Getting used to schools bubbles bursting for the next year - BBC breakfast news???

[Tonylepony]

Did anyone see the article on this morning about a primary school in Lincolnshire that had had to close because of bubbles bursting? During this a mum mentioned getting used to dc having to self isolate for the next year because of being a close contact as they’re not vaccinating dc yet. I’ve been angry ever since. The entire adult population will have been offered a vaccination by end of July, boosters are going to be rolled out to high risk groups but we’re still talking about sending dc home from school for the next year. FFS what is going on? This is supposed to be about protecting our nhs not messing up the next generation. I’ve absolutely had enough now.

I’m not interested in hearing about the current situation by the way, I’m just gob smacked people are expecting dc to self isolate when all adults have been offered the vaccination. Why exactly?

Wow Middleager that is awful. I thought we had had it bad with 4 self isolations in 3 kids since October but 7 is next level!

@middleager that’s awful. It makes absolutely no sense either. I wonder could they start accepting an antibody test or proof of recent infection as proof of immunity that can exclude them from having to isolate.

Parents and staff should have had the opportunity to be vaccinated, and the vast majority twice by September.

I'm getting my vaccine this week, have my booster booked for June. I'm a fairly typical age for having juniors age children. In the next two months, the vast majority of those of parental/ teaching age should be covered, and excluding any other health conditions not covered by group 6, the remaining youngest adults are of low-risk anyway.

It's not likely that schools will change many logistics in the summer term, for instance staggered drop-offs, as it's not worth the re-organisation and disruption of routines at a late stage in an already disrupted school year, but logically, September should be far more normal.

A third year of repeated disruption will be very damaging to young people. Families may still incur the 10 day isolation, not dissimilar to illnesses such as chicken pox, but having larger cohorts in and out when the adult population is substantially protected and young people at low risk becomes very difficult to justify.

Education can be caught up.

There is no treatment for long covid. If it causes mitochondrial changes there is no reversal for that.

We have been monumentally stupid sending children back so early. We could have developed long distance learning, certainly for secondary. We didn't. We prioritised a complete return

A global pandemic doesn't just go away because you want it too. If you want schools back it is inevitable that it will be disrupted.

You’re just being ridiculous now. Could you please explain why you think this?

Because not everyone who needs the vaccination can have it. Because we don't expect people to shield from normal life, particularly vulnerable children. Do those children not matter? Or is it only healthy (aka not vulnerable to covid) children who matter?

Because the more times it is passed on, the more opportunities there are for it to mutate into something significantly more serious.

They can't get rid of bubbles until teachers have been offered the vaccine, which won't be until July. You can't expect people to die for their jobs or suffer from hospitalisation and long covid.

Once all adults have been offered BOTH vaccines it will be a different story.

Not the point, but 'burst bubble' is my absolute No1 most annoying Covid phrase! Particularly, 'there are bubbles bursting all over the place' to describe lots of positive cases.

I work in a school I think there may still be bubbles and staggered starts and finishes in September. I hope I'm wrong but I can't see them just letting Covid run through schools. Plus that would be more disruptive.

@EnoughnowIthink

You’re just being ridiculous now. Could you please explain why you think this?

Because not everyone who needs the vaccination can have it. Because we don't expect people to shield from normal life, particularly vulnerable children. Do those children not matter? Or is it only healthy (aka not vulnerable to covid) children who matter?

Because the more times it is passed on, the more opportunities there are for it to mutate into something significantly more serious.

So how do people in this situation cope every year with flu and other contagious seasonal illess?

Flu mutates. Sometimes the predictions for vaccine modification are correct, sometimes not. How did people function through 2018?

Not the point, but 'burst bubble' is my absolute No1 most annoying Covid phrase I absolutely despise it too!

@EnoughnowIthink

You’re just being ridiculous now. Could you please explain why you think this?

Because not everyone who needs the vaccination can have it. Because we don't expect people to shield from normal life, particularly vulnerable children. Do those children not matter? Or is it only healthy (aka not vulnerable to covid) children who matter?

Because the more times it is passed on, the more opportunities there are for it to mutate into something significantly more serious.

The whole ‘prevent mutations’ thing is really starting to annoy me. Viruses mutate All The Time. We have millions of unvaccinated children/young adults in the U.K. never mind worldwide. The virus will mutate. We can’t stay locked down and wait for it to happen and then lock down again. This is just getting ridiculous. People seem to have lost all perspective.

@GintyMcGinty I teach in Scotland and while we don't use the term bubble as widely as down south the children are in bubbles. Staggered start and end times, Staggered breaks, no mixing of classes. Some schools work to very tight seating plans as well

10% of people that have had covid have long covid. That's a long term disability. I can't get my head round why people are so unconcerned about this.

"So how do people in this situation cope every year with flu and other contagious seasonal illess?"

Covid does more superspreading than flu. Partly because the particles hang about for longer, from what I've read, and probably even more because Covid has such a long period where you can have it and spread it without having symptoms (flu's 1-4 days but Covid's up to two weeks).
Flu has always had vaccines to some extent in recent years, and children under 12 have the nose one at school.

I'm only going by what I've read - am not a scientist, but I imagine that's how they manage flu more easily.

@MagnusMama

10% of people that have had covid have long covid. That's a long term disability. I can't get my head round why people are so unconcerned about this.

Because the definition of ‘long COVID’ includes people with mild symptoms that resolve within 12 weeks, not just people with long term debilitating after effects.

@duffeldaisy

"So how do people in this situation cope every year with flu and other contagious seasonal illess?"

Covid does more superspreading than flu. Partly because the particles hang about for longer, from what I've read, and probably even more because Covid has such a long period where you can have it and spread it without having symptoms (flu's 1-4 days but Covid's up to two weeks).
Flu has always had vaccines to some extent in recent years, and children under 12 have the nose one at school.

I'm only going by what I've read - am not a scientist, but I imagine that's how they manage flu more easily.

That's correct!

It's also why until all adults are vaccinated (which includes teachers and the parents of children) bubbles and isolation of some kind will exist.

We give the flu vaccine to prevent mass epidemics and we are heading that way with covid.

I agree with the poster above who said parents got schools open as they wanted. But it's silly to have expected that to be open fully full stop and no isolations etc.

School is the only place you are allowed to meet in groups, not SD and not in masks.

And there's a reason you can't elsewhere!

Yes but mild isn't quite what you think. Mild long Covid can be debilitating. Out of 4 staff in my bubble that got Covid 2 have long Covid. One can only manage part time hours months later and one is still signed off. Both would technically be counted as mild symptoms.

“We give the flu vaccine to prevent mass epidemics and we are heading that way with covid.”

We give the flu vaccine to protect the more vulnerable people who are most likely to get seriously ill. Plenty of them actually don’t even accept it.

@kitkat I’m going by the NICE definition. Some people have some symptoms that linger for 4+ weeks but are still able to work.

I don’t think anyone knows what will happen yet. Depends on how vulnerable to covid those vaccinated turn out to be and whether we get further mutations, and who they affect most. They’ve said vaccine by the end of the year for kids but I think it will be earlier, vulnerable kids first and then older ones

@MagnusMama

10% of people that have had covid have long covid. That's a long term disability. I can't get my head round why people are so unconcerned about this.

I’m not overly concerned because the definition they chose was virtually any symptoms within 5 weeks of covid. I get a headache every 5 weeks anyway! I’d be very interested to know how many people have disabling symptoms and how long they go on for. I’ve had post viral syndrome twice, it wasn’t nice but I wouldn’t be scared of it because in my case it lasted a month or two only.

@ToooOldForThis I have no doubt that is how your school works but there are no staggered starts or finishes at my children's schools. My daughter is in an open plan classroom shared by 3 classes - so 75 kids. At her primary the only real difference is no assemblies and no singing. She is also able to play football, go to Cubs and tennis after school and freely play with all the children in the street who go to different schools.

Nothing like the experience of my nieces and nephews down south who live in bubbles of 8 and not allowed out to play after school, no clubs etc.

@QueenofLouisiana - this has to be a joke right? No campaigns to go back to the office v children going back to school for an education? You honestly cannot see the enormous difference between those two things?! One being full of adults who’ve completed their education (mostly) & are now earning a wage. Grown adults able to completely look after themselves, be at home alone & self discipline & get work done. Or otherwise, they’d face being sacked so there a pretty good incentive there. V children who cannot be left at home alone, who are just beginning or mid education, who cannot fully look after themselves or feed themselves. Who don’t know what self discipline is really & who are getting a second rate education via zoom & stressed out parents.

Totally the same. Let’s get campaigning folks.

Also, if it helps, so many of my company have asked to go back to the office that they have decided to open voluntarily far earlier than planned. So maybe that counts as a campaign 🤔😂🙄

@GintyMcGinty I'm really surprised at that! All our local schools are working the same way.
I agree re clubs etc, tennis back on as of last week,and I know the boys are back at cubs outside.