SD are the ones who are going to force schools to shut. When that happens, please own it & don't blame those who have been arguing for masks and a science-based approach to opening.

I don’t think it will be ‘safe’ until there is a vaccine but I think it could be SAFER with masks if the virus is airborne as this and other evidence increasingly suggests.

Can anyone summarise? I can't play the video where I am.

@ThatDirection

There is a transcript here:
www.newschannel5.com/news/meharry-ceo-dr-james-hildreth-says-new-research-shows-its-not-safe-to-open-schools?

It would also be a lot safer if:
Primaries: required to keep bubbles no bigger than 32ish (not bubble the whole school) and if cases rise to go to part-time schooling to enable more distancing and bubbles of 15/16.
Secondaries: the government could have spent the summer funding to get all pupils online with laptops so that everyone can access online learning. Then schools could do blended learning with not all pupils in at once. This age shouldn't need babysitting and half at school, half online learning would enable more (any!) social distancing.
All schools: allowed to require proof of negative test for pupils who have been sent home with covid symptoms. Currently they have to take parents' word for it. Also extra funding for more cleaning, soap and gand sanitiser.
Government docs say 'staff should not wear PPE' not 'PPE optional' which is why mant schools aren't allowing masks. This should change for all staff, and secondary school pupils.
That would be a good start.

No idea what’s going on in England but I’m a high school teacher in Scotland and we went back last week. We can wear masks but I’ve chosen not to. The children aren’t expected To socially distance themselves from each other but are supposed to keep 2 metres away from teachers.

It was great to see all their faces. They all looked so excited to be back (not normally something I would say😂)

@AnIckabog

It would also be a lot safer if: Primaries: required to keep bubbles no bigger than 32ish (not bubble the whole school) and if cases rise to go to part-time schooling to enable more distancing and bubbles of 15/16. Secondaries: the government could have spent the summer funding to get all pupils online with laptops so that everyone can access online learning. Then schools could do blended learning with not all pupils in at once. This age shouldn't need babysitting and half at school, half online learning would enable more (any!) social distancing. All schools: allowed to require proof of negative test for pupils who have been sent home with covid symptoms. Currently they have to take parents' word for it. Also extra funding for more cleaning, soap and gand sanitiser. Government docs say 'staff should not wear PPE' not 'PPE optional' which is why mant schools aren't allowing masks. This should change for all staff, and secondary school pupils. That would be a good start.

I agree with all of this.

Oh goodness this is awful. It’s what I thought already but seeing an expert say it 😟😟😟