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Original poster

Outbreaks in schools

519 replies

Trustisamust · 18/03/2021 04:15

Since schools have returned there have already been major outbreaks in both my child's secondary and the primary I work at.
The majority of school staff remain unvaccinated.
For how many other schools is this already the case?
I just don't know what to think any more.

OP posts:
Humberbear · 18/03/2021 06:19

2 classes at school we pick up from (after school club), 2 classes school across the road from me, grandchildrens school had 2 classes on sunday night, but ending up closing school last night because it had spread and that is a big school. Also other schools in our city were named in the local paper.
A lot of the cases happened within first couple of days of kids going back to school which makes it look like they had been mixing whilst off.

EmilyEmmabob · 18/03/2021 06:21

Secondary of 900 students, 80% ish consented to testing and so far no positive cases from the in school testing. No positive cases amongst staff either.

Out students are receiving their home testing kits today, but without a compulsory check of results it is down to whether students actually do the tests and take notice when they are positive. I think the uptake will fizzle out unfortunately.

One positive case in my DS's primary, this was discovered through symptoms and a PCR test rather than lateral flow.

motherrunner · 18/03/2021 06:21

One year group sent home.

Students who have not consented to tests do still attend. This week students have been called to go for the 2/3 tests and I’ve stayed behind with the students who haven’t consented. In a class of 30 the average is 5 not testing.

rainbowfairydust · 18/03/2021 06:22

I think about 3 or 4 cases in our secondary including 1 teacher in the first week!

moose62 · 18/03/2021 06:27

Secondary school with 1500, we have been testing...no outbreaks among staff or students. 85% uptake. Government directions that all children are admitted whether they agree to the tests or not. The tests are fine and quick, really don't understand the logic of parents refusing unless on medical grounds.

Mumdiva99 · 18/03/2021 06:29

2000 pupils at my sons school. All had their 3 tests. No positive tests yet. (So supposing 1750 agreed to be tested that is 5250 tests.....plus the school staff who would only be tested twice in that Time- I think. 5800 test total roughly and no false positives.....)

I also test at home.

I'm very happy with the process. It isn't 100% but it's better than nothing at all.

Flamingolingo · 18/03/2021 06:32

We’ve picked up a couple of asymptomatic cases here. I think they have probably always been there in the background but now we are shining a light on them.

With the elderly vaccinated I think schools will be the next reservoir of covid so I think vaccination needs to extend to parents now - those who are likely to transmit into the community (vaccination of children is not possible yet, clinical trials underway).

But I guess the real acid test is not the number of cases but whether they convert to hospital admission...

bobbiester · 18/03/2021 06:34

[quote Trustisamust]@Itsalonghaul But from what I understand, if an LFD test comes back positive then that individual already has Covid? So the spread may well have already started?[/quote]
This is a rather bizarre complaint. Any test is meant to be positive when you have the condition. Negative when you don't. Nine can predict the future!!

maddy68 · 18/03/2021 06:35

Yes two of my local schools have has to close

Itsalonghaul · 18/03/2021 06:39

Our infection rates are plummeting I am personally not worried at all. We close again for weeks on Friday for Easter, this is a non issue.

LAlady · 18/03/2021 06:40

None in the large secondary I work in. I know of three other secondaries (one on the first day back) that had various year groups with a single case and one primary year group isolating after a positive case yesterday.

Janleverton · 18/03/2021 06:41

Older children at Two different secondary schools with 1500 pupils - no cases at either. Youngest at primary with 420 pupils. No cases.

Panicmode1 · 18/03/2021 06:45

I have 4 children at 3 different schools. So far, there have been no positive tests at all....out of almost 2600 children across the schools...

I think the combination of increasing numbers of vaccinations, home testing and warmer weather, may just mean we have a chance of things being almost normal by September, but we have a little bit of disruption to go yet.....

ChameleonClara · 18/03/2021 06:45

Nothing much of note at our school, but a local school has a lot of pupils out. We are in an area with lower than national average rates.

I don't think the media will report, the government will be keen to suppress.

Thinking of teachers, I would wish they were vaccinated. Thinking selfishly (!) I worry that once they are school vigilance will drop, putting parents more at risk.

Schools went back too early, especially now vaccines for parent-aged people are delayed.

hamstersarse · 18/03/2021 06:49

Large secondary, one positive LFT last week, not confirmed by a PCR...ie, negative on PCR. I’m not entirely sure what they’ve they’ve done with that bubble. Think they are still isolating.

Re the teachers vaccinations, if they are vulnerable they’ll probably have been vaccinated by now?

I do think we have to be less concerned about cases now. As the Whitty said, we’ve broken the link between cases - hospitalisations - deaths with the vaccines. “It is a mild illness for most people”

IHeartKingThistle · 18/03/2021 06:52

My school has 60 year 7s and 90 year 9s currently isolating after several positive cases.

The Year 9 outbreak was caused by a parent sending a child in unwell, then sending them back in, still unwell, the day after we sent them home. That year group had a Covid test that day and guess what? 90 kids isolating because of that parent. Child who sits next to unwell child also positive despite both wearing masks. Just hoping that they didn't spread it further and now facing the prospect of teaching half a class in front of me at the same time as a live lesson with the other half at home for the next ten days.

I've already caught Covid once during an outbreak at school so bad we had to close and it was awful. I'm not getting the vaccine any time soon. I no longer believe I can avoid getting it again and I'm scared.

Pomegranatespompom · 18/03/2021 06:58

None plus no cases in September.

KittyMcKitty · 18/03/2021 06:59

Average sized secondary school - most consented to LTF tests - all had 2 tests before school started and 1 positive. 3rd tests done last week - all negative and my children have since done 2 x LTF tests at home so a total of 5 tests. All tests have to be uploaded to nhs website (scanning QR code) and results sent to school.

I helped with the testing and we did 3500 tests over 10 consecutive days.

The rates in the community are pretty much nonexistent here - testing has given teacher’s confidence- children very happy to be back. Extra curricular started again at school - dd at choir last night.

DavidsSchitt · 18/03/2021 06:59

"As someone said on another thread, these LFD tests are like "taking a pregnancy test when you're already pregnant!""

You say that as if it resonated with you and makes perfect sense. What a strange way to think.

I'd say, based on that, that you'd need to do a fair bit more reading before you're in a position to start analysing data and making wild statements about "major outbreaks"

MiddlesexGirl · 18/03/2021 07:00

No positives at our school.
A year group being sent home doesn't equal a large outbreak. Just many contacts from possible one case.
As said many times before, teachers are at less risk than many other occupations therefore no reason to vaccinate them ahead of others and much more complicated logistically.

Blueappletree · 18/03/2021 07:06

No case at my dc's school. Large secondary.

ThePricklySheep · 18/03/2021 07:07

[quote Trustisamust]@Itsalonghaul But from what I understand, if an LFD test comes back positive then that individual already has Covid? So the spread may well have already started?[/quote]
Same with any covid test or signs of symptoms. Once you get symptoms you’ve been contagious for a couple of days.

But if then close contacts isolate, then that’s before they can pass it on.

motherrunner · 18/03/2021 07:10

To those saying ‘no cases’ in schools, how would you know?

We only alert the year group affected, not the whole school.

jackieweaverforpm · 18/03/2021 07:10

I firmly believe that it's nonsense that teachers are at no greater risk. I think if those who believe that stepped in a school canteen one lunchtime they would realise that. I'm very unclear as to why it would be logistically difficult to vaccinate teachers.

Theunamedcat · 18/03/2021 07:11

[quote Trustisamust]@Itsalonghaul But from what I understand, if an LFD test comes back positive then that individual already has Covid? So the spread may well have already started?[/quote]
Well yes of course? Testing in schools is to catch the asymptomatic children as the ones with symptoms should already be staying at home and getting a pcr test