School cluster

[Bunnyfuller]

Got a text and email from the school this evening, eldest dc has to self isolate after close contact with a confirmed Covid case. When I spoke to her she said ‘oh yeah, loads have been sent home this week, loads have got it’.

Please tell me this isn’t here we go again. Me and DH had first jabs but....but I dunno. I’m sick of lockdown. I’m sick of worrying. I’m about to go on meds to subdue my immune system for RA, already have heart problems and have had really really enough of being careful. My eldest only has 4 weeks left in school, but my youngest is yr10 and not motivated at the best of times.

Not again, please.

Schools just started back here after Easter break [ week 2] 3 cases already in the high school and many, many children isolating.

Of course it will start again. Its a new more infectious virus. Rather more airborne than previously thought. All children put together in the one class. Its bound to happen. It will get worse. Why wouldn't it. No children have been vaccinated! The difference is, those that are vunerable will have but of course not vunerable children.

The cases will rise but hospitalisations wont because of vaccines [ hopefully]

Cases are flat across the country. See Worldometer, they’ve been hovering in the 2,000’s for a good 2/3 weeks now. Cases will increase as things open up, particularly in May when we can go inside but so long as that doesn’t equate to hospitalisation & death then we are fine.

I wonder how long they’ll keep up this close contact isolation for school kids, it’s very disruptive.

You’ll be fine OP, one jab gives really good protection. Only your DD has to isolate, you don’t unless she tests positive.

The numbers are low, which is good.

But that means it only takes a few case clusters to show a big percentage rise

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/covid-rising-more-half-englands-20481801

Covid is rising in over 100 English towns, but that only becomes a worry if that trend persists and the absolute numbers become high and continue to rise

@UnmentionedElephantDildo

The numbers are low, which is good.

But that means it only takes a few case clusters to show a big percentage rise

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/covid-rising-more-half-englands-20481801

Covid is rising in over 100 English towns, but that only becomes a worry if that trend persists and the absolute numbers become high and continue to rise

Yes, it looks dramatic when there's been a local 100% rise, but when it's soared from 2 to 4 cases in a neighbourhood of 10,000+ plus, it's not that alarming.

As more parents get vaccinated, that's fewer cases from workplaces in to schools. It will get better as more younger people have their first jab, and older people get their second.

My dd is isolating more than she is in school - she managed 3 days after Easter before being sent home again, hard to do a'level dance from your lounge but what can you do

I wonder how long it will be before the penny drops and people realise en mass that if they don’t get tested, they won’t have to isolate.

I've got one sent home just as they'd had a push to increase flow testing in lower year groups - another child was sent back while they waited for PCR conformation which was negative and then they got them back in next day.

Rates in area are still really low and they've reached the under 30s for vaccinations here with high % take up in all age groups.

@puppeteer

I wonder how long it will be before the penny drops and people realise en mass that if they don’t get tested, they won’t have to isolate.

If they get tested and aren’t positive, they won’t have to isolate.

If they are tested and are positive, don’t you think they should isolate?

The less you test, the fewer cases you will find and isolate the contacts for so the more likely you’ll end up with a huge outbreak.

Testing less is fairly short term thinking.

Testing more is great if the threat is high, or the cost is low.

But we’re in a great position now where the threat is really well controlled.

Yet the cost of closure and isolation is pretty high still.

It’s time to review these rules — even if to do nothing other than stop people (like me, I guess) making a silent judgement of their own.

It's still entire year groups being sent home here - not just close contacts.

Does mean the switch to on-line is quick which is good.

However did mean everyone was sent home to wait to see if the pcr test confirmed the one positive lateral flow test in that year group they had- not sure why they were told midway through the school day so had to organise sending entrie year home. It was thankfully negative and they got them back in as soon as the could next day.

I do get why they have to be doing so but I am hoping come September with all adults vaccinated if numbers stay low this doesn't keep happening.

@puppeteer

I wonder how long it will be before the penny drops and people realise en mass that if they don’t get tested, they won’t have to isolate.

Do you apply that logic to all screening? Downs Syndrome, breast cancer, HPV...?