Outbreaks in schools

[Trustisamust]

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.

All school staff (not just teachers) were offered the vaccine in my local authority before children returned. No outbreaks yet. Not sure if that's related.

@motherrunner

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

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

We get a weekly update letting us know about testing and have done since they started LF testing in October.

I have kids in 3 schools. Total pupil numbers about 2700.
Not a single positive so far.

If there’s a positive LFT do the close contacts still get told to isolate as before or they relying solely on each individual’s test result?

And OP it may be that the whole year group was sent home as they mix across different subjects, so all been exposed to just 1 or 2 positive kids. That really isn't a major outbreak!

All close contacts have to isolate regardless of results.

@Trustisamust

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

That doesn't make any sense, do you think pregnancy tests are something you only use when you aren't pregnant

I'm not clear what the point of this thread is, everyone who already knows all this.

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

That's exactly when you take a pregnancy test

But from what I understand, if an LFD test comes back positive then that individual already has Covid?

That's the whole point.

I don't really understand what you think the tests should do. They can't predict the future.

@motherrunner we are alerted to any cases.

Well we would if there had been any - but that’s the agreement the school have.

No cases in my children’s school ( for @motherrunner reference, I know this because the school newsletter said no cases).

@Hotcuppatea

All school staff (not just teachers) were offered the vaccine in my local authority before children returned. No outbreaks yet. Not sure if that's related.

Probably not as this certainly didn't happen here!

@motherrunner

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

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

My husband is a teacher in one of the schools, and we have friends who teach in all the schools round here. They all talk to each other. If you’re a teacher you’ll know this isn’t unusual

Do you have large yeargroups and small yeargroups at your school OP?

@motherrunner

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

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

All three schools have been very open and communicative. So pre xmas and lockdown, They sent out an email If there were any cases in the school, and specific emails for the year group/classes effected. So a broad update generally, with specific directions for classes that are self isolating.

@Trustisamust

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

But that's what both pregnancy tests and Covid tests are for - finding out if you currently are pregnant/have covid. Do you think we should hold out to return to schools until we have tests that can predict the future?

I teach at a large secondary. Took a register yesterday morning and saw a kid down as isolating but they were sat in front of me! Queried it and turns out they've been allowed back in a few days before their isolation period was up as they did a lateral flow test, so that's apparently fine!?! Now feel like I can't see my mum (vaccinated but vulnerable) because of the risk.

Two full year groups out at mine (large primary)

3 local primaries (within a mile radius) have closed year group bubbles. The high school is still fully functioning but they haven't been back a full week yet.

@DavidsSchitt

"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"

Agree with this. It is a bizarre statement.

3 schools in my area have already closed. It’s laughable.

2 local primaries have closed completely nursery to year 6. Both had dinner ladies test positive. More cases followed. My school nothing so far. Most of us vaccinated (sen) and testing 2x a week.

None at my DC schools, large secondary and smaller primary schools.

My DC is at a 3500 person sixth form college.
They have 3 cases ATM.
DC at secondary - 1 case and close contacts isolating.
DC at primary, obviously not doing LFT, but no confirmed cases yet.

3 positive cases so far since we've been back, in 2 different year groups.
Not only do parents not have to consent to testing, the kids can also refuse to wear masks (i don't mean the actually exempt kids, any of them) and parents can send in a child with a cough if they tell us their GP said it was ok. We aren't allowed to challenge that or ask for evidence- so we've had kids in already when we know parents' story just doesn't add up but we have to take them.

We had a letter from the headteacher last week at DD's secondary saying children who weren't being tested would also be attending school