The government wants YOU to volunteer as a school covid tester

[noelgiraffe]

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/

I am quite worried about sending my children to school after christmas. Would be easier if they didn't like it and I could just withdraw them...

@Audacity7

To those who think it’s a good idea ... what would be a good idea would be weekly testing to find asymptomatic cases to get them home to isolate to protect students and staff. But no let’s keep sending possible asymptomatic contacts in until they test positive and then they can go home ! Don’t worry about all their contacts !! Ffs ! I truly despair. Where are all these government advisers living ? Cloud cuckoo land ?

Don't blame the advisers - this is on Johnson, Sunak, Gove, Williamson.

The advisers are trying but the government is in charge.

Logistical nightmare. My local secondary school has more than 2000 pupils.

Even if there were enough volunteers and space, you would need senior staff supervising 2000 teenagers while they queued up/waited/ went back to class/parents contacted/did something with the positive children.

@PeppermintSoda

The bit about writing positively about it on social media is sinister.

Parents don't have to write positively and there are a lot of us. Parents should really start campaigning and backing up teachers.

@Literallynoidea

No offence OP but someone's got to do it.

Who do you suggest?

Oh I know that one. Healthcare professionals.

Oooh all the people that have 24/7 to post on MN about schools staying open. Here is your chance. Not one should be on here during working hours from January because that would be stellar hypocrisy.

@Eng123
2. This is likely to have a very positive impact on reducing transmission rates.

Actually, when you look at the detail regarding how this will work, it seems likely to increase transmission rather than decrease it.

Let's say that one child in a class of 30 has symptoms and tests positive. The bubble pops and they all self-isolate. He had transmitted to two other children but due to self-isolation, they can't transmit it on and the chain ends. That's the current system.

Under the new system, all children would be kept in school and tested daily. The problem is that those two who caught it from the original case will be capable of transmitting the virus whilst they are still testing negative or before that one test where they test positive. By the time they are shown to have the virus, they have already passed it on to others.

This isn't mass testing as it's being described. It's testing only for pupils who should be isolating. As a result, it's actually making the environment less Covid-secure.

@Eng123

I think it's a great idea actually. I'm not sure why there is such backlash here:

1. Minimal training is required for a swab test - it is not invasive FFS!
2. This is likely to have a very positive impact on reducing transmission rates.
3. Volunteering has always been part of school life.
4. The risk of transmission to the tester can be minimised quite effectively.

Tes I will volunteer if my childrens schools set up a scheme and I can fit it around work. If you don't want to or can't fit it in fine. I don't see what you object to.

The fact you think these tests that have been proven only 50% effective will 'make a big difference' suggests you have limited understanding of the topic, so I really wouldn't want you near my child.

@inquietant
Parents don't have to write positively and there are a lot of us. Parents should really start campaigning and backing up teachers.

Actually, the detailed information says that schools should monitor what parents post on social media about the school's testing and challenge/refute it if it's negative.

Clear misinformation campaign.

@RememberSelfCompassion

I am quite worried about sending my children to school after christmas. Would be easier if they didn't like it and I could just withdraw them...

Yes I am in this boat too.

As a result, it's actually making the environment less Covid-secure.

I have to commend the Government on this. I didn't think it was possible to make schools any less Covid secure, but they've found a way. 😢

Why don't parents test their own DC. I test twice a week for work so why can't parents do their own children.

Would have been better if the school nurses system had not been decimated.

[quote Iamnotthe1]@inquietant
Parents don't have to write positively and there are a lot of us. Parents should really start campaigning and backing up teachers.

Actually, the detailed information says that schools should monitor what parents post on social media about the school's testing and challenge/refute it if it's negative.

Clear misinformation campaign.[/quote]
They can't do that if enough parents speak up. We have got to mobilise somehow. We can't just let them do this to our schools, kids and families.

I hate them

I would assume teenagers are being asked to self administer? And the volunteers are doing a similar job to those who work at the drive in centres? At those places you only open your window a tiny crack to receive the test pack - certainly no closer contact. Who knows though.

@inquietant

But you then have what, publically, will look like a battle between parents and schools where the schools have to openly keep repeating the lies that they've been compelled to say.

That will only serve to further progress the false 'schools are totally safe' message the Government wants as they will be able to point to hundreds of schools all posting about how safe it is.

Someone has thought this through.

I think surely the tests would have to be self administered, there would be an expensive insurance nightmare otherwise.

It's only really a goer for secondary too. Primary would need parents to administer test or keep children away.

[quote Iamnotthe1]@inquietant
Parents don't have to write positively and there are a lot of us. Parents should really start campaigning and backing up teachers.

Actually, the detailed information says that schools should monitor what parents post on social media about the school's testing and challenge/refute it if it's negative.

Clear misinformation campaign.[/quote]
What sort of funking country are we living in. We are talking about lives here. Heads, teachers, school staff, parents, LAs, journalists need to join forces and stop this. Enough now. Make schools safe or we stay away.

I have been involved with a university test centre this term. It is a lot harder than the government training (all 90 mins of it) indicates. We used healthcare students to do the testing, so already used to lab work and ppe, but maintaining the processes and keeping to the Times etc was difficult, requiring a leader who knew what they were doing.

We also had to source a lot of equipment ourselves as the government couldn't supply parts required such as test tube racks of the correct size. This equipment is to be reimbursed at a later date apparently. Where paid staff were used that had to be funded up front by the uni and then again will be reimbursed later.

The space requirements are also an impact that I am not sure many schools could absorb.

All in all from the experience we had, I cannot imagine many schools being able to do this effectively or efficiently. Nurses are now being sent home with lateral flow tests to do at home. Maybe they will change track to this? Or adapt the science curriculum to have a main key outcome of key stage 2 to be to produce an effective lateral flow lab test.

I agree with @mrshoho - parents need to get off their arses and say what they want schools to be like.

Get grandparents involved too, they can write letters and gossip about it.

Campaigning works. Just people have forgotten how to do it.

I just read the link the OP posted. Point 7 is about concerns about the accuracy of lateral flow tests. It helpfully points out ”In its handbook for schools, the government accepted the tests have a lower sensitivity, but said they were “better at picking up cases when a person has a higher viral load. Hence the need to test frequently”

So, the test will pick up infection when the case has a higher viral load and then is highly infectious. In school. With their mask off. Having a swab which is likely to make them sneeze (I work for the NHS and have to swab myself twice a week and they always make me sneeze) and spread their COVID around everywhere. Great.

This suggestion is an absolute joke.

I’ve already written to Matt Hancock once this week. Looks like another email to my MP is on the cards for today.

Rolypolybabies

Thanks for your post about your experience. Doesn’t bode well does it!?

This equipment is to be reimbursed at a later date apparently. Where paid staff were used that had to be funded up front by the uni and then again will be reimbursed later.

At this point I read the words at a later date and later, and substitue them for will never happen, and hopefully they'll forget we said that.

What I don’t understand is that they could create loads of jobs with this. Surely there are loads of people used to doing personal, semi medical and/or intimate procedures (waxing, Botox, cosmetic dentistry etc) who have lost their jobs or businesses or who have been furloughed. Why not offer this as an actual job to them. And pay them? Well!

Relatable:

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1338944656063811585.html