The rate of infections in schools is being suppressed from public knowledge

[noblegiraffe]

...claims Karam Bales of the NEU.

I’m pretty sure I agree. When the newspapers are going mad about university cases and 13,000 kids and 700 teachers being off school in Birmingham doesn’t make national headlines, then something dodgy is going on.

This twitter thread collates all the evidence and is pretty damning twitter.com/karamballes/status/1315067136394625032?s=21

My own thoughts:
Why are the government ignoring the WHO recommendations on masks?
Why have they stopped PHE deciding who is sent home when there are cases in schools setting up their own helpline instead which sends home far fewer kids?
Why are the figures not being presented in a way that makes it clear which cases are in schools and not universities?
Why did Chris Whitty use a graph of test positivity rates instead of actual infection numbers in his briefing when it came to claiming that schools aren’t an issue?
Why are they insisting that children only get a test if they exhibit one of the three main adult symptoms, ignoring that the majority of children who test positive don’t have any of them?
Why are they insisting on vulnerable children being sent in with the threat of fines for non-attendance?
Why did they spend the summer pretending that unions were blocking the re-opening of schools and then paying social media influencers to say schools are safe, without taking any steps to ensure that they are?
Why did they announce a Plan B of rotas for schools in tiers of lockdown and then never actually use it?
Why did they say that an effective test and trace system was vital to opening schools and then also say they were surprised when demand increased when schools opened?
Why do they keep saying schools are a priority and that be the only thing they say about keeping them open?

And where the fuck is Gavin Williamson?

[quote PracticingPerson]@MarshaBradyo equally some will always look for good even with data. There's not much you can say to convince them.[/quote]
Probably. But the data is there and you can worry yourself about what it’s missing.

It likely comes down what we are seeing around us. I can understand if you are in an area where schools are impacted you might be searching for more reasons. But we are middle of London and no outbreaks so data matches what we see.

Its oh do me a favour I can post a few tones in the afternoon. Bog off with your usual boring personal attacks.

The data isn't there because there is little testing of school pupils due to high asymptomatic cases.

Anyone reassured by the 'data' when there is an absence of data is very trusting and optimistic.

Times

Btw Its I am responding to data that pp posted.

330 clusters in education.

It’s reassuring. Even if others are not willing to even notice it’s there as it doesn’t fit with the gloom.

@PracticingPerson

The data isn't there because there is little testing of school pupils due to high asymptomatic cases.

Anyone reassured by the 'data' when there is an absence of data is very trusting and optimistic.

Like I say. We’ve had a good half term so far. Very lucky.

Maybe look for evidence? There must be something - teacher increase?

@MarshaBradyo

Its oh do me a favour I can post a few tones in the afternoon. Bog off with your usual boring personal attacks.

Maybe find a new hobby?

Maybe you should. Following my posts so avidly all the time can’t be fun.

I certainly don’t find it so with yours.

If london are largely not getting school outbreaks then that rather suggests there were huge outbreaks before lockdown.

The fact that you pounce every time I post is weird.

You need a distraction.

@MarshaBradyo

Maybe you should. Following my posts so avidly all the time can’t be fun.

I certainly don’t find it so with yours.

I can’t help but notice you, always spending most of the working day on school threads, Either goading teachers or posting things you know nothing about. People who spend the majority of their day posting in such a manner tend to stick out. People don’t need to ‘find you’ you’re like clockwork.

I’ve only just posted after reading that data. Which I found interesting.

How about you ignore what I write as I gladly will you. I don’t find it useful and as you say you don’t mine. Great win win.

@Keepdistance

If london are largely not getting school outbreaks then that rather suggests there were huge outbreaks before lockdown.

Possibly

@Keepdistance

If london are largely not getting school outbreaks then that rather suggests there were huge outbreaks before lockdown.

Or they are going untested. Which is the most likely option. Given the asymptotic figures in unis. Hence the continued exponential growth.

@MarshaBradyo

Times

Btw Its I am responding to data that pp posted.

330 clusters in education.

It’s reassuring. Even if others are not willing to even notice it’s there as it doesn’t fit with the gloom.

Yes but if PHE are no longer interested in reporting school cases this does not reassure me at all. The situation is worse now than a week ago so surely there are even higher school outbreaks?

@Appuskidu
Yes it’s awful. The new weekly report has much of what was in the surveillance report but the breakdown isn’t included.

@MarshaBradyo
The amount of teachers infected would be a very good measure of the situation as would include much of the potential asymptomatic transmission from children but I’ve not seen any nationwide figures released. I don’t think they would want us to know this.

Czech Republic schools have been shutdown after 4500 teachers infected out of a workforce of about 100000. Don’t know how Czech schools compare to ours for class sizes and precautions taken.

Finally people ready to discuss not attack. Hard times for some I know but really.

MrsHoho can you say more about what you mean? That 330 figure will be complete won’t it?

2X yes hard to find I assume although how about early on with figures by profession? Not sure

The number of outbreaks won't be complete. Head teachers like this one are being told by DFE that they don't need call again after reporting the first positive test. So we may know how many schools have one infection, but we won't be able to spot outbreaks.

@MarshaBradyo

Finally people ready to discuss not attack. Hard times for some I know but really.

MrsHoho can you say more about what you mean? That 330 figure will be complete won’t it?

2X yes hard to find I assume although how about early on with figures by profession? Not sure

Schools are now reporting cases to Department of Education who then liaise with NHS Public health but schools are saying when they have reported they've been told public health are not getting involved so are these cases going to be included in school data? I don't know but I find it concerning that the procedures for school cases has been changed within weeks of returning. I started a thread a few weeks back about the change in reporting.

@MarshaBradyo

Finally people ready to discuss not attack. Hard times for some I know but really.

MrsHoho can you say more about what you mean? That 330 figure will be complete won’t it?

2X yes hard to find I assume although how about early on with figures by profession? Not sure

Oh stop being goady. If you’ve nothing better to do all day then by all means carry on a decent discussion. However you are the one who is constantly beginning with passive aggressive input in your posts, waiting all day for a reaction. Get a grip of yourself, seriously.

Has anyone posted this yet? www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/dire-situation-hit-liverpool-within-19107437

"Yesterday the city's chief education officer said 21,619 pupils and 1,294 staff had been forced to isolate since schools returned at the beginning of September, with 878 positive cases reported among staff and students at primary and secondary schools across the city"

Let's not forget these positives will only be those with the 3 symptoms who managed to get a test within the right window of time.

@RedToothBrush posted this on another thread and found the numbers (some of them approximate) to say this is about 1/3 of children and 1/6 staff isolating in less than half a term.

Its you’re way to wound up by someone wanting to talk about data. I don’t know why and I don’t really care.

But take a step away from thread or something. And just scroll by my posts since they cause such anger.

@MarshaBradyo

Its you’re way to wound up by someone wanting to talk about data. I don’t know why and I don’t really care.

But take a step away from thread or something. And just scroll by my posts since they cause such anger.

I’m not angry, you’re rude and dismissive. Stop with the passive aggressive digs and I won’t call you out on them. Deal?

Oh *too

@IloveJKRowling

Has anyone posted this yet? www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/dire-situation-hit-liverpool-within-19107437

"Yesterday the city's chief education officer said 21,619 pupils and 1,294 staff had been forced to isolate since schools returned at the beginning of September, with 878 positive cases reported among staff and students at primary and secondary schools across the city"

Let's not forget these positives will only be those with the 3 symptoms who managed to get a test within the right window of time.

@RedToothBrush posted this on another thread and found the numbers (some of them approximate) to say this is about 1/3 of children and 1/6 staff isolating in less than half a term.

I stress those are back of a fag packet calculations but they really aren't good numbers at all.

I think the fact that only 1 out of 200 schools hasnt been affected by a positive test was telling though.

More news today with Liverpool considering extra week off school with home learning on second week.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-54551207

I’m not though am I? What was your first post? A dig. And it hasn’t been the first it happens about ten seconds to ten minutes after I post. Like clockwork alright, I’m not sure how you can be so fast.

I am feeling irritated by that but otherwise I have zero issue with you or what you write. It’s a discussion board you can have an opinion as long as it’s not a personal attack. Which you are wont to do.

So don’t start it next time?