Really clear explanation to how Covid spreads in schools, restaurants and at home and the effect of different prevention measures

[bumblingbovine49]

english.elpais.com/society/2020-10-28/a-room-a-bar-and-a-class-how-the-coronavirus-is-spread-through-the-air.html

I found the school one particularly interesting.

Brilliant thanks.

DBML that's a triumph of pigheadedness over reason, if ever there was one!

I have absolutely no problem being in school. It’s terribly boring being at home everyday and lockdown was a nightmare...but I just want the people making decisions to stop burying their hands in the sand; stop talking crap and understand what actually happens in a school.

Give us some decent advice based on reality and ensure we are all dealing in facts and not these myths of students sat in one space, socially distanced and listening intently, whilst a lovely breeze flows through the classroom and the teacher effectively leads from the magical box painted on the floor at the front of the class.

Frankly, it’s frustrating and insulting to the staff and pupils who have to go in everyday and face what we are currently ‘actually’ having to dea with.

This doesn't boad well for open plan school with inadequate ventilation.
Also the idea the teachers talks most possibly isn't what happens in most uk schools.
The hourly out of class, windows snd dpors opened as wide as they can for 10-15 mins then return may not be a bad one. Certainly (or length of time decided by those who know) worth investigating.

On the other hand, a professor of Biology and an epidemiologist point out that it doesn't really concur with what we know about superspreaders and superspreading events and household transmission rates (as a previous poster also mentioned):
mobile.twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1321726379608563714

Why are school outbreaks 6% of all outbreaks in Spain but 30-ish % here? Would be interested to know why that is

Children over 6 wear masks AND they have 1.5m social distancing. Neither of which happens in UK schools.

www.thelocal.es/20200828/spains-children-over-six-to-wear-masks-at-school

I think the visuals definitely represent what we know (what I've read in the scientific literature) about droplet and aerosol spread and the most risky environments for high exposure and high viral load. So, even if you want to argue with the numbers that are projected to be infected (which may or may not be correct or may be a point of argument) - in terms of infection control, you still need to do the same things.

Which we're trying to do in this country in bars I think, but not in schools.

@Barbie222
Why are school outbreaks 6% of all outbreaks in Spain but 30-ish % here? Would be interested to know why that is.

Maybe it’s because ventilation is better in Spain because they can have more windows open without freezing.

This article is interesting. I wish more people would see it. I saw someone on another thread saying the government were disputing aerosol spread but I didn’t think they ever had, just didn’t know enough about it.

I teach in a mask all day every day. I wear FFP2 masks as it makes me feel safer and I'm protecting the kids. No one has a problem with it! It does not hamper learning or scare the kids (secondary and some chose to wear a mask themself). Lots of my colleagues have started leaving theirs on in the classrooms now too.

@IloveJKRowling

Yes, totally agree. The main point conveyed is how it spreads and how to reduce the risks of spread and the article does an excellent job of doing that.

Another take on that article

twitter.com/aspphysician/status/1321798685991186434?s=21

I think all this information is really helpful. It’s becoming less about surface transmission and more about airborne transmission with this virus I feel.

I like the ‘airing the room’ suggestion. Can pupils and teachers wrap up warm to help? Gloves? It seems so important to have good ventilation.

If only schools had returned in September with masks/screens as the majority of school staff had suggested. We said all along enclosed spaces with class sizes of 30 with no PPE was madness.

How do those fecking idiots shouting about muzzling children feel now?

@StealthPolarBear

Those things would make sense. That said isn't there just something about the number of people - how can it be riskier to sit in a lounge with my parents than a little further away than a room full of strangers?

Because being related to someone does not make any difference to the likleyhood of infecting them or vice versa

@Barbie222

In comparison, an infected student will only speak occasionally.

That would be good!

Depends on age I guess.

Year 11 can't stop talking.

The whole thrust of the article centres around CV19 being transmitted by aerosol. I thought the issue of aerosol transmission was in question. The CDC removed it from their website about CV19 transmission, about month ago, and then added it back it after press coverage stating it was inconclusive.

Here is an article about it if anyone is interested: bgr.com/2020/10/29/coronavirus-transmission-aerosol-vs-droplets-and-fomites-study/

I like the ‘airing the room’ suggestion. Can pupils and teachers wrap up warm to help? Gloves? It seems so important to have good ventilation.

You can’t write in gloves. And despite school rules, I allowed my class to keep their hoodies on under their blazers, but we were all still freezing. They need to put the heating on to try to counteract the cold at least. I was like an ice block last week and the kids were miserable. Also, standing outside in the drizzle through lunch and break. It’s no wonder our attendance is so low and staff are going off on stress leave. It’s utterly ridiculous.

I seriously can’t think of anything worse than spending day in and day out over the winter, freezing my arse off in work. It’s brutal and unfair.

My understanding is that respiratory illnesses can be worsened by cold damp air, which perhaps is another reason to even think about fitting aeroplane style ventilation systems into schools, rather than relying on windows open all winter. Yes it’ll cost a fortune, but it’s clearly going to be necessary to combat this virus.

Sorry I assumed heating would be on with windows open! Agree it’s miserable being cold.

Agree about ventilation systems. Germany have invested . Of course they have the funds!

I wish the government would direct some money to schools. It shouldn’t just go to hospitality.. I’m sympathetic to all sectors but eat out to help out must have pushed infection rates up whereas ventilation systems will help keep cases lower and thus have a knock on affect over the virus spreading.

Our school has door open, windows open, heating on, coats on if necessary. Teachers wear masks. I'm glad they are doing all this, I really think it will help and that study backs it up.

Do UK schools not have heating on or just some schools?

Thank-you for linking to that article OP. Surely the message to take from it is that there is more than one variable determining a person's chance of catching Corona virus. I wish the government would highlight that to the masses rather than just banging on about distance whilst ignoring duration and situational variables.

Thanks @Delatron I agree, it’s ridiculous that money isn’t being directed to education.

Do UK schools not have heating on or just some schools?

No idea. I know my school (secondary) hasn’t put it on yet. Costs too much probably.

The article has been removed now.
Is it a conspiracy because it shows how unsafe schools are

Ooh, it's back on again

My school has no heating on and parents complaining their children are cold or worse "can my child be the one not by the window" (hhhm, cos' that's fair). It has got to 15 degrees in my room so far, can only get worse. I have invested in a lot of thermals!