Once vulnerable dc have been vaccinated, secondary age dc with asymptotic coronavirus shouldn’t have to take time off school

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www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-of-children-and-young-people-aged-12-to-17-years-jcvi-statement/jvci-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-of-children-and-young-people-aged-12-to-17-years-15-july-2021

Children and young people who have SARS-CoV2 infection generally do not become so unwell that they need to take much, or any, time off sick from education. Moreover, recent changes to national policy on NPIs in schools, in the context of a successful adult vaccination programme, should substantially reduce the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people’s education

At last it seems sanity is beginning to be restored.

@bumbleymummy
Do you think those vulnerable children didn't suffer before covid? Well, they did. My ds was admitted to hospital every year since he was a baby until late primary age, for simple cold/flu, only starting to cope better as he aged and with slightly better immune system due to being exposed enough in the past.
We still took massive care for him not to get ill. He carried anti bac wipe and gel with him before covid. We had stocks of mask before covid.
You will never understand how hard and limited life can be for those vulnerable. And mine isn't cev, he's only cv. So I really feel for those with cev children and parents.

Children and young people who have SARS-CoV2 infection generally do not become so unwell that they need to take much, or any, time off sick from education.

I don't understand how they know this as what evidence are they basing this on? Most of the teenagers I teach who have had covid said they felt pretty rough during their isolation, quite a few were off longer than the minimum 10 days because they still felt unwell. Surely it's better for them to be off and get better properly than to force them into school to infect everyone else whilst feeling miserable and ill themself?

Of course they did but no one gave a crap. That’s the point. People only care about COVID.

@Appuskidu

If we want infectious people staying at home, we need to stop Ofsted and the LEA making 100% attendance amongst school children, no matter what’s wrong with them, so vital.

I completely agree. 100% attendance should not be a marker. Regular and consistent attendance - yes, but with regular or continual absences monitored within school if not reaches a certain level. All 100% attendance award schemes scrapped - these are often discriminatory anyway. Many schools have fortunately already disposed of them.

Children who have health conditions should automatically be exempt from any of it and should not be routinely hassled. Their absences will no doubt be covered in their other meetings between parents, school and agencies so no need to be chasing Thessaloniki routinely.

@FlagsFiend

Children and young people who have SARS-CoV2 infection generally do not become so unwell that they need to take much, or any, time off sick from education.

I don't understand how they know this as what evidence are they basing this on? Most of the teenagers I teach who have had covid said they felt pretty rough during their isolation, quite a few were off longer than the minimum 10 days because they still felt unwell. Surely it's better for them to be off and get better properly than to force them into school to infect everyone else whilst feeling miserable and ill themself?

If they’re ill then they will be off school.

I'd rather people cared about covid than not. That's my point.

@bumbleymummy

Well yes, if you know you’ve got something. But at the moment we’re testing for asymptomatic infections so people who aren’t ill are being forced to isolate. Up to ~70% of flu cases are asymptomatic each year. Can you imagine the disruption if we were testing for it every flu season?

Regular testing won't be happening going forward iirr. Some testing at the start of term for secondary I believe but not primary. And a test if you're a close contact (it's just one pcr that is suggested not daily testing) but regular twice weekly isn't a feature going forward based on what we've received at school.

So the asymptotic cases being registered will be much lower anyway simply by not asking people to test with lft twice a week.

No one bar the household is asked to isolate for an lft anyway - it's only for a positive pcr, or should be.

Teachers won’t be receiving boosters so once Autumn term hits our immunity will begin to lessen.

If you were originally in the 1-9 category you'll be offered the booster in the autumn, if not you won't be offered it because you've been more recently vaccinated so your initial vaccine efficacy will still be sufficient. It's got fuck all to do with your professional it's about the time period between your original vaccine and the booster. We may find that supply allowing boosters are offered to the under 50s in winter you never know.

People seem to want everybody vaccinated/boosted simultaneously ie the over 12s, teachers, the 40s etc etc of course it would be lovely if that could happen but logistics and vaccine supply means they have to prioritise clinical need first.

Yes, I know it’s not going to continue @Abraxan. I think that’s a good thing. We need to get back to the situation where if people feel ill, they stay off school/work and otherwise we just carry on as if we’re not ill rather than constantly checking to see if we might be without knowing it.

@Wellbythebloodyhell I received my vaccination before groups 1-9 finished as our local hub called up local schools at the end of the day with ‘extras’. By September I will have been vaccinated 6 months so have got to hope the vaccine I had in March lasts me through the whole of the winter.

There was no need for the aggressive ‘fuck all’. I’m not complaining, just stating facts which could have an effect on educational disruption in the future.

Proper, effective isolation of sick children and adults can only work if there is a massive culture change in this country.

Children go to school unwell as parents have the council on their backs about attendance, and the fear of fines etc.

Parents go to school unwell as most companies only allow 2 episodes of sickness in 12 months otherwise they're put on reports and face losing their jobs. And we all know that even pre covid children loved sharing germs with their parents.

I've dragged myself into work when I have felt like death warmed up because of rules like this.

Not to mention employers really hate parents staying off work to look after sick kids!

Covid isnt the issue, arbitrary nonsense policies like the above is the biggest issue preventing good virus containment, of ANY virus.

@motherrunner you may well get it then. 2nd vaccines appointments are called forward based on the date of the 1st vaccine so I can only assume that boosters will be called forward in the same way. They'll offer the initial booster to those who had their 1st vaccine in Jan, then Feb and so on. Its unlikely to be a free for all, all 1-9 categories to be allowed to book boosters all at once it will be offered based on date of original vaccine

@Appuskidu

If we want infectious people staying at home, we need to stop Ofsted and the LEA making 100% attendance amongst school children, no matter what’s wrong with them, so vital.

Yes absolutely - I am coompletely sick of being lectured about attendance and educational outcomes - as if a motivated and supported child is going to crash out of their GCSEs due to having a day off in Year 8 with a temperature.

The links between non-attendance and attainment are a bit more complicated than that - a day off for a virus is really not the same as a chaotic attendance pattern because you are your parent's only carer or whatever.