Schools will shut, and who will be complaining then?

[StartingGrid]

The sheer amount of people stating "my kids still have to go to school, so why should I do x,y,z..." are so short-sighted... when this fake lockdown doesn't work because of the above, watch an early Xmas closure be rolled out.
A lot of them will be stuffed for childcare but aren't thinking of the consequences of their current actions. I'd eat my hat if the government hadn't initiated this knowing they could blame non-compliance for needing the additional measures down the line but didn't want to look like the bad guys denying education initially. What's the saying about "jam today"?

[OverTheRainbowLiesOz]

Really? At our school we have been told the school will inform us of any positive cases and I'm pretty sure it's the Council policy for all state schools here.

It varies from area to area. My daughter's school is only telling close contacts.

[OverTheRainbowLiesOz]

Did you listen to the press conference? A reporter asked the direct question about whether teachers will receive the vaccine, as they are exposed to the virus and teaching children in cramped classrooms.

Johnson dodged the question.

[lazylinguist]

There is no point in some people obeying the rules when others think the rules don't apply to them.

Well that's clearly not true, is it? You would never achieve 100% compliance. If the majority of people comply it will reduce the spread. That's the whole point.

[Ormally]

@OverTheRainbowLiesOz

Really? At our school we have been told the school will inform us of any positive cases and I'm pretty sure it's the Council policy for all state schools here.

It varies from area to area. My daughter's school is only telling close contacts.

Nope. Close contacts only here. Primary school. Information only on 'a case'/ '2 cases'/ 'x cases' (nothing as to whether adult, child, TA...)
Lots of rotation of teachers in the classes each day too, which is presumably to stretch out duties among present team as far as possible, but means that it is not possible to tell whether a class teacher may be off for any length of time or not. I realise that is quite fortunate in some ways, but not doing much for confidence in what is really going on.

[SallyLovesCheese]

@OverTheRainbowLiesOz

Did you listen to the press conference? A reporter asked the direct question about whether teachers will receive the vaccine, as they are exposed to the virus and teaching children in cramped classrooms.

Johnson dodged the question.

They really don't give a fuck about us, do they. I'd hope to be fairly high up on the list due to being in close proximity with no protection for hours all day, but I suppose I'll just have to wait for the vaccine to filter down to the healthy 30-somethings. If my bubble has to close again (twice so far plus me SI for my own test) then it starts to get really ridiculous.

[OverTheRainbowLiesOz]

It's horrific. I don't think they do care about teachers.

Teachers will be in small rooms with positive covid cases. They will be potentially taking the virus home to elderly relatives.

Why are parents not up in arms about this issue? Their children's education depends on enough teachers to run the school. My daughter's school is teetering on the edge of closing year groups.

[CallmeAngelina]

Well, we don't qualify for flu tests, so why would they waste money on us with Covid?
No one gives a shit.
And that REALLY pisses me off.

[OhTheRoses]

CaĺlmeAngelin. I don't qualify for a flu jab (I think you meant) but they are readily available from pharmacists for between £8.99 to £12.99. Worth every penny. If you want one; buy one

[SmileEachDay]

If you want one; buy one

Spectacular and deliberate missing of the point there, Roses.

[noblegiraffe]

I don't think they do care about teachers.

Worse than that, I think they actively have an agenda against them and will go out of their way to make things shit for them.

We know this every time they drop some bombshell news or new guidance the day we break up for a holiday. Or tell us that schools are safe when we know they’re not. Or publish bullshit campaigns against us.

They’d probably not give the vaccine to teachers out of spite.

And then some patronising wanker would tell us just to pay for it privately if we wanted it that badly because they need to be saved for the people who are really at risk like supermarket workers or whatever.

[BungleandGeorge]

@Aragog I meant any sort of online teaching- so being directed to pre-recorded tutorials or films (school produced or outside) or documentaries or interactive learning, I’m sure there are many things other than just live lessons available. I don’t think children can necessarily be expected to find them themselves though, it needs to be teacher directed. What I’m trying to get at is something where you learn about a subject rather than the end result of producing an essay or answering questions. I know you can also learn from that but it’s the initial discussion, teaching, learning that was missing. I know it has been made mandatory recently as our school has been pushed to provide a couple of sessions on MS teams a day.

[ChloeDecker]

@OhTheRoses

CaĺlmeAngelin. I don't qualify for a flu jab (I think you meant) but they are readily available from pharmacists for between £8.99 to £12.99. Worth every penny. If you want one; buy one

Actually not available in any pharmacist near me including Boots. I have phoned many to ask, after the teacher scheme was scrapped this year, even as far as a few London boroughs away. Only enough for over 55s only and even then, it’s being rationed due to demand.

[Aragog]

Bungleandgeorge - In England as of 22 October schools do have to direct parents and children to remote learning, be that produced in school or external links.

No school in England should be saying they haven't got any remote learning if they have a class/bubble closure, a school closure or individuals self isolating for Covid reasons.

We are now producing them every week and have done since March. All on our remote learning network.

To be fair the schools I know of from where friends work, or I know people with chickens at them, are all providing remote home learning to some extent.
Only the secondaries appear to be doing live lessons and even then not for all lessons. Seems to be a mix of types.

[CallmeAngelina]

Yes, I meant jab. (Been a long day).

Yes, of course I could pay for one. But it's not really the point, is it?
And actually, a colleague tried to book one in Boots a month or two ago and couldn't get one.

But dh (university) has had one provided for him for years. Apparently, it's important. Who knew?

[CallmeAngelina]

I'm over 55 and got a text from the GP surgery months ago, saying I was eligible for one (on age grounds, not as a teacher) but not to call them under any circumstances (as they were too busy), they would contact me.
Heard zilch since.

[monkeytennis97]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/550846?fbclid=IwAR3o1FIURzrE3b4LeqLwfpBey793NCXhc8BI8SrcGJpENvdewUI_FGjXmQc

Just pop this here... over 400 thousand now.

[IceCreamAndCandyfloss]

@monkeytennis97

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/550846?fbclid=IwAR3o1FIURzrE3b4LeqLwfpBey793NCXhc8BI8SrcGJpENvdewUI_FGjXmQc

Just pop this here... over 400 thousand now.

Excellent, so now they will have to consider it as over the number needed.

[Aragog]

I don't want to close schools.

I want safer schools.

And if there is a vaccine I want school staff to be on the list, to help keep staff safer and to keep schools open longer.


I haven't seen the latest priority groups. I'm CV so moderate risk, but 47y so not in a higher age group. I also teach, which by all accounts isn't on the list at all.

I'd like to be vaccinated. I've just had Covid, still recovering, likely to be on medication now for life, now on week 5 of absence from work. And who knows if I'll be immune when I go back or for how long. I don't want this again. My blood pressure is now already too high - can't deal with it getting even higher once more!

I assume they're not including teaching staff on the lists as then they'd have to admit that maybe schools aren't quite as safe as they'd like to tell us.

[BungleandGeorge]

@Aragog I can’t judge our school’s provision since 22 October as we haven’t used it, they’ve only done things when pushed to by the guidelines. The provision was below parr for learning and non existent for pastoral care in the Summer term. In complete contrast to the primary who tried really hard, contacted kids at least weekly and yes did live lessons. I know some schools have done really well but it’s the discrepancy between them and the discrepancy between those who can and cannot access the learning which is the most worrying thing. Hopefully these latest guidelines will provide more of an even playing field.

Over 50s will only get a flu vaccine if there’s enough left after those with medical conditions have had them, I think they said from December onwards?

If you’re healthy and under 50 and don’t usually bother with a flu vaccine I’m not sure why you’d rush for one now. Your risk of getting flu is actually probably much lower than other years due to hygiene methods and increased uptake of vaccine in the at risk populations.

[Aragog]

My vaccine reference was re the new Covid vaccine, I should clarify.

I am already eligible for a flu vaccine - I had it in September/early October.

Didn't fancy flu and Covid in one winter, and Covid felt inevitable.

[BungleandGeorge]

If you are in the CV group you will be somewhere on the priority list for CV vaccine. They have said if and when more vaccine is available they may add further groups. However, I think it is absolutely right that people who are in the at risk groups for covid will be the first vaccinated. That will be millions and millions of people, it’s going to be an enormous task to find enough HCP to do all those vaccinations in the midst of a pandemic. I don’t think it will be nearly as quick as some people would like.

If you look at the infection rates in secondary age group it’s going down more than other age groups in some areas. What I don’t think we should be doing is bringing in measures purely to pacify people and make them ‘feel’ safer. We do have quite a lot of evidence now, I’d like to see further guidance for schools using that evidence. Things like working without adequate ventilation really shouldn’t be tolerates

[Feckers2018]

If a member of a bubble in my school tests positive then the bubble bursts. It depends on when they tested positive and then 48 hrs before that.

[Aragog]

Trouble is they aren't doing much research within schools. The numbers are also not being properly monitored.

Based in my t and t info, and my talks with the hospital doctors, I almost certainly caught Covid in school, probably from a symptom free child - only place I have close contact with anyone (the children not the staff) bar Dh.

Few children are being tested as the types of symptoms children get aren't the testable ones.

Schools simply aren't 'safe' or Covid secure right now. That's very clear.

[noblegiraffe]

If you look at the infection rates in secondary age group it’s going down more than other age groups in some areas

Are you talking about infection rates or case numbers? And if it’s going down in secondary age kids just after half term when schools were closed, what does that suggest?