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.

Why the accusation of hysteria? Why do people feel the need to belittle people with different opinions to themselves?

[quote moretolifethanthis2020]@Nellodee
I'm sure it can transmit in schools but so can so many other viruses. Most cases are asymptomatic and death rates and hospital admissions are low. So I wonder why the hysteria is still going on.
Yes, the UK was criminal sending these poor people back into carehomes etc, but that's not the case now. Life has to go on. Why are we so terrified of a virus where about 80% of people are asymptomatic and the other 15% or more have it so mildly? I just don't understand it.[/quote]
I genuinely think you have your figures wrong.

@Moretolifethanthis2020 yes I was with keyworkers. A bubble of 15 mixed years. I felt quite safe but am not sure about my high school children. They are in a very large high school. We've had Covid19 so hopefully there's some immunity. But I am shocked at how many people are prepared to gamble there children's health.

@moretolifethanthis2020

Ps. We are allowed to wear masks if we choose. I choose not to. The children I teach need to see my face and I want to see theirs. I am no more scared of this virus than any other virus we are exposed to constantly as teachers.

Genuinely people, please stop feeling hysterical. Once schools are back I think you'll feel better, just like lots of parents did when reception, year 1 and year 6 went back.

Thanks

You can’t simply plead with people to stop being hysterical when they have valid concerns. Wearing a mask whilst teaching in the classroom is not ideal but a member of school staff may feel it offers some protection/confidence when walking along a cramped corridor during lesson changeover.

I am not here to start an argument and I'm unsure why you're reading my post as if I am. I like balanced debate and I am unsure why people forget how many children have been at school and how many countries have had schools back for months. We have been terrified by our government more than any other country - I was terrified at first too. Especially as I am technically vulnerable due to my Type 1 diabetes. But my terror was lowered by being back at school and seeing that it's not the blood bath we expected. Nothing of the sort. I feel others will also be reassured by the end of September too.

@mac12

Can you cite one *@SodomyNonSapiens* who directly addresses airborne transmission in context of schools re-opening?

It doesn't behave differently in schools than it does anywhere else.

@moretolifethanthis2020

I am not here to start an argument and I'm unsure why you're reading my post as if I am. I like balanced debate and I am unsure why people forget how many children have been at school and how many countries have had schools back for months. We have been terrified by our government more than any other country - I was terrified at first too. Especially as I am technically vulnerable due to my Type 1 diabetes. But my terror was lowered by being back at school and seeing that it's not the blood bath we expected. Nothing of the sort. I feel others will also be reassured by the end of September too.

Can you tell me which countries have had secondary aged pupils back full time with no masks and no social distancing with 30+ students per room? Genuine question - would like to see other countries have achieved this.

Honestly I don't care if people want to wear masks at school and it makes them feel safer. I choose not to.

@Kitcat122
I was reassured by looking at the stats and that actually, for many many many schools, it is very possible that there will be no children in the whole school with covid - asymptomatic or otherwise.

And the stats again show that 99.4% of people will survive it - more so, as more and more asymptomatic cases are found.

And just to reassure you further, let's look at the stats below. Remind me why you're so scared of Covid but not the flu. As I've said, I used to be terrified of covid, so please don't take me as having a go, I'm genuinely not.

In the week ending June 19, 1,002 people died with flu and 783 died with coronavirus
In the week ending June 26, 938 people died with flu, and 606 with coronavirus
In the week ending July 3, 1,004 people died with flu, and 532 with coronavirus
In the week ending July 10, 917 people died with flu, and 366 with coronavirus
In the week ending July 17, 879 people died with flu, and 295 with coronavirus
In the week ending July 24, 958 people died with flu, and 217 with coronavirus
In the week ending July 31, 928 people died with flu, and 193 with coronavirus

@Nellodee to be fair if you google that is the top result. It is from March

Cruise ships do show 80%

I am shocked at how many people are prepared to gamble there children's health.

This exactly Kitcat. I struggled to put it into words earlier on.

Either these parents don’t care - which I really don’t believe can be true - or they just don’t think anything could happen to them. Maybe they believe that bad things only ever happen to other people.

@WhyNotMe40
Sweden for one. Have a good look into it, very interesting. They have kept children into school up to the age of 16 throughout even the peak. Sweden admits their major issue was with the care homes

If it's hysteria to ask for protection for teachers and students in schools because the virus is mild etc etc, then ALL the other restrictions on our lives must ALSO be hysteria, too.

Can I take it that those who think that teachers are hysterical think the same about social distancing/masks etc in all other settings?

Is it hysteria that we must wear masks in shops, for example?

Is it hysteria that you must have your temperature taken and wear a mask to get a haircut?

Or is it only hysteria if teachers want protection?

@pontypridd
Genuine question, do you feel the same about the flu that actually is worse for children? Do you feel terrified of your child being struck by lightning? Statistically they have more chance of that happening.
The government has terrified people with information out of context.

@NebularNerd
Yes I think it's all hysteria now, I do.

I am a teacher don't forget. I have no issues with teachers who want to wear a mask etc. I choose not to. But yes, I think this is the biggest overreaction to anything I've ever seen.

I honestly know people will be reassured within a month or so.

[quote moretolifethanthis2020]@WhyNotMe40
Sweden for one. Have a good look into it, very interesting. They have kept children into school up to the age of 16 throughout even the peak. Sweden admits their major issue was with the care homes [/quote]
I believe they dramatically reduced group sizes and they have small class size and larger classrooms anyway.
Also they purposefully did not look for outbreak in schools. There was a policy not to find it.

But whatever decision you make carries risks @pontypridd and it should be an individual choice based on your individual risk assessment

So for us:

Area hit badly (London borders) at the start.
Fairly confident in school back in March
Symptoms in the family start lockdown (croup like cough/temp/loss taste smell/lungs feeling like glass
No vulnerable family members
Area had 1 case in the last 7 days (very good email link actually in the data thread to give this info)
Commuter belt so very little factory/industry where a lot of outbreaks are occurring

So taking into account the above the risks of continuing to home school on my children’s mental well-being is more than sending them back.

But that is my individual risk assessment based on my factors. Differences in them could change my view. This decision should be allowed to be an individual choice (as should everything in life be).

@moretolifethanthis2020

I am not here to start an argument and I'm unsure why you're reading my post as if I am. I like balanced debate and I am unsure why people forget how many children have been at school and how many countries have had schools back for months. We have been terrified by our government more than any other country - I was terrified at first too. Especially as I am technically vulnerable due to my Type 1 diabetes. But my terror was lowered by being back at school and seeing that it's not the blood bath we expected. Nothing of the sort. I feel others will also be reassured by the end of September too.

I am not looking for an argument either and am prepared to accept a lot of people do not see the potential danger in schools reopening. However, I would not suggest that those people stop being so ignorant and face the facts that when large groups of people congregate, without social distancing, then we will see increased transmission of covid-19. Recently, there were 100 positive cases in a food factory in Northampton of 2000 workers. The size of this factory is not too dissimilar to a secondary school and so I highly expect when secondary schools are open fully, then there will be a significant rise in transmission.

Also it's not me dying so much that I'm worried about - it's me or my kids bringing it home to my terminally ill FIL. We all get vaccinated against flu. Every year.
I'm extremely aware about the long term lung scarring that occurs even in asymptomatic cases - my DM has COPD and pulmonary fibrosis due to scarring that occured 15 years ago - she didn't notice for a few years. And then there's the long term cardiac damage they are finding.
I just think it's not worth the risk.

@pontypridd

I am shocked at how many people are prepared to gamble there children's health.

This exactly Kitcat. I struggled to put it into words earlier on.

Either these parents don’t care - which I really don’t believe can be true - or they just don’t think anything could happen to them. Maybe they believe that bad things only ever happen to other people.

What an assumption. I have a dead child. Lived in probably one of the safest places on Earth and it still didn't prevent her death. I've seen both of my surviving children's mental health, happiness and joy in life deteriorate and begin to evaporate during this. And they, because they are old enough to decide, want to get back to living what is generally considered a normal life for teenagers and young people in the West. They don't want to go on being afraid of everything, of seeing every single person as a threat.

I support them in this. Very soon, they will making all the choices over their lives themselves, using only their wits and the tools we've hopefully given them to think critically, to assess risk, to find and assert their own boundaries.

I care very much about their health, but that means all of it, including their mental and spiritual health.

Bad things happen all the time, not just Covid. I didn't need my child to die to learn that or know that, but it happened nonetheless. Existing in fear is no way to survive, IMO. I know my kids' sister would wholeheartedly agree. She enjoyed life to the fullest and did not let fear stop her.

It was high time these children got back to school, to learning, to seeing their mates and teachers and staff, to the routine that goes with that.

That does not make someone a bad parent who doesn't give a shit about their kids' health or who is ignorant of the ill that can befall anyone .

www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/how-sweden-wasted-rare-opportunity-study-coronavirus-schools

Talks about large outbreaks in Swedish schools and staff dying.

Genuine question, do you feel the same about the flu that actually is worse for children?

Are you a doctor or scientist. How do you know it’s worse? Why do we not lockdown and wear masks every year, quarantine and place travel restrictions if flu is worse?

However, I would not suggest that those people stop being so ignorant and face the facts that when large groups of people congregate, without social distancing, then we will see increased transmission of covid-19. Recently, there were 100 positive cases in a food factory in Northampton of 2000 workers.

I would also suggest that people realise that there is no society, no way to run a human society, without groups of people congregating. You simply cannot. It has to happen or many vital services that keep society running and prevent anarchy cannot run.

It's also really hard to run a decent society with a great amount of unemployment and un-educated people.

But hey, Covid! OMG!

What a fab post @InDeoEstMeaFiducia. Life is a risk. You know that more than anyone. People seem to only consider one small risk now - covid.

@WhyNotMe40 I agree, I'm sure there will be more transmission but as long as it's not causing overwhelming hospital admissions and deaths, then I still don't get the problem. The flu is causing far more deaths at the moment than covid.

@LynneThePA

The schools need to be opened and children need to receive an education.

Let’s deal with a second wave (if and it’s a big if) if it happens.
Some of you really are catastrophising (not sure how you spell that) and you really need to think about getting help from your GP for this.
Ask yourself - are you spending all day, online, searching for articles and videos with a worse care scenario? What is your behaviour doing for your mental health?
Set your children a better example and put your phones down.

10000000% agree with you

Thanks for sharing the video. I'm in Canada and our province has mandated that all pupils aged 10 and over, and all staff will wear masks at school.