The infection rate for pupils last week was 2,509 out of 100,000!!

[SoscaredforJan]

The Times today had reported that the infection rate for secondary pupils last week was 2,509 out of 100,000!! With the rate for primary school pupils close behind.

That’s absolutely shocking.

Rates of 300+ per 100,000 in the South East led to the emergency Tier 4 announcement at the weekend.

Rates among secondary school children are approx nine times this and primaries not far behind.

There can no longer be any conversation about schools remaining open. They need to close to all but key workers and the vulnerable and not reopen until the government has provided the money and means to make them truly ‘Covid secure’ or until enough people have been vaccinated.

How many deaths will we have in a months time when those infections have transferred to the elderly and vulnerable? How many more mutations will we have if the virus is allowed to carry on running through children? I for one do not want to find out that they vaccine no longer works.

It’s time to do what needs to be done. It’s tough and awful for everyone but it has to be done. The schools need to close.

www.africanews.com/2020/12/21/south-africa-detects-new-variant-of-coronavirus

a shift in the epidemiological landscape, with more younger patients, without co-morbidities, developing severe forms of the disease.

We had a year 11 coughing on others as 'a joke'. He tested positive & now 178 students are isolating for Xmas. And 4 members of staff. I had a year 10 telling me it's all a hoax so he won't wear a mask - wish I could force him into ICU to see his teacher who is struggling on CPAP. And a bunch of year 10s who decided to have a cheeky snog behind the snack bar. Yup all now isolating as one positive.
We have windows open (where possible - not all rooms have windows), masks in corridors and attempt pods not mixing. Can't do 2m as rooms too small. But it doesn't work. Teens are teens. And parrot what they hear at home.
Happy Christmas.

That’s a really still a tiny tiny number. I can’t work out percentage but it’s like 0.000000001 of school children. Calm the hell down. Of course we shouldn’t punish children (and working parents!) by halting their education again.

Well no, it’s 2.5% of children, or if it makes it easier for you to visualise (as I’m guessing maths not a strong point), 1 in 40.
So in a typical secondary school with 2000 children there would be 50 children with the virus per week.

Sorry my maths is shocking so more like 2.5% is that right? Still not even close to being worth putting kids education, development, wellbeing in jeopardy.

Thanks ceeveebee for your condescending response. I cross posted with yours as worked it out.

@QualityFeet - every school has a plan for this and has since the start of the year. Every teacher I know wanted a rota system... It all could have been managed in a much more sustainable and sensible way.

Just to be clear I absolutely believe schools and their staff have been doing their absolute level best. It’s the DfE refusing to listen to schools e.g. Greenwich that has my ire!

The DFE need to listen to schools and make them safer so children get continuity in education rather than big gaps that unfortunately are more likely to adversely affect less advantaged pupils.

@ceeveebee my DC started secondary this year and has head lice for the first time since early in primary in a supposedly Covid safe environment! Children in bubbles take their masks off in the toilets during breaks. The school have done all they can within the guidelines but you are absolutely kidding yourself if you think children in class bubbles don’t come into contact with other children on the way to /from school and on the premises.

How rude ceeveebee you’ll win no argument by resorting to pathetic playground antics of bullying.

Bullying?

I find it very condescending and dismissive for someone to come on a thread and rubbish everyone’s very valid concerns with some nonsensical statement about a tiny percentage without having even through it through properly or worked out what it actually means - one case per class pretty much? Which means schools will probably close by default anyway if nothing is done.

Marypoppins19 How old are your children? Do you work - full/ party time?

You also say “vulnerable children (those known about) were allowed to continue at school”. Sadly most abuse at home is not known about, abusers don’t tend to go around wearing T-shirt’s that say they abuse their kids. So you’re subjecting 10000s kids to more time at home with no escape under intense stress with abusive parents.
And all kids to miss out on the 360 rounded education, socialising, development they get from school. While again, punishing working parents.

@DollyParton2

Thanks ceeveebee for your condescending response. I cross posted with yours as worked it out.

A valid response to your condescending “calm the hell down”

ceeveebee have YOU read the thread? As a lot of responses are against school closures so I’m in agreement with them. Your opinion is not an opinion shared by 100% of people - you do realise that right?

So South Korea had approximately 1100 cases (out of 51 million) on one day and schools are closing.

The London Borough of Greenwich had 686 cases in Secondary school pupils alone in the last week of term and they are ordered to stay open.

Unfuckingbelievable.

@DollyParton2

ceeveebee have YOU read the thread? As a lot of responses are against school closures so I’m in agreement with them. Your opinion is not an opinion shared by 100% of people - you do realise that right?

And neither is yours! If you are going to tell everyone to “calm the hell down” and tell everyone how low the rates are at least get the numbers right. There are lots of valid arguments to keep schools open but basing it on fictional numbers ain’t one of them

KnowingMeKnowingYule it’s not unbelievable at all. In South Korea there are a lot less working mothers/ families were both parents work.

What's unbelievable is the strategy to control the virus.

ceeveebee I corrected myself 1 minute later, sorry the delay is irking you so much. Sorry you’re also clearly so worked up. Maybe take my advice...

2.5% of ANYTHING is tiny and no decision of any magnitude should ever be made based on such a tiny figure.

I've been very pro schools reopening from early on, I'm a single mum and screwed for childcare without them, and I STILL think we need to close them for the start of January.

Along with this, though, I think we need to look hard at our vaccine prioritisation. While I ache for people stuck in care homes, we need as a society to prioritise health care workers, teachers and others who keep everything going, while the rest of us who are able keep isolated. It makes no sense, bluntly, to be vaccinating 93 year olds with a low chance of surviving the next year, while health care workers in their 40s with young families die for lack of vaccines, and vulnerable children are stuck at home with their abusers because schools can't open.

Right. Ok. I mean, it’s only about 3 x the rate for the rest of the population, and only 1 child per class so no foreseeable problem there then.

@Iknewyouwerewaitingforme

Marypoppins19 How old are your children? Do you work - full/ party time?

You also say “vulnerable children (those known about) were allowed to continue at school”. Sadly most abuse at home is not known about, abusers don’t tend to go around wearing T-shirt’s that say they abuse their kids. So you’re subjecting 10000s kids to more time at home with no escape under intense stress with abusive parents.
And all kids to miss out on the 360 rounded education, socialising, development they get from school. While again, punishing working parents.

Clearly you don’t care about the health of staff and the wider community. You care about having childcare and being able to work Fair enough - but we are not on the same page I’m afraid.

2.5% of ANYTHING is tiny

There are approx 3.3 million secondary school aged kids in the UK. 2.5% is 87,500 kids. Who will be sick, potentially seriously. With life long conditions. Do you think that's an acceptable risk - because that could be your child.

2.5% of ANYTHING is tiny

Maths teachers of the country, hang your collective heads in shame.

Marypoppins19 no I’m happily not on the same page as you. Can you answer my questions? As if you are not a working parent you really can’t speak for those of us who are and want schools to go back for all our families sakes.

@mumsneedwine

There are approx 3.3 million secondary school aged kids in the UK. 2.5% is 87,500 kids. Who will be sick, potentially seriously. With life long conditions. Do you think that's an acceptable risk - because that could be your child.

And pass it on to probably hundreds of teachers, thousands of parents and siblings And remember these are WEEKLY figures not just a one off