Is Covid currently circulating in schools?

[Dustyboots]

I met an old friend, whose a teacher, in the park today - she said staff are still being infected by kids - and that Covid is rife in her infant school.

Is this the case in any/many other schools? I'm keen for my kids to go back on March 8th but it's got me wondering whether there will be an immediate repeat of Autumn where classes are in and out all the time isolating.

@Dustyboots No, infection rates are generally far lower now than in Dec/Jan. Why would you think otherwise? National and local data showing infection rates is available from multiple sources.

Of course, it is entirely possible that in one particular primary school, rates were very low in Dec/Jan and are now higher, but that would be atypical and very localised.

Our school (small primary) had 3 bubbles pop in the autumn term and two reported cases since January. It's the most exposed children due to their parents' occupation that are in school so that's hardly surprising. Children at home with family members also rarely leaving the house aren't exposed to catching it! Our local peak was later than average and local rates are above average at present.

I'm looking forwards to the DCs returning to school. It's not risk free and is the biggest risk our household faces in the near future, but the benefits far outweight the statistical risks.

Robert Peston has tweeted that masks will be mandatory in classrooms in Secondary schools

You just need to look at the official data. Kids in childcare and primary schools are the most infected

But this is hardly a surprise or news...if chidcare settings and nurseries are open, the virus is more prevalent there, because everything else is closed. The virus will be where there is activity. Not because they are kids, but because there are groups of people mixing in those settings.

We had quite a few class closures last term.

Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?
And circulation will be massively increased from March 8th.

Had one c!eaner at one school and no one else.

Down the road had one bubble isolate. Both over the entire period since 2020.

Friend had it last March and none of her colleagues caught it.

None of the staff appear to have had it.

My eldest is at home but yes their reception bubble had to close for a week due to a positive case
My youngest goes to Pre School and they’ve also had to close this term due to a positive case amongst the staff

Rife to me says all schools have Covid all of the time. They don't. Some do, some don't. Our schools doesn't have it at the moment and hasn't had it since one case in November. Bubble isolated everything ok. Things can change of course , that is life. Before that previously 1 case.

It hasn't in DS school and he still going in nursery.