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?

Morning, everyone. We've had to delete a few posts here this morning. Can we remind everyone that we won't tolerate personal attacks on the boards? We think it's possible to disagree with someone's point without being personal or rude about them.

Thanks.

Also, it seems that children self isolating or waiting for test results are given an X ( authorised absence) code so they are still counted as 100% attendance. If this is being used to generate data on schools attendance it could be skewing things massively.

Why are people worrying about schools? Children and teachers are all fine aren’t they? Cases of child or teacher hospitalisation aren’t going up are they? Has anyone heard of this either officially or anecdotally? I certainly haven't.

Exactly. Most, about 90% of positive cases in the young, are asymptomatic. Or very mild. They need to continue their education!

@IloveJKRowling

In all the time my kids have been at school I've only ever met one teacher who wasn't absolutely excellent, who spent their own money on extras for the kids because the school budget didn't allow it. Teachers in this country don't go into this profession for selfish reasons, you don't make a fortune and it's hard work.

There are teachers here who want schools to be better and safer and they are being criticised for that.

When compared to any other country in Europe our government is spending and doing less to make schools safe.

MPs have their kids in private schools - look at what their kids are getting - testing every 2 weeks for all kids at Eton. Small class sizes.

Why don't people want the best for their kids? Why are they putting up with massive crowding during a pandemic, no mitigation, no fast or comprehensive testing, and then trying to pretend this awful situation is going to deliver a good education - it won't.

I'd be happy to have noble as my kids teacher. I hope they always get teachers who care about them as much.

But actually, I hope teachers start to quit / strike / protect themselves - they are in the ONLY workplace that has ZERO mitigation against coronavirus transmission. As community levels increase, the viral load they will be exposed to will increase. Viral load is directly linked to mortality - the more virus you're exposed to the iller you get. www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30354-4/fulltext

Do you remember when they were saying that NHS staff not working with confirmed covid cases didn't need PPE? That didn't go so well did it? When community cases are high, risk of encountering an asymptomatic spreader is high. Teachers need protections, masks at least.

I want the experienced teachers to still be there at the end of the pandemic. Ones who through years of experience are at the top of their game, who know how best to help all different kinds of pupils.

Recently learned that one of the most experienced, older teachers at DDs school has quit. I think this is the start, and who can blame her.

I so agree with this. I really do not get the attitude that shoving children into school without any safety precautions is fine. I dont want them to catch it. I have no idea what long term effects they may suffer from and neither do the rest of the population. I am also very worried about the risk. Of my children feeling they are at fault for brining the virus back. That this could cost the life of a parent or grandparents. The attitude of put children into schools at all costs is really beyond me.

@sunflowers246

Why are people worrying about schools? Children and teachers are all fine aren’t they? Cases of child or teacher hospitalisation aren’t going up are they? Has anyone heard of this either officially or anecdotally? I certainly haven't.

Exactly. Most, about 90% of positive cases in the young, are asymptomatic. Or very mild. They need to continue their education!

Thats the whole point of the thread. You wouldnt know as they arent reporting cases. The school isnt even saying there are cases unless it affects our year groups!!

I know for a fact that the school my children go to have had 2 cases because the 2 cases have been children in their year. I have no idea bout any other cases in the school and its not being reported not even in the local press.

I think gov should have done more to protect teachers and kids

But also the average age of fatality with covid in uk is 81.

But our school is reporting cases. And sending kids home if required. But thankfully we've had very few!

Where are all these unreported cases?

But what are they for long covid?
Can you guarantee that for those children who catch it there are no effects in years to come?

@sunflowers246

But our school is reporting cases. And sending kids home if required. But thankfully we've had very few!

Where are all these unreported cases?

Maybe its piecemeal. I certainly only know of two but know there has been more from other parents. I have not been told about those.

Agree with IloveJKRowling post that 10:43neveradullmoment99 pasted above

Of course we don’t want long covid but we have always had post viral problems (has been discussed on Mumsnet a lot already) - glandular fever etc.

@neveradullmoment99
“But what are they for long covid?
Can you guarantee that for those children who catch it there are no effects in years to come?”

I cannot guarantee anything in life. I fully expect my children to catch it and I cannot guarantee they won’t get long covid, nor myself. But nor can I guarantee anything else. Catch a plane? Can’t guarantee it won’t crash. Get in car? Could be last journey.

Can’t live on what ifs and my children deserve and education and a childhood like other generations have enjoyed. I’ve been more concerned for their mental and physical health being impacted by lockdowns quite honestly.

If you’re looking for guarantees of 100% safety in life then you’d never have kids. I’ve weighed up the risks and benefits of school in this pandemic for my children for myself looking at the data available (not sensationalised click bait headlines) and am confident, like Chris Whitty asserts, that the best decision for my children’s wellbeing is for them to attend school during this pandemic.

But also the average age of fatality with covid in uk is 81

It's actually 82.4. That's the average. It's higher than the average life expectancy for men.

@Janevaljane
“ But also the average age of fatality with covid in uk is 81

It's actually 82.4. That's the average. It's higher than the average life expectancy for men.”

Good point well made

But what are they for long covid?
Can you guarantee that for those children who catch it there are no effects in years to come?

No, of course we can't guarantee anything. But many of us are willing to live with those risks. And the risks of lockdown (mental health etc) must also be considered.

Also worth mentioning that our friends - one an ICU nurse in Nottingham and another a GP - are also in complete agreement with me and have continued sending their children to school a keyworker children with no qualms throughout the initial lockdown and now with all the other children.

It’s scary how the general population see sensationalist media as gospel and are not critically evaluating the data and information available. It’s sad that it’s scaring them about sending their children to school.

If you’re looking for guarantees of 100% safety in life then you’d never have kids

I do agree with this in normal times.

However, my concern is really with lack of available healthcare.

I think I probably wouldn't have had kids if I was living in a country where there was no medical care, or even where it was questionable whether medical care would be available in the case of an accident.

If we don't get infection rates down, that will be this country.

This is what Jonathan Van-Tam has very clearly spelled out.

We cannot magic up extra nurses and doctors. We already have massive nursing vacancies they can't fill.

One of the best things we could do to get infection rates down would be to implement relatively easy mitigation to make schools safer. As suggested by WHO, by Indie Sage.

Some of these things cost money, others don't - masks. WHO has got loads of videos on how to use masks properly. Kids could be taught, just as they were taught proper handwashing. The materials are there.

Also, I sent my kid to school in summer and I would have sent her to school if I was a keyworker before that.

Schools were much safer then, they had SD in place.

Now they are much less safe - no SD. Also, rates of the virus increasing.

@MarshaBradyo

The precious line never goes down well. I wish it would disappear with various others (childcare one)

But we don’t have to make it personal. Teachers are valued even if on here some might provoke with irritating lines.

I agree.

@Ouchy

Also worth mentioning that our friends - one an ICU nurse in Nottingham and another a GP - are also in complete agreement with me and have continued sending their children to school a keyworker children with no qualms throughout the initial lockdown and now with all the other children.

It’s scary how the general population see sensationalist media as gospel and are not critically evaluating the data and information available. It’s sad that it’s scaring them about sending their children to school.

I agree with this there was an article in the MEN this weekend which was spreading horror about the Trafford Centre being packed with Christmas shoppers. The pictures they put with the article did show lots of people but they were all from behind so you couldn’t see people wearing masks and they were all following the one way system. I was there the previous day and everyone had masks on. Security were on the doors of shops making sure people entered the shop correctly and that people had masks on.

It’s unfair reporting which leads to hysterical calling to shut down hundreds of stores that people are employed in.

The media have got so much to answer for. Was so annoyed when I seen the article.

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.

Yep. It's absolutely shocking.
I have complained and written to the bbc to ask that there is proper reporting on this situation. There is no SD in schools whatsoever, children and staff are missing school daily and yet they keep saying it isn't in schools 🤦‍♀️

https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/Complaint

The fixation on the word precious is ridiculous. The point is, school staff are not valued at all so it sticks in the craw when parents put their children's entitlement above all else, not least our safety. There are four current cases in my school now. I have to stay put with no extra mitigations.

@SaltyAndFresh

The fixation on the word precious is ridiculous. The point is, school staff are not valued at all so it sticks in the craw when parents put their children's entitlement above all else, not least our safety. There are four current cases in my school now. I have to stay put with no extra mitigations.

Not at all. If people don’t want posters to get annoyed and respond in kind then avoid it. Only one side uses it often.

Btw four positive cases in class? Why are t they home?

@SaltyAndFresh

The fixation on the word precious is ridiculous. The point is, school staff are not valued at all so it sticks in the craw when parents put their children's entitlement above all else, not least our safety. There are four current cases in my school now. I have to stay put with no extra mitigations.

I value my dd's teachers very highly. I don't want schools to close and luckily neither do they.