Risk of coronavirus in schools

[Kaylasmum49]

I have a daughter in s6 (Scotland) I'm starting to get really worried about the risks of transmission in schools. I have severe health anxiety and have been struggling massively to cope. I'm 54 and overweight so worry that I am higher risk.

I know that most people will disagree with me but I think schools should close until the numbers start to fall again.

I hear you OP. I’m 56, with a dd 14.

There’s been 13 cases in her school. There’s always students isolating all the time.

I don’t have any underlying conditions and not really overweight.

I do however have severe refractory anxiety and I’m currently in hell🙁

IME it is the adults who are testing positive. I'm Primary school: a case in the class I work in, one in my daughter's bubble (different school) and two in another class in my school - it has been only the adults who have tested positive. The two most recent cases in the same class have occurred since lockdown started - the adults have only been in school, nowhere else. One is a single Mum, the other has a partner who WfH so by far the most likely place they have picked it up is school. No kids have tested positive, although a couple of their parents have. I think children are mainly asymptomatic or have mild symptoms that parents don't test for.

The other thing, of course, is that most people would rather chew their own arm off than test a young child, who will know what's coming the second time around. The first week in my class - 10 children off for tests. Since then, nothing! Same numbers of coughs, sniffles etc though.

The two primary schools I work in and the ones I have visited since September all have children sitting shoulder to shoulder, they have no choice as our classrooms are just not big enough to accommodate 30-32 children any other way

The other issue they need to sort out asap is exams. It is completely unfair to give all students across the country the same when some will have had multiple isolations and others none.

@MarjorytheTrashHeap

IME it is the adults who are testing positive. I'm Primary school: a case in the class I work in, one in my daughter's bubble (different school) and two in another class in my school - it has been only the adults who have tested positive. The two most recent cases in the same class have occurred since lockdown started - the adults have only been in school, nowhere else. One is a single Mum, the other has a partner who WfH so by far the most likely place they have picked it up is school. No kids have tested positive, although a couple of their parents have. I think children are mainly asymptomatic or have mild symptoms that parents don't test for.

It's been the case here.

Staff and parents are testing positive, despite having no contact between them and despite restricted contacts outside of school in a number of cases.

Very few children are being tested here. We have had the odd child test positive recently, but not for the classic big 3 symptoms. They were tested due to T and T offering them when a family member tested positive.

We are an infant school. Whilst lots of the children appear to have colds etc they don't have the types of symptoms that means they will be tested.

I suspect there are a lot of symptom free children out there which isn't helping reduce the transmission.

Not sure what the answer is though.

The government SAGE are saying the highest group to be infected is the 12-16yr olds. Can’t prove it’s linked to schools but importantly can’t prove that it’s not. Coincidentally infection rates for this age group has only increased since schools reopened. Make what you will of that. My concern is: basically it’s being ignored and parents are so hell bent on schools being open full time with full classes that no thought is being given to the children’s long term health, aside from the negative impact on not going to school. We don’t know enough about COVID and it’s long term effects, are we going to end up with a high number of children having “long COVID” or other side effects in years to come like low fertility-no evidence yet but a possibility especially when many women are reporting menstrual problems after having mild COVID.