It's not going to work is it...

[LivingIsHard]

Whatever they bring in tomorrow, it's just not going to work. Batten down the hatches.....

Temperature checks are a waste of time. Especially for elderly people. My dad had Covid 19 and no high temperature at all. I suspect that's part of the reason Nursing Home residents aren't diagnosed in time.

Oooooh this is a particularly spicy topic!

The problem with blended learning is that it's really hard to pull off well. Even at uni level it is challenging.

That's leaving aside the (obvious) fact that disadvantaged pupils would be more disadvantaged. Nowhere quiet to work - given responsibility to look after younger siblings because parents are more likely to have to go out to work - lack of equipment - lack of access to resources.

BUT I do think parents who are extremely vulnerable, or who have kids who are extremely vulnerable, should be allowed to keep their children out of schools without fines or having to deregister. Likewise teachers who are extremely vulnerable could work remotely or be furloughed. The actual criteria for "extremely vulnerable" is small. In this way, you would remove those most at risk from the equation and allow those who 99.999% likely won't be badly affected to be in school and get their education.

It is a pity that there couldn't have been set up a scheme on local level - i.e. remote learning hubs for each LEA or academy cluster - to provide remote learning for those who need it this academic year. Teaching staff could have been seconded from schools (perhaps including vulnerable teachers?) in order to provide continuity and the kids would benefit from being part of a learning community online (as there would likely be smallish groups for each age group or subject). I feel like this could have worked and would be feasible if it had been set up uniformly - although no doubt someone will be able to explain why it wouldn't!

It might be a second best, but it would be better for those genuinely vulnerable kids than having to go into school afraid of being infected, or experiencing very patchy provision as some will be presently. And it would only have been for a year, max!

@TheArtOfStoryTelling

35k more people will die of cancer because of this. Not to mention everything else. Go to fucking work

I keep hearing this stuff and people's stories about their BiL or whoever not getting their cancer treatment because of the pandemic. Is this really true? Does anyone have any links to info about this. Have there been more cancer deaths this year than in other years?

I actually just watched this evening a 30 min Panorama programme on this on iPlayer. It was broadcast in July and still available on iPlayer.

At the start of the lockdown NHS in a bid to free capacity for CoVid stopped a lot of screening for cancer. They also stopped some chemo and radiotherapy treatments, though not all. They also started to transfer some cancer patients to private hospitals for treatment paid by the NHS.

However, oncologists they interviewed pointed out the prognosis for many cancers is much better the earlier it’s diagnosed so some of those people who missed screening during lockdown may die in the coming months and years as their cancer was sadly not detected early enough. The man in charge of the NHS cancer programme pointed out that as chemotherapy weakens the immune system decisions had to be made whether chemo should be given, so no easy answers for chemo. A professor specialising in radiotherapy said radiotherapy is much lower risk for getting CoVid and it was a mistake to stop a lot of radiotherapy.
As for the NHS paying private hospitals that did not have CoVid wards and thus much less CoVid to take on patients getting chemo treatments, some screening it was admitted for a while due to it all being new the extra capacity provided by the private hospitals was not used to good capacity in the early months but the numbers were improving.

They interviewed a doctor who modelled how many patients may die of cancer due to the lockdown and the decisions made during that time by the NHS. He said his modelling said the worse case scenario could be 35,000 deaths, but that is the worse case scenario. It was implied that the NHS have learnt some lessons and have already made some changes and will make different decisions if cases rise considerably in hospital. There is still a backlog of course that will have some effect too.

@OpheliasCrayon

I believe schools have to stay open. But as a teacher who's already caught the first thing going...I can tell you that this virus is going to absolutely rip through the schools and into homes. All the "covid safe" stuff is just ridiculous...they're schools...stuff gets spread. I'm vulnerable, shielding, whatever and I'll be continuing to work...but I wouldn't for one second think that there's anything in place to actually stop this thing.

But but but, our esteemed Health Minister says the virus doesn't like schools or workplaces - it only likes socialising especially in homes.

I think they will ask the vulnerable to isolate again, I cannot see any other way they can be protected. After all the care homes have already been essentially isolated.

@beebityboo I understand, it all sounds very draining. You must do what's right for you, and save your energy to help your DD. Maybe other parents with similar concerns will go into battle on this issue. Meanwhile, if your daughter is able to capture evidence on camera, perhaps you could email photos to the head teacher, when you next get in touch. You needn't go into battle, but it might be helpful to flag what is happening on the bus. Perhaps they could make an announcement in school assembly, about the importance of wearing masks? Good luck.

"Maybe other parents with similar concerns will go into battle on this issue. Meanwhile, if your daughter is able to capture evidence on camera, perhaps you could email photos to the head teacher, when you next get in touch."

Firstly and just for clarity the school is not responsible for school buses. The bus company is.

Schools will have reinforced the message to wear masks on the bus, the reasons for this and that it is a legal requirement. Letters might have been sent to parents. They might have even put teachers on the bus before it leaves to tell pupils to put the mask on. Kids just take them off when the teachers get off.

[quote Guylan]@Remmy123

However, this isn't as deadly as being made out

Professor of Global Health at Edinburgh Uni, Devi Sridhar, wrote a newspaper article today. Wise advice on how to best live with CoVid this winter suggesting behaviours that should decrease risk of getting infected. She also pointed out:

“that But Sars-Cov-2 is a nasty virus that you do not want to get...

...Worryingly, some people aged 30-59 are suffering for months, with horrible fatigue, lung damage and cardiac problems all being described as “long Covid”. The real story of Covid-19 may not be just the lives lost, but the associated disability in younger working-age populations and the burden this places on the economy and health services. Why risk potential decades of ill health instead of putting up with a few months of inconvenience?”

Death isn’t the only possible thing to consider.[/quote]
Exactly!! So many people speaking as though they think they are not at risk because they are not "vulnerable".

I work in a primary and it has just ripped through ks1. Kids have been dropping like flies but nobody could confirm if it was covid. The symptoms were so mild parents didnt think to get their kids tested and thought it was a common cold. As a result many staff ended up being positive and the whole of ks1 is now shut. Younger children do spread it. Dont believe what you read.

Middleager:

"In just two weeks there are 8,000 children 'off' and 100 schools with cases in my area.
One healthy 14 year old had a week in school before a case in their options group. Several cases in school, so when he finally returns I expect he'll be back again.
Several cases in twin's secondary too."

Whereas in my county we have no cases, and no school closures. Out of all the parents I know, Dh knows, anyone else we know, all relatives, in Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Dorset, Hampshire, east anglia, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, no cases, no school closures. Nothing.

Oblomov theres quite a few schools with cases in Dorset. In the BCP area within Dorset alone theres 7 schools mentioned in the echo (and one more I know of happened yesterdsy). In the wider dorset area there were 4 reported by 9th September.

Honestly people must have their eyes closed. It comes up from the local papers on my facebook even and its a hot topic among my group of friends. Particularly as Dorset was (is?) a low area of transmission.

A quick google of "Hampshire schools coivd" says 3 days ago, 7 schools already were off.

We're only 2 weeks in, really "my friends think" is a good example of why not to believe anecdata.

@Itsabeautifuldayheyhey

supersonicginandtonic

I actually find the doom and gloom people more depressing than the pandemic. Life goes on, you have to learn to live with what you have got. Try and look on the bright side or we are heading for a mental health pandemic. Your doom and gloom isn't only pulling you down it's pulling everybody around you down and that is quite selfish.
I agree.

Why is it that some people just spew out their negativity without any regard for others. It's as if some want to suck the life out of you and drag you down until you feel as bad as them.

It's because every other bugger has to feel the same as them. It has to be collective misery.

The doom mongers need to realise that there are just as many that will just get on with life and don't give two shits about this virus.

We are back to March 23, when we all have to be terrified and sit in a dark room all day, eating dust.

I'm sure a petition to close schools will be started shortly.

@Diverseopinions

It's very hard, but sadly true what one poster said about teenage youngsters not wearing masks on buses. In a few instances, mask was folded in a pocket or resting on the throat. Time to reinforce the message.

And in classrooms too! They should be wearing them in classrooms too. No social distancing at all in schools, packed into small classrooms with 2 or 3 windows that open 5cms if you are 'lucky'.

The restrictions mentioned in the press seem woefully inadequate especially after all the warnings of difficult decisions to be made

It really does. After such a stark message ti be told, "oh yes pubs close at 10 and work from home if you can" seems very weak. What are they playing at!?

Its clear the people speaking yesterday want stricter measures. Id love to knownwhats going on. I guess theyre v concerned that public wont go along with it or the economy problems.

Scary times

Oblonov Suffolk had the first whole school closure after term began at The Samuel Ward in Haverhill. There are now several all over the county with cases including my local school.

Given that these new measures are pointless I would say their aim is to dominate the headlines over the Labour Party conference (yesterday and today) to try to drown out the criticism). Looks like it’s worked too.

I ducking hate them.

:( i hate game playing. Especially at times lkke this x

I've been up most of the night trying to decide what to do for the best. Think I will ask if there is any way she can be kept on roll for a few more weeks until we get a better idea of how the winter will go and try to get on top of her mental health.

@MadameBlobby

*You make complete sense to me. Why cant others see this?*

Because some of us prioritise education and have intelligent children with significant aspirations who need to be in school?

I also prioritise education - that's why I'm so concerned about the virus spreading freely in schools as it will cause them to close and create greater disruption.

I also have intelligent children with significant aspirations.

and at the idea that those of us concerned about virus spread in schools must have unintelligent children with low aspirations.

@Beebityboo

I've been up most of the night trying to decide what to do for the best. Think I will ask if there is any way she can be kept on roll for a few more weeks until we get a better idea of how the winter will go and try to get on top of her mental health.

Ask the school 'if I don't send her for two weeks what will you do'.

@Drivingbuttercup

I work in a primary and it has just ripped through ks1. Kids have been dropping like flies but nobody could confirm if it was covid. The symptoms were so mild parents didnt think to get their kids tested and thought it was a common cold. As a result many staff ended up being positive and the whole of ks1 is now shut. Younger children do spread it. Dont believe what you read.

This is exactly what I am talking about.

This is why intelligent parents with high aspirations for their children are worried.