Coronavirus outbreaks in England spreading mostly in schools

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Link here

I know it is what many of us have been predicting for some months, so an all too familiar topic.

However, I thought some of you, maybe especially teachers or those from vulnerable families, might be interested in having the article flaaged up.

We had one positive test in our secondary school of 2200 a month ago and none since.

My friend’s year8 son has had his bubble burst again. So another two weeks off. In 8 weeks, he will have missed 4. I’m lucky neither of my children have been sent home, but as mentioned up thread, they walk, cycle to school so maybe that makes a difference.

It doesn't make a blind bit of difference how your child gets to school if someone who is deemed to be a 'close contact' of them tests positive. My dd, who walks to school and has followed all local lockdown regulations, is currently off school for 14 days, because someone who sits near her is positive.

@CountessFrog

I’m confused really. DH works in a large hospital, he has NOBODY with covid in his ITU. We are in a lockdown area with huge, apparently spiralling cases. Hospital is inner city.

The number of admissions to hospital remains low. It was described by management as a ‘trickle.’ It’s been like this for a month.

So. Do we concentrate on whether it’s spreading in schools, or do we ask wider questions?

Looking at this, admissions have risen about 5 fold in the past 4 or 5 weeks.

This is the comment from Prof Christina Pagel from University College Hospital London, thos evening

"Exponential growth lesson: while 15,000 in hospital seems a long way away it's less than 3 doublings. At current rate of hospital growth, that's ~7 weeks. Recent numbers seem to be getting faster again, so possibly sooner. If we don't STOP growth, we will get there at some point."

It’s odd when you don’t have a single case in ITU, though.

I understand exponential growth. We just arent seeing it. They are nowhere even close to invoking contingency planning (it triggers when you have a certain number of critical patients).

One of my dds teachers wears full PPE and it makes the pupils feel really uncomfortable. Obviously it's her right to do so.

Ever considered that this teacher may well be extremely vulnerable or live with/cares for someone who is. Why does it make pupils feel uncomfortable? Or do you mean they feel concerned for her that she may be feeling at risk at school?

I'm clinically vulnerable. I have started to wear a mask when I am close to children - it's impossible to SD- even though they are young. I don't wear full PpE and don't intend to. But I do wear a mask increasingly so - not one child is bothered by it either. I know masks primary job is to protect others, however increasing reports are also suggesting they offer the wearer some degree of protection too - every little helps.

I don't wear the visor provided as they are a complete waste of time.

We don't go anywhere except drop DS to school and back. He's been at school for 3 weeks and we're on our second round of test and isolate due to him coughing. His teacher is amazing, and tbh I don't fault the school for following government guidance. But I can't see how this term will be nothing but disruptive. The test is awful, so I don't especially love the idea of having him go through that several times. I don't want to send him to school when I know he's likely to pick up more harmless colds, with the added risk of covid. DH is vulnerable.

There are zero options available to us, unless we deregister him. How is this okay? When are the government going to drop the lies and just offer schools/people the choice to be flexible without repercussions.

Schools will close again. It’s a matter of when and not if.

Two cases in one school could come from one family. I'm really not sure that this article shows it is mainly spreading in schools.

This was my first thought too. There may be high levels of transmission in schools but this data doesn't prove it. What we really need is lots more testing in schools so we can find out what's really happening and form policies accordingly.

@IncidentsandAccidents

Two cases in one school could come from one family. I'm really not sure that this article shows it is mainly spreading in schools.

This was my first thought too. There may be high levels of transmission in schools but this data doesn't prove it. What we really need is lots more testing in schools so we can find out what's really happening and form policies accordingly.

this.

We need proper government monitoring of the situation and investigation of how outbreaks are arising.

There doesn't seem to be an appetite for this, more just lets pretend this isn't happening.

I really feel we are at the foot of the mountain. Winter is incredibly tough on the NHS.
The weather is still very mild, Windows have been open, students have been able to eat outside, spend more time outside.
Very soon however we will be in meat packing factory conditions. Lots of people in the cold...

Students have very little idea about covid. Even the good ones who wear their masks properly, wash their hands with gel, still don't actually get it!
They think their bubbles are safe, they don't socially distance, they naturally laugh sing, hug each other, get close... Cough freely, sneeze freely etc.

• a teacher wearing ppe makes a child feel uncomfortable?..

What planet are some people on. We really have become a spoilt and flabby society.
I'd be far more uncomfortable if that poor teacher ended up gasping for her bloody life in hospital with her terrified family praying for her every minute of every day unable to be with her.

It's the same with windows open! Half dressed students demanding windows shut because they are a bit cold.
Wear warm clothes we are in a pandemic!!

All the talk about people working more flexibly makes me laugh. My eldest is home at the moment so I did as has been suggested on here and have started at 5am to get some work in before DC woke up. I'm lucky my work allowed this.

Despite me rearranging my work to this extent 'home school' today consisted of two worksheets that took less than an hour to complete and were not differentiated for different abilities. Maybe if people are so keen for blended learning or school closures they should pressure the DfE to start dealing with schools and teachers who think this is an acceptable approach to home learning because it's a disgrace.

BTW, I've got no problem with PPE in schools. The teachers are all wearing it at DC's primary school and all parents are asked to wear masks on the playground. We all comply and the children are not bothered.

I think infants are too young to wear them correctly but my junior age DC wears them in shops etc and would adapt well to wearing them responsibly for a longer period.

a teacher wearing PPE makes a child feel uncomfortable?

Teachers at my DC school wear masks at school drop off and pick ups ( as do the parents) and wear visors for most of the rest of the day. At no point has my 5yo questioned it or been uncomfortable or scared by it. His whole school experience has changed dramatically since last year in reception, not once has he been upset by any changes or disruptions he is aware of coronavirus and understands this is the reason behind the changes. Hes not anxious or upset by any of it he just accepts it and carries on enjoying his school day. Children are more likely to be uncomfortable or anxious about changes if their parents are.

Ever considered that this teacher may well be extremely vulnerable or live with/cares for someone who is

No, I just assumed she liked wearing a plastic suit and a visor.

Of course I know that and so do the kids. But it's not something we should all take for granted. It DOES make some kids uncomfortable. And so it should.

Kids in a large secondary and 4 weeks in, 6 cases. Work in HE and loads in the 14 days after it started.

There’s definitely a cusp in late adolescence

@MargotLovedTom1

My friend’s year8 son has had his bubble burst again. So another two weeks off. In 8 weeks, he will have missed 4. I’m lucky neither of my children have been sent home, but as mentioned up thread, they walk, cycle to school so maybe that makes a difference.

It doesn't make a blind bit of difference how your child gets to school if someone who is deemed to be a 'close contact' of them tests positive. My dd, who walks to school and has followed all local lockdown regulations, is currently off school for 14 days, because someone who sits near her is positive.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. My children attend ‘neighbourhood’ schools i.e. The children walk or cycle to school, no school buses and no mixing of bubbles on buses (I know they mix bubbles regardless).

Someone mentioned that maybe this simple fact of not taking the bus keeps infection rates lower at those schools compared to schools where children are bused in. Not scientific just conversational.

@RaggieDolls
If the teachers are still being expected to do any teaching in person sending a few worksheets home is as much as anyone can expect and honestly more than teachers should have to be doing. Of course if the teachers are freed up entirely to produce resources to work from home such provision would be completely unacceptable and teachers doing so could be told to improve and this is entirely why blended learning doesn't work and why the choice is between full time in school or full time at home.

@RaggieDolls I'm not sure why you think parents don't want both flexibility and a decent quality of work for home schooling? Many of us are stuck on the first hurdle, so we don't even know what awaits us. Especially since the common reason for pushback against blended learning is teacher workload.

@StatisticalSense, the whole class including the teacher is isolating so it isn't a case of the teacher being expected to continue to teach in school. If it was I would agree with you.

Mine is a day pupil in a boarding school. I've just booked him in for full boarding. Hoping they'll stay open.

@Janevaljane
To be honest if the teacher is turning up to work in an actual hazmat suit as you describe she should be firmly asked to change by the head as it is completely inappropriate for work. It is one thing for teachers (and pupils) to be wearing face masks and or visors if they so choose but a complete plastic suit is not within the bounds of what is remotely reasonable and it is hardly surprising that it is scaring the pupils in a way that a more reasonable level of precautions would not.

Exactly. She looks like someone from Silkwood.

Must be so hot in full plastic suit.

Yes, but she has all the windows open so she's the only one that's warm!