Scottish teens aged 15-19 driving rising rates

[monkeytennis97]

Covid-19 in Scotland: Sharp spike in infections among teenagers www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54314910

Surely NS must try to improve the situation here. I read that France had a third of outbreaks in educational settings. The PHE report shows more outbreaks in educational settings than anywhere else this week too.

When are the U.K. government going to do something??!!

The schools data for Scotland is here (attendance in high school years is broken down on one of the tabs). Attendance hasn't seen a rapid drop or anything through September, which you'd surely expect if there was anything like the "driving" force of 15 and 16 year olds getting ill. In fact, apart from the fortnight or so in August where EVERYONE was off getting tested for colds, attendance has been pretty stable. Staff absence seems to show a similar pattern.

And the overview on educational settings is here.
Quoting from that...

On Thursday 24 September 2020, provisional figures show that:

there were 9,985 pupils absent either for all or part of the school day because of COVID-19 related reasons
the overall attendance rate at local authority primary, secondary and special schools was 92.6%
% of school openings where pupils were not in school for COVID-19 related reasons was 1.5%, and for non COVID -19 related reasons was 5.8%

So basically, many more students were off for non CV reasons than CV reasons (including self isolation of classes due to a case etc).

That data is not form an official source, interesting as it is.

It's hardly surprising that's we've seen a spike in kids at Scottish university's with covid.

We've just told 17year olds plus from all over the UK (including hot spot areas in England) to come to the areas of Scotland with the highest covid rates and live in cramped accommodation. These kids haven't been able to mix or socialise in months until now. Wtaf did the government and scientists think would happen?

You are not allowed to move into a care home without a covid test, you are not allowed to go live with a bunch of strangers on an oil rig without a covid test, but no bother to go an flat share with people in student halls?! Wtaf???!!!!

Wait until the English unis go back, just like the school testing debacle they'll have learnt nothing from the Scottish experience.

If students are allowed home for xmas I'll not be setting foot in my high street or any establishment until March. It's just going to spread the disease all over the UK.

It's the Scottish Government data piggy. (its the link from the educational settings page of the SG website, as on my second post) I'm not aware of anything more official?

@Piggywaspushed

That data is not form an official source, interesting as it is.

It is an official site that is given as a link on the Scottish government website

@monkeytennis97

No in whole of U.K... I don't live in Scotland but due to schools opening there 2 weeks ahead of us In England this is going to happen here (if it's not already).

@ClarencesMum guess it's not just me that doesn't read...

Its connected to the hyperlink shown. Is that not official enough for you ?

OK, fair enough. It is certainly very illuminating and detailed. I am not suggesting it is biased.

I have many criticisms of the Scottish Government, but you really cannot fault their enthusiasm for collecting and publishing data!! We are drowning in the stuff... Of course, you can spin data however you want, and they do... but at least we often have the raw stuff to look at, which I do appreciate, as someone who likes a good graph.

So basically, many more students were off for non CV reasons than CV reasons (including self isolation of classes due to a case etc)

Kind of makes sense that the pupils aren’t off that much with Covid, it’s often asymptotic in that age group. Hopefully teachers will continue to be well and the kids won’t spread the infection around the rest of the population (like they do with flu every year).

@WhenSheWasBad

So basically, many more students were off for non CV reasons than CV reasons (including self isolation of classes due to a case etc)

Kind of makes sense that the pupils aren’t off that much with Covid, it’s often asymptotic in that age group. Hopefully teachers will continue to be well and the kids won’t spread the infection around the rest of the population (like they do with flu every year).

True (I think it's estimated to be around 50%? , at least in younger children, but not sure how that changes for older teens). But whatever proportion it is, you'd expect to see an increase in symptomatic children too. I don't think you can assume that infections are increasing "silently" among that age group, without seeing a similar increase in symptomatic children.

The 1.5% covid absence would also include children off for a test, children identified as close contacts, children who's sibling is positive etc too, so some of those asymptomatic children would be caught in those. It's not perfect, of course, but I do feel slightly reassured that there hasn't been any huge increase observed in either 15/16 year olds, or indeed younger children. Willing to change my mind with changes in data though! (Also not 100% happy that DH is starting tutorials for the plague-carrying students this week... even though there will be about 12 of them in a 200+seat lecture theatre !)