Primary schools back sooner than expected?

[deeplybaffled]

It’s hard to know what to believe, but PHE now seem to be suggesting that primary schools can safely return after half term - which seems to contradict all other recent reports and government comments
focussing around Easter!

Is this like the June date that never really happened?

Boris has just announced (in Parliament) Mar 8 as the earliest possible date to begin reopening schools

8th March likely to be only the start of return, not the whole lot. Also dependent on getting the 4 groups vaccinated by 15 Feb.

Won't hold my breath

@formerbabe Boris is on tv just now making the statement.

Thanks...I'm guessing that's to get teachers vaccinated in half term plus three weeks from then as that's how long it takes to become effective I think

No he said he will be getting the 9 most vulnerable groups done first then he will think about the next group .

He said he wouldn’t vaccine teachers above people with highest clinical need.

Well I hope my dc will be able to go back on March 8th and they don't just pick a couple of year groups to return. like I said, won't hold my breath.

Yeah I think it won’t be as simple as everyone back. I hope at least they are all in for a few days rather than some age groups full time and others nothing at all.

@formerbabe

Thanks...I'm guessing that's to get teachers vaccinated in half term plus three weeks from then as that's how long it takes to become effective I think

No it's not. Vaccinating teachers will do nothing unless every student is also vaccinated.

EmmanuelleMakro

This kerps getting trotted out on every thread about schools re-opening?

Because if twatsforthemselves were anything but for themselves they would (given their backgrounds) been on this for years.

Why so chippy?

Why so goady

And even if it were true, though you have no way of knowing that, a ‘sinner redeemed’ should be celebrated and welcomed into the fold not castigated 😀

given their views on how schools should go back, they are not a "sinner redeemed".

Vaccinating teachers will do nothing unless every student is also vaccinated.
So why are they vaccinating health care workers but not every patient?

zunchie

No it's not. Vaccinating teachers will do nothing unless every student is also vaccinated.

Although it would do very little to reduce the spread of the virus it would increase the chances of schools remaining open.

@drspouse

Vaccinating teachers will do nothing unless every student is also vaccinated. So why are they vaccinating health care workers but not every patient?

Because patients don’t mix with each other! Children transmit the virus and then pass it onto their families and the communities.

Patients have caught it somewhere though so they have mixed with other people, and given that people catch it in hospital, some of that is patient to patient transmission. And patients are are adults who (more than primary aged children anyway) are more likely to pass it on.
So, actually, they should be providing a vaccine 3 weeks ahead of all planned hospital and GP visits (e.g. I have a physio appointment that recurs every month).

@formerbabe

Thanks...I'm guessing that's to get teachers vaccinated in half term plus three weeks from then as that's how long it takes to become effective I think

No.

In the announcement it was clearly stated that it's because it is 3 weeks after the 15th February date for vaccinating all the high priority groups.

There is still no plan for early vaccination of teachers (except in Special Schools where it seems that all staff, not just teachers, are being reclassified as medical front line workers). This is mainly due to the minimal effect this would have on overall Coronavirus case numbers, and hence hospitalisations and then deaths, although @FrippEnos is correct saying it would increase chances of keeping schools open.

Some people, including Yvette Cooper, appear to believe schools are closed to protect teachers, and vaccinating them all would allow schools to fully re-open. This is a total misunderstanding of the situation. If all teachers had been vaccinated 3 weeks ago and schools opened fully this week, virus infections in the community would probably increase, including amongst the more vulnerable, leading to increased hospitalisations and then deaths.

@drspouse

Vaccinating teachers will do nothing unless every student is also vaccinated. So why are they vaccinating health care workers but not every patient?

The people who are more likely to be patients or needing care ie the elderly and the ones with clinically vulnerable conditions are being vaccinated

Suggest you listen to the briefing March 8th would be THE EARLIEST they COULD open

The Government MUST prioritise opening primary schools to ALL primary school pupils over EVERYTHING else and do/spend WHATEVEVER it takes to achieve this. The mental and/or physical health of some primary school children is and/or will be deeply affected by not being in school in real-life. It's absolutely unforgivable that the schools are closed (except for key workers' children, etc)

So Boris is hoping the schools can start returning in 6 weeks time

As we all know he must give 2 weeks notice which means by the end of half term or shortly after he will know for sure if that’s still the plan

The infection rate needs to come down a lot, signs are it is falling so let’s hope it keeps dropping

I would hope by this time that at least 20 million are vaccinated with their first dose and my personal view is that teachers abs school staff should be vaccinated before schools return

They are vaccinating. That's the difference. These kids NEED to get back to school.

We need to cross our fingers that they meet their target for 15 Feb. I believe they are currently on track to meet this

Anyone else reckon we'll get to Easter and government/schools/teachers/parents will start saying, ah well,nearly summer holidaya now, hardly seems worth going back before September.