Keir Starmer backs unions in wanting schools to return safely ⚡⚡⚡

[DumplingsAndStew]

"We'll have to see where the data is, where the science is, but that's what we should be working towards. If that means more testing, if that means Nightingale classrooms, if it means other measures, let's do that because I want to get our kids back into school."

Isn't it great that he agrees with what school staff and unions have been saying for months. That he wants schools to put in place cautious safety measures to enhance safety, so that everyone can return.

news.sky.com/story/amp/covid-19-labour-calls-for-all-schools-in-england-to-reopen-on-8-march-and-for-a-debt-charter-12224393

mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN2AJ08J?__twitter_impression=true

This didn't post last time
And its not peer reviewed yet, but it's very very positive. Especially around asymptomatic transmission which has always been a big worry.

What about CEV children, most of them won’t have been vaccinated?

No one gives two hoots about CEV or CV children. They don’t matter. Their right to be educated alongside their peers is reduced to ‘stay at home’. I don’t want my CV child to stay at home - because mental health (the same thing people keep shouting about non- vulnerable children) and because he’s missed loads already. His rights, his education, his need to be with his peers is just as important as if he weren’t CV yet no measures taken to protect him.

Noblegiraffe They are the most vulnerable though? That's why they were vaccinated first.

Hammonds No. KS's position is in line with that of the main teaching unions.

(And pretty much everyone, actually.

Most of us, bar a tiny group of extremists, want a safe return to school.)

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/covid-19-labour-calls-for-all-schools-in-england-to-reopen-on-8-march-and-for-a-debt-charter-12224393

@Tryingtryingandtrying

Noblegiraffe They are the most vulnerable though? That's why they were vaccinated first.

There's a big list of who should be vaccinated first because they are the most vulnerable, and you appear to be ignoring half of it.

Why is that?

@Tryingtryingandtrying

mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN2AJ08J?__twitter_impression=true

This didn't post last time
And its not peer reviewed yet, but it's very very positive. Especially around asymptomatic transmission which has always been a big worry.

It's great that the vaccine is so effective. Just think how close we are to being able to open up safely.

What is a nightingale classroom?

How many children and their parents have had the vaccination @Tryingtryingandtrying? Great news that the vaccination reduces transmission not so great when the majority of people involved with schools won’t have had the vaccination by 8th March

Watchingbehindmyhand so does it make sense for all children to be off? Does that improve his mental health? Obviously CEV children need to be vaccinated, and in the case of my friends children they are advised directly by their consultant about the actual risks as more studies emerge. Lots of children were taken off the shielding list, which is a good thing.

School staff and parents have been crying out for additional safety measures in schools for a year now to no avail. Johnson was still peddling his batshit line that ‘schools are safe’ on 4th Jan when we were at the highest point of the second wave. He told primary schools in my area (Tier 4) to open despite telling schools in London (Tier 4) to remain closed.

2months of lockdown3 and predictably no gazebos / ventilation systems / desk partitions / extra portaloos

No sign of rotas to allow distancing.

Testing before re-entry for staff and pupils is a good policy but as our school just had to send out a reminder to not send in (key worker/vulnerable) children in when family members are awaiting test results I am not convinced that parents can be relied on!

This Government have played lip service to prioritising education in the pandemic - but not put money or effort into making that happen in schools. Starmer is right but it’s falling on deaf ears with Williamson and Johnson in charge.

Huge numbers - millions - of people considered, because of their higher risk, to be a priority for vaccination will not have received their first dose by March 8th, let alone had 3 weeks for it to kick in. No children will have been vaccinated.

@sashagabadon

David Lammy on Marr now flip flopping saying nothing and his foot shaking at bottom of screen. Why can’t Labour politicians stand up to the unions? It’s so infuriating as a parent and healthcare worker in a hospital that has never once refused to go into work until everything is “safe”. Running out of excuses thankfully as more teachers and parents get vaccinated. The “bringing it home to their parents” argument loses its power.

Who are these parents and teachers who have been vaccinated? The only parents I know who have been vaccinated are nurses. No teacher at my school has been vaccinated.

Ineedaholidaynow But we were doing this to protect the most vulnerable? The whole thing is based around the fact that most people have few symptoms and many don't even know they've got it?

Nice to hear Starmer talking sense, if he is.

However:
1)The Opposition is not Government. The clue is in the name.
2) Despite being in opposition, Labour were fully on side with the “school are safe” mantra throughout the Autumn term, showing they’re clueless.

Hiptightonions Are you talking all of group 1 to 9? Or those who were advised to shield? The shielding list is the biggest thing.

Watchingbehindmyhand so does it make sense for all children to be off?

What would make sense is that money was put into trying to improve safety in schools, surely?

Why should my child sit at home because he has a condition hat makes him vulnerable? Would you accept that for your child and their future?

@Tryingtryingandtrying

mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN2AJ08J?__twitter_impression=true

This didn't post last time
And its not peer reviewed yet, but it's very very positive. Especially around asymptomatic transmission which has always been a big worry.

That is positive. How much transmission is prevented by those who haven't had the vaccine?

Are you talking all of group 1 to 9? Or those who were advised to shield? The shielding list is the biggest thing.

Why do you think groups 1 to 9 were prioritised?

Which groups do you think will be most impacted by schools reopening all at once?

@MoonlightInVermont

MN is a strange place. Lots of people here are very politically engaged, while others don’t understand the differences between government, opposition and Parliament.

Perhaps some are just so disillusioned with politics that they don't pay attention to anything surrounding it, not even the basics.

[quote DumplingsAndStew]@Sofasouffle

So you acknowledge that the Government have not made schools safer over the past year? And that they are not going to implement anything?
But you maintain that schools should be open to all pupils and staff on 8th March regardless of no implementation of safety measures?[/quote]
I think schools are intrinsically safe for children and staff. DD (Yr11) got Covid & self isolated and only missed 10 days of school Sept-Dec. Same for most of her co-hort. Bloody brilliant considering how her Yr10 had been disrupted.

So get the majority back and those pupils/staff who are CEV (or have family who are) should be supported to stay home during this final push.

Surely the most powerful mitigation measure right now is a staggered return?

It's next winter I'm worried about m

@Watchingbehindmyhands I am accepting that for my children and their future though? I have done for the last year, except for about 10 weeks.. (presumably your son was in then too as all children were expected in)

@Sofasouffle

So get the majority back and those pupils/staff who are CEV (or have family who are) should be supported to stay home during this final push.

Are there plans to support those families who are CEV to stay home?
If so, I'd love to hear them. If not, what do you suggest?

I think schools are intrinsically safe for children and staff

Intrinsically? How? Magic?

There was a thread I was reading yesterday that was saying a large number of the non elderly (ie under 70) patients in hospitals with COVID are morbidly obese. People who have a BMI over 40 are in group 6, not all people in group 6 will have been vaccinated and had 3 week period after vaccination for immunisation to kick in before 8th March. Many other parents/teachers will have other conditions that put them in group 6 and will be in the same position, so still vulnerable to complications from the virus.

Isn’t there also the concern of vaccine escape if the virus is allowed to transmit amongst the non vaccinated population