Strategic planning to open schools safely

[Elephant4]

No one seems to mention that this should be happening.

Government needs to get going on this.

Labour and unions should be putting the pressure on.

blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/01/12/creating-covid-secure-schools-we-need-strategy-not-just-ad-hoc-responses/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=hootsuite&utm_content=sme&utm_campaign=usage

Thread I started last week got 9 responses. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4130622-Infection-rates-in-school-aged-children-dropped-over-Christmas

Hard to know what to ask for when we don’t know enough about the new variant yet. My original list is now probably inadequate and social distancing may need to be added.

What we don’t want is:

Schools opening as they were
Daily lateral flow testing to replace self isolation of close contacts (this has already started despite the practice being condemned by the MHRA and the WHO).

Vaccinating teachers won’t open schools because concern for teacher safety isn’t why they shut.

I’m aware, what I said was a response to those saying vaccinate teachers and ta’s, my point was there’s more to a school than that and not that I thought it was in any way a golden bullet.

And that was a response to @3littlewords

@sundowners

I’m interested! IMO we need to 1) vaccinate teachers as a priority 2) have kids go back 1 day a week ASAP/ after 1/2 term in reduced bubbles 1/5 of class for say 2-3 weeks 3) then widen bubbles slightly to allow 2 days per child for another month - then it’s Easter hols anyway - all vulnerable will have been vaccinated 4) then back to normal

The vaccination of ALL school staff is needed yes but only after the priority list. Though there is scope for a better wastage take up list. This would include police, supermarket workers etc too.

The rest of your list shows you have never worked in a primary school because it would be impossible. Secondary schools potentially a rota system may work. However I think the problem is the keyworker and vulnerable kids will destroy any chance of limiting the spread using this method. They wouldn't be able to be kept separate in case you are thinking of suggesting that.

Vaccinating teachers is the Great Barrington Declaration response to school closures. They think it will shut teachers up when we go on about school safety as if it’s only self-interest that is the concern and they want children to have school as normal so no further measures imposed on top of that.

Incidentally I am waiting very impatiently for the ONS random sampling survey data that should have been released on Friday and is still unavailable. It will be really interesting to see how the closures have impacted the infection rate in school aged kids (particularly the half-arsed primary closures) and to see what projections could be made.

Our secondary has already said it will test kids once on first day. Though has actually asked is to take the kids to local walk in test centre a fewdays before. They have the better test there. Then email results. All the kids that haven't done that will have the school lateral flow test with parents consent.

Then the staff will get tested every week but the school won't test the kids again. If a positive case is confirmed all close contacts will have to isolate as before.

I think this is a good testing plan

So, lockdown 1, schools closed to many pupils in March and didn't open fully until September.
The opportunity was not taken by government to do anything about making them safer, really.

Now schools are closed to many pupils again (numbers depending on area) - do we think the government are:-

a) going to learn from their mistakes to actually plan / think about some things that can reduce transmission before they go back fully?

or b) going to do fuck all, except maybe the stupid test-instead-of-isolate plan which is likely to make things worse?

They will just tip us back in and tell us to get on with it. They know we won’t strike because the public loathe us (yet are happy to send their kids in to us in an unsafe environment in fucking droves so they don’t have to put up with them at home.) We’ll just be told to suck it up and crack on, as usual.

@Fembot123

I’m aware, what I said was a response to those saying vaccinate teachers and ta’s, my point was there’s more to a school than that and not that I thought it was in any way a golden bullet.

Sorry @Fembot123 didn't mean you specifically meant that I just chose your comment to highlight it. My apologies. Just I've seen so many comments on here and on SM along the lines of "vaccinate the teacher open the school " if only it was that easy we'd be laughing

@3littlewords No worries, yes that would be the dream wouldn’t it. I personally want the jab as I’m support staff and still have to be in a room full of secondary school kids.

As well as the overdue ONS data, I'm waiting on the occupational data from the autumn when schools were fully open as usual. Especially half term to Christmas when the new variant picked up - as that will be the most relevant going forwards.

As well as that data, Enemy we are also waiting for the data that the NAHT asked the DfE to provide saying that schools were safe.

@noblegiraffe

As well as that data, Enemy we are also waiting for the data that the NAHT asked the DfE to provide saying that schools were safe.

Ooh if forgotten about that! Was the request dropped as they closed schools after the one day return (coincidentally when they were required to produce the data)?

So many of the newer school buildings don’t have windows you can actually open. That troubles me. They are somehow climate controlled.
Not great!!!!!

I liked the suggestion in the article about using alternative spaces for teaching.

Ideally you want children and school staff to be vaccinated. In the meantime:

1. Introduce regular testing of staff and children. This has just started with staff with the lateral flow tests but has a long way to go.

2. Allow staff and students to wear PPE if they desire. Some would argue it needs to be compulsory but just having the option would be a good start.

3. Temperature checks before admittance - by no means foolproof but better than nothing. I can't believe we haven't introduced this yet when places like China have been doing it for nearly a year now.

4. Heavy fines for parents who knowingly send their children in with symptoms because they can't be bothered to look after them at home. Same for those parents who send their children in when they have been notified to isolate etc. This has been a big problem at the school I work at and it disgusts me when I think about our staff and children who have underlying conditions.

5. More money for resources: more cleaners, extra sinks, sanitizers, PPE, installation of machinery / tech to improve ventilation etc. Perhaps even the supermarket style plexiglass screens for each table / desk to provide more protection. Again this is something very simple that has been replicated in schools across the world and is something I can't believe we haven't done yet.

@Kljnmw3459

I liked the suggestion in the article about using alternative spaces for teaching.

Yeah, if only the DfE hadn’t specifically banned doing it.

They really are fuckwits.

To whichever poster saying teachers can’t have half the class while the teacher has the other half, that’s exactly what we are doing at the moment. I’ve 50% of my class in so I’ve got them in school and my teacher is teaching the rest from home!

School need to open but if anyone thinks that schools or anywhere else can be completely safe they are delusional verging on madness.

Children (or rather their parents) and teachers will have to accept some risk otherwise schools will be permanently closed.

@Billie18

School need to open but if anyone thinks that schools or anywhere else can be completely safe they are delusional verging on madness.

Children (or rather their parents) and teachers will have to accept some risk otherwise schools will be permanently closed.

Do you really want to open schools with no mitigations whatever the risk?

twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1350612735860600841?s=19

And you are the only person who has intimated the notion that schools could be completely safe @Billie18.

Everyone else on this thread is discussing minimising the risks, so no delusion here.

Yeah, too hard to make them completely safe so lets not bother doing anything at all.
Are you Gavin?