Is it really safe to return to school?

[MrsHookey]

Child is in school. 4 year groups have been sent home to self isolate. Is this a widespread thing? Is it relatively safe to have the child back at school?

@herecomes but we have already hunkered down for months and it's got us nowhere really. How many times and for how long to we carry on hunkering down?

I don't think this is asking for very much.

For you maybe it's not asking very much. Do you think it's asking very much from a single parent who lives alone with four children, in a 550 sq ft high rise flat with no garden or balcony, in a job where they can't work from home?

IncidentsandAccidents

“I think we're at a stage where every family needs to be able to make their own decision about this.“

Agree with every word you’ve said.

I think they will close anyway. Too many staff off sick or isolating will force the issue.

People can scream, shout, carry on about rights, but not enough staff equals closed schools.

People need to think about how they will deal with this

Agree with Incidents too.

I can understand if people who are ECV / CV want to make different decisions

Why do people always go on about screaming and shouting?

I’m happy the dc are in atm I know I can’t control it

@Jrobhatch29

"So that's why we need choice. So people who desperately need to do things one way or the other, can."

Is that not kind of like saying oh well all the working class/people who work outside the home will just have to risk it whilst those that can afford it/can wfh can stay safe at home? There will be lots of vulnerable people who have to work outside home. I'm not sure it's as easy or clear cut as saying there needs to be a choice

OK, so even though the people who work outside the home would be safer if there were fewer people out there with them, you wouldn't want that?

Insisting that families shouldn't have the choice to keep children at home, because not everyone can, even though having fewer kids in school would be safer for the ones who stay there, seems a bit like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Anything that creates better physical distancing between people right now should surely be seen as helpful, even if it's not a one size fits all thing that everyone can do at the same time. There are costs to working or learning from home, too, not just benefits.

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

I think they will close anyway. Too many staff off sick or isolating will force the issue.

People can scream, shout, carry on about rights, but not enough staff equals closed schools.

People need to think about how they will deal with this

I haven’t heard a single person scream or shout about it. Maybe I hang out with the wrong people.

@MadamHoooch

I don't think this is asking for very much.

For you maybe it's not asking very much. Do you think it's asking very much from a single parent who lives alone with four children, in a 550 sq ft high rise flat with no garden or balcony, in a job where they can't work from home?

You're saying that giving people the option of keeping their children at home for now is somehow going to force parents in different circumstances to do the same?

It's not going to. If anything it will help that single parent. If the school their children are going to has better physical distancing between students because fewer students are physically in school, then it will be less likely to have random closures due to illness or staff shortages.

@MadamHoooch I don't think herecomes is advocating for us all to do that, she just wants to be able to do that herself. At the moment people can't take their DC out of school unless they deregister, I think she just wants the choice to keep hers at home temporarily to protect herself.

And from my own selfish point of view, as one of those single parents who can't work from home, I think it would be great if parents who want/need to keep their DC at home were given the choice. The less children there are at school, the less likely it is that DS and I will have to self isolate if anyone in his bubble gets it.

@Piggywaspushed

That's sounds too much like hard work. If you just go through the European countries one by one, must have higher numbers of cases per 100,000 than the UK. Most have schools open. So I am not sure what you are thinking of.

must==most

The reason, I think, that there isn't a choice is because the Government wants kids in schools and parents in offices, as it suits their ideas of where the plebs should be, and to whom they should be paying rent, and from whom they should be buying lunch. So, no choice about it. Not for the plebs.

They don't really care if that involves a few of us getting sick and dying, that is acceptable collateral damage, and actually,if we have these health conditions,then they might save a bit in terms of our ongoing healthcare.

It is no skin off any of your noses if we quietly educate our kids at home and survive a bit longer. You certainly don't have to follow suit. In fact,it might offer advantages to your children in terms of one to one input and more space.

And it would mean the world to children from vulnerable families,not to have to worry about parents getting ill, and to be left in peace from fines or prosecution and to be able to keep their school place for next year.

@monkeytennis97

Schools are not COVID secure despite the risk assessments. COVID secure is a pr spin that means (for schools) no social distancing, bubbles mixing, minimal cleanliness procedures, poor or no ventilation..

As a teacher... I can quote safely confirm that the concept of a school being covid ..or indeed any illness secure...is laughable . Don't for one second think that there is anything to stop something spreading like wildfire...there isn't. It isn't safe. I mean I go to work anyway and send my kids - as I said it's a risk that's very worth taking and doesn't fuss me. Kids need to be at school. But no way is it safe if by safe you mean that you don't want covid to spread.....

Safe in what way? If you are not vulnerable it is safe.

That is really really not true.

Most European countries don't have higher case numbers than us afaik.

But you keep asserting they have done it successfully. Too soon to say = Spain and France. Masks everywhere

Netherlands = see post above re right to a test

Germany = lower cases and extensive track and trace . masks etc

Beloved Denmark = still social distancing and reduced classes

Italy =causing unrest amongst teachers, may of whom are over 60. Wearing masks and money thrown at problems (not always successfully). Single desks have been purchased and extra facilities being used

You also didn't say Europe. You said the world. Many many schools in the US are online or blended learning. And masked.

If it is too much like hard work that suggests you don't know your facts, to be frank.

These countries either have higher percentage of cases per 100,000 than us or similar

Montenegro 191
Spain 151
Moldova 120
France 91
Czechia 90
Malta 81
Luxembourg 59
Bosnia and Herzegovina 59
Gibraltar 53
Monaco 52
Austria 50
Netherlands 49
Belgium 49
Hungary 49
Ukraine 48
Romania 45
Portugal 40
Albania 39
North Macedonia 38
United Kingdom 35
Croatia 34
Switzerland 34
Denmark 34
Ireland 33
Slovenia 31
Russia

Are schools open in all of them?

@herecomesthsun

The reason, I think, that there isn't a choice is because the Government wants kids in schools and parents in offices, as it suits their ideas of where the plebs should be, and to whom they should be paying rent, and from whom they should be buying lunch. So, no choice about it. Not for the plebs.

They don't really care if that involves a few of us getting sick and dying, that is acceptable collateral damage, and actually,if we have these health conditions,then they might save a bit in terms of our ongoing healthcare.

It is no skin off any of your noses if we quietly educate our kids at home and survive a bit longer. You certainly don't have to follow suit. In fact,it might offer advantages to your children in terms of one to one input and more space.

And it would mean the world to children from vulnerable families,not to have to worry about parents getting ill, and to be left in peace from fines or prosecution and to be able to keep their school place for next year.

I'm sorry you are under pressure to send them back given your circumstances, it seems that some parents are being supported in this and others aren't. With a bit of effort support and planning families like yours could be accommodated if they really wanted too.

Fully open? Not in all of them? Full class sizes? Not in many of them. Average class sizes are smaller in most. School days are often shorter, too. Masks in most. Part time school in some.

We also do not as of yet know what the outcomes will be in any of those countries. Ireland is having jitters already.

Fully open? Not in all of them? Full class sizes? Not in many of them. Average class sizes are smaller in most. School days are often shorter, too. Masks in most. Part time school in some.

I will take your word for that. As far as I know no country has reported a covid distaster for teachers created by being infected by the children. That's a lot of schools.

It's not just about that and isn't the OPs angle. It is also about pushing up community infection. Do you really think this is only about deaths?

But as I said it is far too early to know.

I think we all hope you won't have cause to eat those rather insensitive words. Mayor in Jaws, and all that.

But are the cases being transmitted in schools between children and adults. We were told it would not happen. But if it does what is the ppint of local lockdown when schools will be opened and kids parents staff can transmit the disease. The Government has to clarify. Mental health is fine but schools should not be a breeding ground for Covid.

Relatively safe for children themselves. Not very safe for vulnerable teachers and parents and not particularly helpful to keep transmission and deaths in the wider community low.

The amount of kids who are down with Covid symptoms, no tests available. Doesn't bode very well.