Are teachers more at risk from covid?

[notevenat20]

Did anyone listen to More or Less discuss this?

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000rvjr

What do you think?

@chillichoclove

Sorry I wasn't trying to jump on teachers as pathetic. At all. I think they shouid be prioritized for vaccines. I'm more interested in the psychology of covid, fear, anxiety and risk. Because it's not clear that there is a substantially greater risk of illness or chronic fatigue with covid but many didn't worry about flu or other infections prior to the pandemic. The government used really scary messaging to get people to socially distance. It's unsurprising that everyone is very scared and struggles to rationalize risk anymore.

Yes we have low enforcement but high use of messaging to get compliance

It has a downside though

I think many people (parents) think that some teachers overestimate their risk, which leads to frustration at the perceived overreaction, and resentment at being forced into unworkable positions because teachers refuse to work in certain circumstances - eg the mass refusal to work at the start of the term prior to school closures being announced was seen by many parents as a low political manoeuvre (the section 44 stuff and the large number of teachers who said they would only go in for KW/vulnerable kids)

@hobbyiscodefordogging it definitely sounded like you were suggested many parents think teachers are overestimating their risk (and overreacting to the situation). That was what I was referring to. Apologies if that isn't what you were saying. I'm not a teacher btw.

[quote hobbyiscodefordogging]**@sherrystrull* and @pinkpip100*
I'm not saying that you are overestimating your risk. I'm saying that some people are, and the general public is known to overestimate their risk. Why do you feel you must shut down any voice that doesn't agree with everything you say?
Yes, maybe I underestimate my risk. So what?! It has no impact on you, and whether you think I've underestimated it or not doesn't change anything for me. I don't care that you don't agree, why do you care so much when it's the other way round? Why take everything as a personal criticism? If you're sure you're not overestimating your risk then what I've said obviously doesn't apply to you, what's the problem then? It's almost like you want to have something to argue about.[/quote]

Can you not see how your words would be taken personally? You state that teachers overestimate their risk and then wonder why a teacher disagrees with you when you aren't a teacher and don't work in a school?

It's so arrogant to tell someone to listen to other views when they have experienced something and you haven't.

It's like me wandering into a hospital and telling doctors their risk is low as I know they have PPE because my mum went to the hospital once and saw a doctor in a mask.

I think many people (parents) think that some teachers overestimate their risk, which leads to frustration at the perceived overreaction, and resentment at being forced into unworkable positions because teachers refuse to work in certain circumstances

These are your words @hobbyiscodefordogging

[quote Remmy123]@pinkpip100 im just fed up of hearing teachers moan - sorry but generally if you are not happy or feel safe, then just take time out.[/quote]
Do you ever stop to think that just maybe if a huge majority of teachers are unhappy and have been for a very long time then there is something deeply wrong? Just leaving is not the answer- if everyone who is unhappy did that there would literally be hardly any teachers left. Plus it isn't that simple- people are trapped by financial commitments etc. Teachers moan because the job has become awful over the past ten years and they just want to be heard in the hope that something might actually change. Instead they get called moaners, told about their cushy holidays and short hours and disbelieved about every aspect of the job. Our children are the ones who will suffer if this vilifying of the profession continues as it is already driving out countless excellent teachers.

@sherrystrull perhaps you could explain why you jumped on me and came to all those conclusions after that one post, in which I:

(1) did not put forward anything as my personal opinion but merely put forward a theory as to what some parents were thinking (I said many, probably 'some' would have been better)
(2) deliberately did not say whether I worked in a school or not, and still have not told you

Have a think about why you're making these assumptions and why you're automatically assuming that people are on the attack to you personally just because they don't agree with you.

I've heard what you've said about your situation and accept it. Perhaps you could afford others the same respect.

Actually, you don't have to explain anything. I'm done with banging my head against a wall.

@sherrystrull

Whether or not teachers are at more risk than others is an objective fact. It is not based on anecdotes about every teacher in the school catching COVID and still being in bed a year later.

The facts show that teachers are in fact at lower risk of catching COVID and dying from it than the general population.

No more at risk than the rest of the population going about their essential jobs. A supermarket/shop worker will be in close contact with more random strangers, they will also have to handle each item you have in your trolley to scan it.
We just have to take maximum precautions and get on with it. Doctors, nurses, truck drivers, post and courier works, takeaway staff, transport workers etc. and many others seem to manage with correct precautions and procedures.
Its surely not beyond education establishments to set up similar protocols adopted by other industries i.e. Perpex screening, handwashing, regular testing. Its just too easy for schools to shut. Just as when a slight bit of snow falls, the schools shut but the rest of the working population manages to carry on.
Time for the teachers to put there big pants on and not let down a generation.

You're still not listening @hobby.

You made emotive and upsetting comments and are upset that people are upset by it.

And I haven't jumped on you. I've challenged your posts that upset me. I apologised initially for upsetting you as that would never be my purpose and yet you haven't done me the courtesy of listening to me.

@sherrystrull consider, for example, that I know that round here there was a small number of section 44 letters but a large number of teachers who said they'd only go in for KW kids. How would I know that if I didn't have some insight to schools? 🤔

And yes, I'm a parent above all else, so I've seen other parents chat about it being a "political manoeuvre".

But you carry on assuming.

Absolutely agree that teachers /schools/educational settings have been massively underfunded for far too long. And undervalued in society. When they do almost the most important job. They need to be better paid and parents should recognise it's a tough job. I'm not in education. But would support designated tax for education and health.

[quote FizzyPepsi]@sherrystrull

Whether or not teachers are at more risk than others is an objective fact. It is not based on anecdotes about every teacher in the school catching COVID and still being in bed a year later.

The facts show that teachers are in fact at lower risk of catching COVID and dying from it than the general population.[/quote]
Absolutely I agree. But other people being at risk doesn't take away from my colleagues also being at risk. At no point have I said my risk is greater than others. I've just asked that people understand my concerns

[quote hobbyiscodefordogging]@sherrystrull consider, for example, that I know that round here there was a small number of section 44 letters but a large number of teachers who said they'd only go in for KW kids. How would I know that if I didn't have some insight to schools? 🤔

And yes, I'm a parent above all else, so I've seen other parents chat about it being a "political manoeuvre".

But you carry on assuming. [/quote]
So you work in a school?

@sherrystrull I cross posted with you. I didn't mean to upset you. I must have missed your apology. I apologise for any upset, I'm absolutely not setting out to do that. I'm trying to put forward what I thought was a bit of insight, and I'm sorry if it was upsetting or came across wrong.

Even if you do work in a school or have knowledge of schools you still have no right to tell me that I had overestimated the risk to me or my colleagues

Its surely not beyond education establishments to set up similar protocols adopted by other industries i.e. Perpex screening, handwashing, regular testing.

But the point is, schools can't just 'set up' these protocols - they have to follow DfE guidance which basically falls well short of actually putting effective measures in place. It's not about teachers 'putting their big pants on', it's about the govt pulling their fingers out and making schools safer for everyone's benefit.

@sherrystrull

Even if you do work in a school or have knowledge of schools you still have no right to tell me that I had overestimated the risk to me or my colleagues

@hobby,

I'm tired, frustrated and sad that the government go on about schools being safe and I'm scared for my colleagues

I do take things to heart and honestly wouldn't wish to upset.

This is from the Department for Education. Teachers are more at risk of catching the virus than the general population so to say they aren't is categorically incorrect.

@LyndaLaHughes

They're not at more risk of catching it though than other people going out to work.

Of course they're going to be at higher risk than people working from hike and shielding etc.

@LyndaLaHughes

This is from the Department for Education. Teachers are more at risk of catching the virus than the general population so to say they aren't is categorically incorrect.

Was this from a union?

I think it’s the basis of More or Less in op, as not standing up to scrutiny

[quote FizzyPepsi]@LyndaLaHughes

They're not at more risk of catching it though than other people going out to work.

Of course they're going to be at higher risk than people working from hike and shielding etc.[/quote]
It was in response to the poster saying they weren't more at risk than the general population. I am aware of the risks faced by other front-line workers. Transport workers in particular have been very badly hit.

@pinkpip100

Its surely not beyond education establishments to set up similar protocols adopted by other industries i.e. Perpex screening, handwashing, regular testing.

But the point is, schools can't just 'set up' these protocols - they have to follow DfE guidance which basically falls well short of actually putting effective measures in place. It's not about teachers 'putting their big pants on', it's about the govt pulling their fingers out and making schools safer for everyone's benefit.

At the government need to step up and give better guidelines. Explore the steps taken in other countries to adapt here.

However I also agree a lot is down to individual schools too. My children are at two different schools in a high cases area. One school on their own set up brilliant safety measures. Including staff wearing masks all the time. Students wearing masks in all communal areas. This was from September not when the government said. Students were also encouraged to were masks in class if the wanted. So about 50% did. Year groups were separated into zones around the school. They got taught all their lessons in those zones. Hand sanitizer everywhere and temporary hand basins dotted around outside the building.

The other childs school painted some lines around the playground for drop off and collection. That was it. Teachers didn't bother with mask until December when half the pigging staff got covid.

Good school leadership is needed no matter what the government rule on this. If the head teacher and governors aren't doing enough staff and parents need to force them too.

Of course teachers aren’t more at risk of catching it. 35 kids needing close contact care in tiny Victorian attic rooms with one Velux window and no money for sanitiser are exactly the same conditions faced by shop workers etc and they’re not whining all the time.

Pregnant or CV teachers are the worst, they have no right at all to be concerned.

Apologies for the sarcasm, I’ve been at my screen 7.30-5.30 and 6.30-9.30 today trying to keep up with remote teaching workload. I’d bloody LOVE to be back at school. I’d love it even more if we could have even a cursory nod towards similar safety measures used in other non healthcare settings.