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Original poster

643 schools now infected by Covid...

88 replies

applemoonorangesun · 12/09/2020 18:23

According to Tory Fibs this is an understatement - will schools be able to continue to be open as normal at this rate? Is it actually safe for families with vulnerable members to send their kids to school? We’ve already picked up a cold and have been back for a week.

OP posts:
dairyfairies · 12/09/2020 19:04

funny how it becomes and issue if non disabled children might not be able to access an education for a long period of time when nobody gives a shit about children with SEN who go without a school place for years in some cases (even before Covid). Just saying Smile

Ecosse · 12/09/2020 19:09

Given that schools are part of communities, there were always going to be cases amongst DC and staff.

Personally though I’d offer anyone who was shielding the opportunity to stay at home with all wages being funded by the government and food deliveries provided.

That would make much more sense than crashing the economy and education for a virus that poses no threat to the vast majority of people.

Topseyt · 12/09/2020 19:10

The Covid 19 virus will come into some schools in just the same way that by other viruses come into them. It can't be totally stopped, although some people do seem to think it can.

Government claims that schools were Covid Secure were bullshit and an attempt to hoodwink the public, aided and abetted by media outlets such as the BBC, which showed pictures of socially distanced schools at a time when most pupils were still not back.

There will be cases. It is inevitable. Children and their teachers are in very large bubbles and with all now back in school social distancing is no longer possible. This was always going to happen.

I hope schools do stay open now, but I know that the need for people to quarantine and isolate might put paid to that sometimes because there may be insufficient staff available.

Trackandtrace · 12/09/2020 19:19

2 % of schools. Many of these have been opened less than 2 weeks. Many have multiple infections. Some children and staff with stmptoms have been unable to get tested so they could be positive but bubbles wont be sent home so these will be extra to the 2% that we know about.

For children and staff who were shielded for 5 months this is very concerning as any school could have a covid outbreak.

There is no way to be safe when social distancing is impossible.

What % will it be next sat?

DonnaDonna01 · 12/09/2020 19:23

How can you get pupils through GCSE’s and A Levels with blended learning or all online? If like someone suggests we do that for the next few years? We will have students that are seriously disadvantaged when leaving school. I’m not saying throw them all in the school and get on with it but unless the government has a substantial amount of money and a rock solid plan other than schoosl open then I don’t know what options we have.

Kazakaren · 12/09/2020 19:27

How can you get pupils through GCSE’s and A Levels with blended learning or all online?

Plenty of kids get GCSEs and A levels through online schooling. And there's plenty of established online schools with live teaching.

DonnaDonna01 · 12/09/2020 19:29

There may well be but not enough resources for every school age child in the country.

TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair · 12/09/2020 19:31

I think 2% is pretty good going. It's definitely worrying for anyone who is vulnerable and I am sure we will see more cases as the weeks go on but 2% of schools affected by a virus that poses practically zero risk to children or the vast majority of working age adults is a manageable situation.

I walked past a school yesterday and lots of kids were walking between classes together and it was so lovely to see them all chatting and laughing and messing about like normal kids. They've lost enough this year.

DonnaDonna01 · 12/09/2020 19:31

Also what about the families that can not afford the equipment for online learning?

notevenat20 · 12/09/2020 19:40

Also what about the families that can not afford the equipment for online learning?

Are you one of those families? There has been a lot of talk about this but I am not sure how real it is. How many households don't have any internet connection because they can't afford it, including on a mobile? I think the govt was going to fund laptops too.

Nanalisa60 · 12/09/2020 19:40

So what!! they hardly going to die from it. We are all going to have to learn to live with this virus. And then decide if we need to go back into shielding but most people without underline health problems who are not obese And under 70 will just have to take there chances.

DonnaDonna01 · 12/09/2020 19:46

@notevenat20 Are you for real, do you think that all families can afford internet and a laptop or iPad?(There was plenty pre Covid now with all the unemployment they’ll be lots more) I did see the government help scheme but after it was introduced it was on the news that it had not be able to meet the substantial amount of need there was.

Original poster
applemoonorangesun · 12/09/2020 19:54

@GoldenOmber

What does ‘school infected by Covid’ mean? Single case, multiple cases, evidence of in-school transmission, Covid oozing out of the walls?
I think it means at least one confirmed case. Took my info from Tory Fibs (on Twitter) who are collating information from local news and other reports.

2% might seem ‘good going’ but after only a week?? I don’t think so.

OP posts:
DivGirl · 12/09/2020 19:56

@didireallysaythat

I can't teach my son Art GCSE. I'm a science major. Doesn't matter how much time I have, whether I can fit it in between working from home etc, I'm not artistic.
If it cheers you up my art teacher was going through a divorce and spent the entire two years smoking out the window in his supply cupboard. I passed.
GoldenOmber · 12/09/2020 19:57

There's quite a difference, though. A school with a single case, where contact tracers were on top of it fast and where there was no transmission in the school, is a lot less worrying than a school that has covid spreading actively within the school to dozens of pupils and staff.

If 'Toryfibs on Twitter' isn't distinguishing between those two but is using highly emotive and terrifying descriptions like 'schools infected with Covid' then it doesn't sound like gathering useful information. It sounds like making the existing information sound as scary as possible, which is not what we need at an already scary time.

Original poster
applemoonorangesun · 12/09/2020 20:00

Well kids (many are young adults who transmit the virus as easily as adults) are in bubbles of hundreds, I’m not really sure how no transmission would be likely?

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 12/09/2020 20:04

What is the trend in Scotland? They have been going longer

At least 643 schools have one or more cases. Very few multiple cases in schools. So out of all school age dc what percentage is that?

MarshaBradyo · 12/09/2020 20:05

Actually the short amount of time shows it’s just community cases. They would have happened outside school had they not opened.

2X4B523P · 12/09/2020 20:20

That’s not good after such a short time, especially as community cases are doubling every 7 to 8 days so think this number will grow exponentially over the coming weeks. Also consider that we’re still in a season where virus don’t spread as easily.

I think the figure for affected schools is much smaller than it actually is as there’s no governmental reporting on this. That in itself isn’t good, why not keep the public informed on what the situation is? Those figures are compiled from scouring local news outlets, school websites and information where released from the NHS. There is a special school local to me who a friend has a child at, nothing in local news or their website but has had three bubbles burst already. I am quite certain this school isn’t included in the TF figures.

Noted · 12/09/2020 20:22

Parents will have to adapt.

I got a pasting on here for suggest that parents would need a Plan B. Schools simply can't facilitate parents' work commitments (that shouldn't mean that women have to pick up the slack)

Would you like to be operated on in someone's kitchen? Hmm. Honestly people can't see past their own jobs on here, there are thousands of jobs that CANNOT BE DONE FROM HOME.

Thelittleweasel · 12/09/2020 20:42

@applemoonorangesun

DGD was sent home from school "High temperature" "School has suspected COVID". Went for test and did not have COVID so can return to school on Monday. [She gets everything going]. If there is one single confirmed case in the school DD will circulate details to all parents and urge all parents not to send any child.

To do otherwise is madness

mumwon · 12/09/2020 20:46

a matter of interest local school was open about 2 days & teaching assistants who had had a training day the week before went down with corona virus - 8 of them out of 24 I think! - haven't heard if anymore have gone down yet or the over 90! dc who were sent home to isolate have got it.
2 days of school!!!
(mind boggles what happened on the training day - I bet they were doing something on making school covid secure!)

MadameBlobby · 12/09/2020 20:47

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

Something needs to be done quickly before it’s too late. Either go to blended learning than keep numbers down or fully remote learning or a mix of both. Parents will have to adapt.
Adapt how exactly if they both need to go to work?
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