Statement in parliament this afternoon on 'reopening of schools in England'

[DownRightAmazing]

By Gavin.

I'm aware there are a million threads on this generally but this is specifically regarding the statement - any leaks/clues/predictions?

To state my own position: I think schools need to close to all except keyworker and vulnerable children. I feel it's obvious this needs to happen. My own two children are thriving at school and I'm not concerned about them at all - if their (primary) school is open, I will send them - but I worry for their teachers, any vulnerable parents of their classmates and of course the NHS.

My prediction (based on nothing): secondary schools blended/part time. Primary fully open. We are tier 4 fwiw and I disagree with opening schools in January...

So good luck primary teachers, you are fucked.

If it is a small number of areas why don't he just announce it.

announce them*

Teachers and pupils should be wearing masks inside as mandatory.

@MissMarpletheMurderer

So good luck primary teachers, you are fucked.

Tbh it's more than I was expecting. Once 'a few areas' have primaries off due to highest infection rates it leaves the path to closing more open.

I wonder when we will find out where?

WHAT is The Boy Gav saying?

I'm finding him hard to follow (as per, tbf)

And what happens on the 18th, when numbers are not coming down and deaths are going up? If we have the same amount in hospital now as we did, and no lockdown deaths will be 1000+ a day.

EY and primary school teachers, we are thinking of you and secondary teachers expected to carry out testing as well as online learning and teaching exam years too

Contingency areas - ok need to see it

The 18th is at least three U-turns away, in government time, surely?

Fucking hell.

So, if we find 20 positive cases whilst doing mass testing in the run up, then probability says we have another 20 running around undetected. Do we just carry on as normal?

I'm happy to be going back. I'm intrigued as to what these 'devices' that they're talking about are.

I’m guessing the same happens as in the health service. We carry on, test twice weekly and hope for the best. The tests aren’t perfect, everyone I know who has contracted covid in the last month is a health worker. But you can’t just close down health and education, so we have to muddle along somehow for a few more weeks. I suppose.

@DfEisashambles

EY and primary school teachers, we are thinking of you and secondary teachers expected to carry out testing as well as online learning and teaching exam years too

Thanks. Into the valley of death rode to 200,000 ...

Condolences to primary.

(We are both nhs - our patients are tested 48 hours before admission, we are tested twice a week. Not perfect, but better than closing down all elective hospital admissions)

Obviously, Gareth found the contingency plans he'd lost down the back of the sofa. Maybe he found a few coppers down there to help make schools a bit more safe?

Nearly 1000 dead in a day, hospitals overflowing and primaries go back as normal, are they fucking serious

Does anyone know where the list will appear on the gov website? Can someone link it?

When and where do we find out which schools won't be open then?

Just looked on gov.uk can’t find list yet 🙄

@CountessFrog

(We are both nhs - our patients are tested 48 hours before admission, we are tested twice a week. Not perfect, but better than closing down all elective hospital admissions)

Which tests are these? I had to have a PCP test before I went in for an operation, the lateral flow ones are 50% reliable when self testing

I don't have so much of an issue with lateral flow tests for mass testing, its in the place of isolation that is truly criminal.