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The government wants YOU to volunteer as a school covid tester

716 replies

noelgiraffe · 15/12/2020 23:42

The govt have proudly announced that there will be mass testing in secondary schools, colleges and special schools from January.

What the headlines don’t quite convey is that schools will be expected to set up and man their own testing centres and that this make-shift testing of close contacts of positives will replace close contacts having to isolate. The tests pick up about 50% of positive cases so I’m sure this will be fine.

Covidy kids will be getting the bus to school to queue up and be tested by people who have watched a video and a couple of online worksheets.

Even better, they want those people to be YOU!

“The document says that reasonable costs for additional workforce will be reimbursed.

It adds that a school may want to hire temporary staff, such as agency and contract workers, or draw on volunteers such as parents, retired teachers, Red Cross, St John Ambulance and community organisations.”

If you can’t help in person, perhaps you can support by talking positively about this effort on social media and parenting forums?

“Under a section labelled “social media guidance”, the document reads that “consistent, accurate and positive communication about testing activity is essential”.

They want to see “proactive public social media using agreed materials” and schools are encouraged to “monitor your existing social media channels, parents forums etc. and provide any feedback”.”

Come on folks, do your bit!

schoolsweek.co.uk/7-staff-roles-2-hour-training-and-dhsc-sign-off-on-press-schools-given-mass-testing-instructions/

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ChloeDeckTheHalls · 16/12/2020 13:25

To those who questioned my timings
A lateral flow test does take 30 seconds ( for the swabbing) this was in relation to those on this thread that made it sound like you would have to pin down a 6ft 14 stone teen and swab for 5 minutes.

My post in reply to yours was assuming it was 30 seconds and still takes up too much time out of the school day on compliant children, when they have missed so much already. I notice you ignored the point about SEND.

Thank you for volunteering to administer the tests. It is genuinely appreciated.

Carrotcakeforbreakfast · 16/12/2020 13:26

Piggyinblankets

Yes I do. One where some weeks I might be working all weekend and a Monday (13 hour shifts) or 3 night shifts etc
Which gives me days off during the week. We aren't all Monday to Friday 9-5
It is the NHS after all.

It wouldn't be the first time I've given up a day off to help out with the pandemic and doubt it will be the last.

Carrotcakeforbreakfast · 16/12/2020 13:28

ChloeDeckTheHalls

I mentioned the SEN aspect quite a few posts back.
But basically just said that I agreed that it would have to be a familiar face/parent maybe.

TheSunIsStillShining · 16/12/2020 13:28

@Carrotcakeforbreakfast

Piggyinblankets

Yes I do. One where some weeks I might be working all weekend and a Monday (13 hour shifts) or 3 night shifts etc
Which gives me days off during the week. We aren't all Monday to Friday 9-5
It is the NHS after all.

It wouldn't be the first time I've given up a day off to help out with the pandemic and doubt it will be the last.

As much as I admire all NHS and other staff who volunteer it annoys the hell out of me that in a first world country so many things are reliant on actual individuals sacrificing their own time/money (charity) to do things that gov should be doing. Then why do we have a gov if it can't do it's job?
GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly · 16/12/2020 13:29

@wondersun I’m in! Sounds amazing! Especially the chance to work for free and lie on social media.

Smile

Well someone has to keep pumping out the Government mantra since Sept:"Schools are open atallcosts Schools are unsafe"

Achristmaspudsskidu · 16/12/2020 13:32

I would imagine that they'll manage it logistically by doing a year group a day.It takes 30 seconds.
Follow the register. The volunteer goes and calls the student one by one

But it’s not mass testing, is it? It won’t be ploughing through a year group each day.

It’s testing close contacts who should have been isolating.

So, at my DC’s school that has 21 teachers off and 400 pupils off-they would all be in, every day this week and last. Travelling on the bus/coach/train and hanging around in the hall all together for however long it takes to do all the tests and get the results. All in one hall with windows that don’t open, I would imagine. Although they’ll be using that for mocks, so maybe just the corridors? Presumably each will have to be checked to make sure parental permission has been given, plus making sure they can look after anyone that cries, lashes out, needs coercing, has a panic attack etc etc

I just can’t see how anyone thinks this is a good idea.

Carrotcakeforbreakfast · 16/12/2020 13:32

TheSunIsStillShining

Absolutely. If this pandemic has driven anything home for me it is that I need a career change. It has been horrendous.
Oh it has also taught me I touch my face a lot. Actively working on that Grin

Comefromaway · 16/12/2020 13:35

The kids at dh's college had to do it themselves and they had other student volunteers to help.

But all students there are over 16 so easier to manage. Ds chose not to get tested as he has an asd and he knew he would not be capable of administering the test to himself/

Piggyinblankets · 16/12/2020 13:37

Can I just correct my own post?

It's NOT routine mass testing like universities!

I think a lot of posters don't get that this is reactive testing not proactive.

TheSunIsStillShining · 16/12/2020 13:41

@Carrotcakeforbreakfast

I have an autoimmune condition where even a cold is actually a risky thing to get. So 20 years ago, when diagnosed, I had to go through this not touch your face that much. It was a long time to get into the habit of sanitizing, covering (scarf) my mouth when in public, not touching my face....
Upside for me in this whole shitshow of a year is that now I'm "normal" when I wear a mask and not a freak :)

Achristmaspudsskidu · 16/12/2020 13:43

Can I presume that not isolating close contacts and instead offering them LF tests, is now government policy and will be extended to all work places, hospitals and care homes?

Will all the doctors, nurses and other HCP be promoting this change in their workplace? And encouraging their bosses to promote it as a good idea in any publicity that goes out?

FiggyPuddingified · 16/12/2020 14:04

@Tfoot75

In the goady camp here. If it comes to primary schools, quite happy for the school to give me 10 lateral flow tests after a case is identified for me to do each school morning half an hour before school so that my child can keep going. I've done covid tests on my 2 primary aged dc 6 times already, don't see what the problem is.

How else do you suggest they do it?? Multiple thousands for each school to set up a 'site' and employ staff to do 'some' swabs 'some' mornings but let's face it in most schools, most of the time do absolutely nothing? I think you're on a different planet tbh.

If a particular school is having a continuous massive problem with covid cases they need to look at what they are doing as it obviously isn't working. There's secondary schools in my tier 3 area that have yet to have a single positive case.

We have followed everything to the letter and still have lots of cases. On the plus side it would mean any testers would definitely not be sat around twiddling their thumbs. On the down side I reckon you'd need a lot of testers (and space) to test 200 - 300 people every day. The article suggested each testing station could do around 13 an hour with the cleaning needed etc. So I guess we'll need about 20 testing stations so that those being tested only miss period 1 whilst they await results... Do you think grass would be okay instead of a non-porous floor? We could have the stations set up on the field...
TheSunIsStillShining · 16/12/2020 14:14

you can make cleaning easier with the cling film type of thing use painting?

noelgiraffe · 16/12/2020 14:21

One thing that isn't clear - it's 7 days of daily testing. Schools are only open 5 days a week, who will be doing the testing the other 2 days?

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inquietant · 16/12/2020 14:22

@noelgiraffe

One thing that isn't clear - it's 7 days of daily testing. Schools are only open 5 days a week, who will be doing the testing the other 2 days?
Assume questions like this just get filed under 'talking Britain down' with any other logical query Angry
OpheliasCrayon · 16/12/2020 14:32

@noelgiraffe

One thing that isn't clear - it's 7 days of daily testing. Schools are only open 5 days a week, who will be doing the testing the other 2 days?
Me! I volunteer my help to all school children every weekend.

I don't think I've had enough to do this term so....

MrsMiaWallis · 16/12/2020 14:40

I'm sure you are right to be annoyed with the government's handling of this but the sarcastic criticism of volunteers is a bit pathetic. I'd volunteer - I've had covid and I've done the tests on my dds quite happily.

noelgiraffe · 16/12/2020 14:53

sarcastic criticism of volunteers

If your only background experience for volunteering to wrangle a bunch of Y9s into doing a covid test is that you’ve done one on your own kids, then my suspicion of suitability is warranted.

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FiggyPuddingified · 16/12/2020 14:53

@MrsMiaWallis

I'm sure you are right to be annoyed with the government's handling of this but the sarcastic criticism of volunteers is a bit pathetic. I'd volunteer - I've had covid and I've done the tests on my dds quite happily.
I don't think it was supposed to be a critisism of volunteers. Rather of a government that thinks an appropriate way to ensure safety in school is to rely on volunteers. Volunteers are important for many things - listening to children read, coming on school trips, helping with events - but they should not be used for public health roles, people undertaking such roles should be paid and given appropriate training. For example we don't use volunteers to administer vaccinations...
OpheliasCrayon · 16/12/2020 14:53

@MrsMiaWallis

I'm sure you are right to be annoyed with the government's handling of this but the sarcastic criticism of volunteers is a bit pathetic. I'd volunteer - I've had covid and I've done the tests on my dds quite happily.
It's not the volunteers in criticizing, it's that this just could not work or be feasible with or without volunteers.
noelgiraffe · 16/12/2020 14:55

And the fact that it’s down to schools to sort staffing. How the bloody hell is a school supposed to recruit suitable candidates over Christmas ready for January?

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MrsMiaWallis · 16/12/2020 14:57

@noelgiraffe

sarcastic criticism of volunteers

If your only background experience for volunteering to wrangle a bunch of Y9s into doing a covid test is that you’ve done one on your own kids, then my suspicion of suitability is warranted.

🤣🤣

Not sure what else you expect? Proper medical staff are a bit busy atm. If that's the bar they set then I'm up for it.

MrsMiaWallis · 16/12/2020 14:58

It's not the volunteers in criticizing, it's that this just could not work or be feasible with or without volunteers

That is a fair criticism

Achristmaspudsskidu · 16/12/2020 15:04

Not sure what else you expect? Proper medical staff are a bit busy atm. If that's the bar they set then I'm up for it.

If it can’t happen due to a lack of time, staff, training, space or money in schools, then it needs to happen differently or not happen at all yet.

This policy of replacing self isolation of close contacts with daily testing is not occurring anywhere else. It should not be started in schools, in this way, either, without proper thought.

Either continue to isolate close contacts until a better plan is made and don’t worry about attendance for a bit longer. Or send the tests home to parents and they send them to a testing facility to be properly tested.

If something can’t be done properly, and in doing so, will actually increase chances of covid transmission, then you shouldn’t just go ahead and do it anyway.

noelgiraffe · 16/12/2020 15:14

^Not sure what else you expect?

That’s true, I shouldn’t expect anything better for schools than the bare minimum the government can get away with. Asking for anyone with a bit of spare to time run an on-site school medical testing facility for teenagers is pretty much par for the course.

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