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.

Trust the outbreaks in schools are just reflections of the local levels of coronavirus generally, but they seem scary because they feel so real and close to home. There have been numerous major international investigations into school clusters and it’s very counter-intuitive because it’s not spread in schools as you would expect, especially amongst under-15s. So don’t worry. FWIW I’m sending mine to school without hesitation.

Yes DS off already just his set group but another case reported yesterday so another group off too.

Does anyone know if it’s government policy that schools should not inform unaffected classes? To try and minimise the issue? Obviously I know it’s not ok to identify individuals but am still puzzled when a bubble closed last year at our schools why the rest of the school was not made aware (obviously we all found out via parents whatsapp!)

@Hazelnutlatteplease I'm envious of you being able to home ed, I really am. What I would give to be able to do the same!

@Needcoffeecoffeecoffee I apologise for perhaps using the incorrect wording by describing it as a "large" outbreak. What I meant is that a lot of children have been sent home (quite rightly).

I absolutely do not put the fault of ANY cases at the feet of the school. If the government had vaccinated school staff before the full return of all pupils then I feel the story would be different.

@Notonthestairs

As you point out *@FlyingBurrito* every school is different. If it wasn't for WhatsApp groups and friends with children in different years I'd have assumed no cases in either of my children's schools (secondary is a 7 form intake).

We have not been notified of any cases since late September.

All parents at my DCs school get a weekly update email from the HT which includes the number of positive tests and which year or if it's a staff member. Last week they had 2 positive lfts, no nominations of anyso far this week

I should probably appreciate this a bit more.

My child's school don't tell us how many +ves.

[quote Trustisamust]@Hazelnutlatteplease I'm envious of you being able to home ed, I really am. What I would give to be able to do the same!

@Needcoffeecoffeecoffee I apologise for perhaps using the incorrect wording by describing it as a "large" outbreak. What I meant is that a lot of children have been sent home (quite rightly).

I absolutely do not put the fault of ANY cases at the feet of the school. If the government had vaccinated school staff before the full return of all pupils then I feel the story would be different.[/quote]
How would vaccinating the teachers affect the number of positive pupils? It's not the staff infecting the pupils.

Do you think schools should stay shut indefinitely?

@FlyingBurrito I care about the health of all of the school staff, why only think of the children here?

Really no surprise about cases in schools. DCs friends are having sleepovers, mixing with kids from other schools and hanging out together in each other houses. The meeting one person outside for a walk or to sit on a bench is a joke, groups meeting in parks after school. Public transport in our area is rife with teens using their mask as a chin sling. I get that they are together all day anyway but really if we want a fighting chance of keeping schools open parents need to take some responsibility.

I DO think staff should have been vaccinated before reopening.

@SilverGlitterBaubles I agree with you here. 100%.

@Trustisamust

I DO think staff should have been vaccinated before reopening.

Schools are not the only high risk work environment.

My son didn't even last the whole 1st day as he was close contact with a positive student.
He is isolating until tomorrow and then back in Monday.

@Waxonwaxoff0 Absolutely. Hence, for example, why my OH who works in social care has been vaccinated. Despite the fact he can work from home 99% of the time. On the odd occasion he has to do a visit he is afforded full PPE (again, quite rightly).

At our school positive cases in dd reception yr and 1 other yr class (about 9 in total I think). Was advised to get lft done for dd as she had been in extremely close contact with a positive case - came back negative - thank goodness.

@Bellag79 This is my fear as my DC had two period of isolating before Christmas due to close contacts at school. The cases were related to parties and sleepovers which as per my previous post are happening again with the blessing of parents. This is infuriating because their selfishness my DC are at greater risk of missing even more time off school and have to spending two weeks isolating at home. I wish schools and colleges would come down harder on this.

Dd is year 9 and her year has had a few cases, lots of students have been sent home as close contacts. Plus I had an email late last night to say not enough teachers in school so all year 9 back on remote learning today and tomorrow. So she managed 4 days back. I expected it to be a bit bumpy but I’m really surprised how quickly it’s happened as in our area cases were so low. Only 18 cases last week.

My main concern is that she has a really important hospital appointment that we have been waiting forever for in 12 days, seriously thinking about keeping her off so she can definitely go.

@SilverGlitterBaubles Schools can't be responsible for the behaviour of their pupils outside of school, that's up to parents/carers.

Both my DC’s school say when there a positive case and confirm which year group is affected so I’m confident there haven’t been any cases. That happened a couple of times before Christmas.

This is to be expected. It will be the same when people go back to work.

Saying that, no cases yet in my DC school (secondary).

It's just how it is whilst as many people get vaccinated as possible.

@Trustisamust

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

Well of course you take a pregnancy test when you already pregnant - or think that you are. What a daft analogy!

You don't go around taking tests when you think you're not pregnant...

@GhoulWithADragonTattoo There may well have been cases but no testing so nobody would be aware? Children in particular can often be asymptomatic.

[quote Trustisamust]@Waxonwaxoff0 Absolutely. Hence, for example, why my OH who works in social care has been vaccinated. Despite the fact he can work from home 99% of the time. On the odd occasion he has to do a visit he is afforded full PPE (again, quite rightly).[/quote]
They are not doing this for your DH, it is to protect his service users.

In schools teachers don't directly come into contact with older people, therefore they do not matter to the government.

@HereComesATractor Of course as a teacher I hear of other school cases through the gravevine. As a parent I wouldn’t know if there was a case in my children’s school unless their bubble closed.

@AliceAliceWhoTheFook What that poster was suggesting was by the time the LFD comes back positive the individual already has Covid. A bit like by the time you've taken a pregnancy test you are (usually) pregnant.