London being prioritised for schools reopening as usual...widening the education divide

[CaughtInTheCovid]

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/english-schools-may-reopen-regionally-medical-chief-suggests-covid?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Why is it more important to open schools in London than anywhere else? We are in the NW and have had the most severe lockdowns for the longest. I will be raging if our schools are kept closed when our numbers are half that of London.

they are prioritising the areas with dropping and low rates. If that happens to be London then that’s what it is.

It is a bit of a joke though. Let a lot of the north go to shit, really struggle. It hits London and they eventually decide to do something. Not before all the commuters and 2nd home owners have fucked the rest of the country over though.

A lot of NHS trusts are on their arses but because London is improving, that’s ok.

I understand that but why is the focus on the article london schools when they currently have some of the highest rates in the UKv

@Itisasecret that’s exactly how it feels. ‘Oh London’s getting better? Get them back to school ASAP! Probs still high in the north keep them closed for longer’. And forget about them completely as they always do.

The guardian is so london-centic. Does my head in, especially as it was originally founded in Manchester!

I expect it'll be on the basis of no. of cases in the community, won't it?

I'd rather they tested all teachers in a school for antibodies, vaccinated those staff who still needed it, and only then reopened.

Things in London are still dire, but new infections are falling. The North is estimated to be two weeks behind London, so that means cases will continue to rise there for a while longer. If that's right, it seems reasonable to me to reopen London schools first!

@flipflo cases are starting to drop here without the high peak that London had. I just don’t understand when everything is up in the air why the need to float the idea that London schools will open sooner?! I understand the need to open schools based on local data, very sensible, but why jump straight to hopefully London early on. Children are important everywhere.

@Itisasecret

It is a bit of a joke though. Let a lot of the north go to shit, really struggle. It hits London and they eventually decide to do something. Not before all the commuters and 2nd home owners have fucked the rest of the country over though.

A lot of NHS trusts are on their arses but because London is improving, that’s ok.

Exactly this! No one gave a fuck when the likes of Hull and Liverpool had raging infections in the autumn, soon as London is affected the all schools closed.

@Mintjulia

I expect it'll be on the basis of no. of cases in the community, won't it?

I'd rather they tested all teachers in a school for antibodies, vaccinated those staff who still needed it, and only then reopened.

It’s not about staff. It’s the fact children spread it and take it home, which is transferred into the community and then overwhelms the NHS.

Why do people think vaccinating teachers is the answer? They don’t care if they die.

Why do people think it’s case numbers? They can fall, if we’ve a full NHS, it means nothing.

Cases have fallen a lot where I am up north - and they were only half the national average when lockdown began. Not surprising as we had been languishing in Tier 3 for ages beforehand, while London with higher cases were in Tier 2 ...

The government gives not a jot about anything outside the M25.

That wasn't what she actually said, that's just the Guardians take on it.

She said that as we came out of lock down there may need to be a regional approach taken, and that there are glimmers of hope in London. The Guardian just put the two things together.

Wherever the infection rate is lowest is where it should open first.

It isn’t about the infection rate...

It seems odd to me that The Guardian has highlighted London. Looking at the ten 'worst' local authorities all but one (Knowsley in Liverpool) is in the south east with five in London itself.

There are areas of 'the north' sitting right at the other end of the table.

I think the 'glimmer of hope' comment refers to the rate at which infection is falling in London rather than 'London schools will go back first'.

A mixture of infection rates, NHS capacity and economic benefit. Regardless of the structural reasoning behind it, London accounts for a significant proportion of the U.K. economy and the government are under pressure from all sides to balance public health and economic stability. As such, London and the South East will be priorities.

Our area has remained low figures throughout, even when placed into tier 4. Schools should be reopened nationwide at the same time. Localised opening simply widens the divide which has worsened during this pandemic.
Many areas schools remained open throughout and no one appeared to care until London rates went through the roof. It’s like the regional lockdowns and tiers.

@flipflo

Things in London are still dire, but new infections are falling. The North is estimated to be two weeks behind London, so that means cases will continue to rise there for a while longer. If that's right, it seems reasonable to me to reopen London schools first!

Except in some parts of the north cases are dropping and are well below London rates.

We didn’t feel special in London schools before Xmas when the new variant was tearing through. Almost half of the staff in my primary were positive in the last week of term or the week after. Some are still ill now.

But no one had said this is even going to happen. Everyone is getting outraged over something that hasn't even happened or even been confirmed as happening. It is merely speculation on behalf of the Guardian. Designed to grab headlines and grab clicks. You have been media fished.

When we are receiving the covid patients that London doesn't have capacity for, why is it being mooted that their schools open before ours? Bonkers.

Your headline is completely disingenuous, OP. London is not being prioritised at all. JH said schools could have staggered opening if the numbers added up, so meaning a lower rate of infection and hospitalisations, etc. Under that criteria there are so many areas that will open up first.

It's not about squaring things so London schools can open first, but hey, any excuse for another London bashing thread, eh?

@EcoCustard

Our area has remained low figures throughout, even when placed into tier 4. Schools should be reopened nationwide at the same time. Localised opening simply widens the divide which has worsened during this pandemic. Many areas schools remained open throughout and no one appeared to care until London rates went through the roof. It’s like the regional lockdowns and tiers.

Let me correct that sentence for you. "No one appeared to care until London rates went through the roof with the new variation of the virus that was more transmittable".

It wasn't London's bloody fault there was a new virus and I'm really thankful for the majority of the rest of the country that you haven't been hit as hard by it, because it is so, so grim here at the moment. Of the thousands dying in England a week, the majority are in London. It's horrific. But I suppose London will be accused of hogging the death rate too if we dare point that out!

If it makes you feel any better, the school i work at (in london, over 65% of students on pupil premium) the DfE havent delivered enough laptops for all students to access work. I dont think you can say all london students are prioritised...