Last day of dreaded school calling…

[mightyducks]

Today should be the last day you can can get that dreaded call from school ….the sinking feeling of another child isolating, the stress and anguish it causes, I wish you all a phone call free day! It feels like a big moment for me

Sorry I'm lost , did someone say children isolating will no longer be a legal requirement from Monday?

I guess maybe they won't be enforcing it at all given it all changes in a few weeks ?

@mightyducks ah yes I see. It's a bit confusing isn't it really! I suspect you have to go along with whatever your school decides - I'm going to be very upset if the class bubble are told to isolate next week!

@olivethegreat

Sorry I'm lost , did someone say children isolating will no longer be a legal requirement from Monday?

I guess maybe they won't be enforcing it at all given it all changes in a few weeks ?

But if this all happened on Monday he wouldn't have to isolate. Can I take him to his footy awards do tomorrow?

No, Children must isolate right up to 16th August. The only change is who is responsible for telling you (T&T not school), and 'bubbles' can disappear which, in principle, means whole schools can hold assemblies from Monday, all in one room etc, but, in the context of isolation, means that close contacts only need to isolate.

in primary, the whole class is typically a close contact - 6 hours sharing the same air in close physical contact with no distancing is definitely close contact. So the abolition of bubbles makes no difference to who isolates, just who tells you. However, in secondary, there may be more instances where a small number of close contacts are told to isolate. This is a classic false economy, as it just leads to more cases, dribbling on and on over weeks and weeks, but it is what the Government says.

Once again stupid people believe that schools are "secure" from covid.

It beggars belief.

We've had an email from secondary saying from Monday it will be t and t and only close contacts and veing in a school setting together wont in itself be enough.

@user6v87

JCVI waiting on data, not sure what, maybe death that’s being investigated in US maybe other Since over-12s still being vaccinated in US, only the UK needs to wait on the data. Also the JCVI is not the regulatory authority, MHRA is. Safety data go to the MHRA, not JCVI. MHRA decide on approving vaccines and monitor data on approved vaccines to decide on safety. JCVI are acting as policy advisers in this instance and it is very misleading of the government to perpetuate the myth that JCVI know most about vaccine safety. The JCVI contains members who want to vaccinate over 12s and members who don't. They can't reach a consensus so it is stalemate it seems. Plus there are personal opinions at play in the cabinet. As for supply, nearly every town has walk-in clinics this weekend - there is enough supply, although maybe not if they have only bought enough for boosters in the autumn rather than over 12s. Why didn't they plan better. the US and EU have enough to vaccinate over 12s.

Hasn’t that stage passed so it now is with the JCVI

An extension to the current UK approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine that allows its use in 12- to 15-year-olds has today been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This follows a rigorous review of the safety, quality and effectiveness of the vaccine in this age group by the MHRA and the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM).

Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive said:
“We have carefully reviewed clinical trial data in children aged 12 to 15 years and have concluded that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in this age group and that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh any risk.

“We have in place a comprehensive safety surveillance strategy for monitoring the safety of all UK-approved COVID-19 vaccines and this surveillance will include the 12- to 15-year age group.

“No extension to an authorisation would be approved unless the expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness have been met.

“It will now be for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to advise on whether this age group will be vaccinated as part of the deployment programme.”

Here

www.gov.uk/government/news/the-mhra-concludes-positive-safety-profile-for-pfizerbiontech-vaccine-in-12-to-15-year-olds

It’s not misleading to say JCVI I don’t think

@cantkeepawayforever

If we kept cases low through sensible controls and vaccinated all 12-17 year olds, secondary schools at least would be much better off and wouldn't have to have weeks / months of total shambles at the start of next year... not to mention the additional hospitalisations and deaths in the wider community due to having such a huge pool of infected people going home every afternoon....

You'd think someone in Govt would have pushed for this option wouldn't you.

It's not fucking difficult to apply some common sense!!!

'Lessons learnt' my arse

@FrippEnos

Once again stupid people believe that schools are "secure" from covid.

It beggars belief.

Typical insulting tone aside who has said that on this thread?

We got the call (actually at text and an email) at 2.30pm, just when I thought we'd escaped! Immediate pick-up and self-isolation until Friday (term ends next Thursday round here)

Even then you can get it and pass it on, but not get as ill usually

Though when fully vaccinated your likelihood of catching it is reduced and, if you are one of the unlucky ones to still catch it, the likelihood of you transmitting it is at least halved.

Whilst, like all vaccines, the covid vaccines aren't 100% effective they do achieve a reduction in catching covid, transmitting covid and reducing the chances of you being seriously ill.

MarshaBradyo

Typical insulting tone aside who has said that on this thread?

Judgemental tone aside its an opinion forum.
Don't like it then pass on by.

I’m not against vaccination if JCVI approve

Not relevant to me anyway as either already had it or too young

But I disagree that under 12 are not likely to get it at some point. They will delaying it or not.

@FrippEnos

MarshaBradyo

Typical insulting tone aside who has said that on this thread?

Judgemental tone aside its an opinion forum.
Don't like it then pass on by.

So you can’t find any posts saying schools are ‘secure’?

Just you with same old stuff.

No one thinks they are ‘Covid secure’ that was just to slow transmission

People finally getting it - and what next phase is

No one thinks they are ‘Covid secure’

Have people been lying for the last year?

If you think ‘Covid secure’ means much at all other than some PR it’s up to you.

@Annon12345

Im a bit confused when bubbles end for children? I've seen 19th July and 16th August also seen each school discretion for keeping it longer or past July I think but could be totally wrong. Lo nursery have said they'll he keeping in place until at least 16th August?! But then I don't know if as government ending it that means nursery can only enforce them not attending nursery or isolate completely?!? Any ideas?

Bubbles and isolations are being separated as of Monday.

This means schools can do away with bubbles and start mixing across the school, having whole school assemblies, sharing indoor spaces, etc. The reality is that many LEAs are advising against this initially in September and many are retaining class bubbles within the building.

Some schools are still in until next week, so they could make the change from Monday. Many won't but a few might,

Self isolation rules change for children in 16 August, not 19 July.
But from Monday schools won't be acting on behalf of T&T - though some areas have asked schools to continue with this until the end of term. At present schools act on behalf of T&T so a school bubble closure is legally binding, in the same way a call from T&T is. This part stops next week.

This means that should a class member test positive then it won't always mean a full class has to isolate. The reality is that in infant schools 'close contacts' is likely to still be a full class. In juniors and secondary it may or may not be full classes; it will depend on how the rooms are set up and how big rooms are - only those within 2m for 15+ minutes will need to isolate. Seating plans may well be useful. T&T can still ask schools for information iirr.

But from August 16 children will no longer be asked to isolate, unless they themselves test positive for covid. This will be the same for anyone who is double vaccinated, which will include most school staff.

If they've already started isolating they must finish it according to the information we had today.

From 16 August the only people who will need to SI due to being a close contact will be adults 18+ who have not been fully vaccinated.

Ok, people rewriting history now.

@noblegiraffe

Ok, people rewriting history now.

No you believed it. I knew what it was

Schools had to reduce community transmission nothing to do with being ‘secure’ whatever th you think that means

Like I say up to you

@olivethegreat

Sorry I'm lost , did someone say children isolating will no longer be a legal requirement from Monday?

I guess maybe they won't be enforcing it at all given it all changes in a few weeks ?

No, that's from 16 August.

Just the way close contacts are determined in schools, and who is responsible for telling parents/carers about a child's SI requirement changes in Monday.

Unfortunately the two different dates has caused lots of confusion, including in some MSM.

Marsha seems to be forgetting the PR campaign that was swallowed wholesale by so many.

We break up next Friday!

@noblegiraffe

Marsha seems to be forgetting the PR campaign that was swallowed wholesale by so many.

Luckily I get the point of PR so no I’m not surprised

I know others are and feel shocked that children will now get it

But no part of the reason delaying at such great cost to dc argued for by so many on here didn’t sit right for me

Lots of previous threads HAVE had posters claiming schools are covid secure, pretty much starting mid summer 2020.
I was told on MN in October, without irony, it was unlikely I caught covid at school because younger children don't catch or spread it.
Fwiw the hospital medics, my consultant and my GP all believe I caught it in school from a child, based on what was happening at school before, during and afterwards,

So when you said ‘no one thinks they are covid secure’, Marsha, you actually mean that quite a few did. (Not you of course…)