BMJ: Teachers not at greater risk of hosp'n, and lower risk of severe disease, than general population

[Kokeshi123]

www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n2060?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=hootsuite&utm_content=sme&utm_campaign=usage

Unlike previous studies, this one actually looked at periods when schools were open and compared like-with-like for those periods.

Compared with adults of working age who are otherwise similar, teachers and their household members were not found to be at increased risk of hospital admission with covid-19 and were found to be at lower risk of severe covid-19. These findings should reassure those who are engaged in face-to-face teaching.

This should not be taken to mean that we should do schooling with no mitigations whatsoever--I'd be in favor of doing indoor masks for kids and teachers till the winter is over if it was up to me, and ventilation is always a good thing anyway. However, at least this should provide some reassurance for teachers and families. And in my opinion, this kind of thing should settle the argument on having any further school closures; mitigations are one thing, but schools absolutely must remain open IMO.

@noblegiraffe

You're not sorry for the rant at all, Achilles.

There's a certain type of person who consistently describes children as 'disease vectors' or 'snot nosed and revolting' and it's not teachers.

It's people who want to have a go at teachers.

Oh there were plenty of teachers on here, plenty, who described young children using the most awful language you can imagine. Not you, I know that.

If anyone on here used such appallinglanguage to describe any other members of society, for example ethnic minorities or the gay community, the thread would be immediately deleted. But because it’s children they’re describing, on a parenting forum no less, it’s fine and acceptable. And no I’m not sorry for the rant. I’ve been wanting to say this for a long time.

The government’s long term plan is for all us, except the most vulnerable, to catch Covid through natural infection. It would be like a natural booster.

I am double vaccinated and a primary teacher. Life is going back to normal and for that I am thankful but there is always this shadow of Covid lingering. I have always been careful with cleanliness due to other health issues even though schools are filthy places to work in!
I am happy to be in school with the children still being as careful as I can. I am one of around 5 staff that have not had Covid. I don't know how as I have been surrounded by cases and burst bubbles throughout.
It's a really weird feeling of enjoying a sense of normalcy with my class and colleagues but with the knowledge it could change.

Anyone who thinks we are cowering before the great unions has clearly had no experience of a teaching union 😂

Start doing your jobs. Your double jabbed so get on with it!

I think you'll fine we've been doing our jobs constantly since covid began.
Almost all staff in my school,worked f2f with full bubbles full time from the very start. Our school is close to large teaching hospitals, so many nhs key workers plus many other key worker children. We also worked throughout the May half term, with children in school.

I admit I wasn't f2f in lockdown 1 and 3. My specific role means I am best suited to be working at home during a school lockdown. I'm also CV, and was classed as shielded at the very start.I've never worked longer hours than I did during the last 18 months. When I returned in September I worked across the school, with no masks, no SDing, etc despite being clinically vulnerable.

Not once have we stopped doing on jobs, so it's not like we can just re-start doing them now! We never stopped!

There hasnt been a hankies out for all the poor hard done by teachers for ages. Anyway if they are vaccinated they arent at any more risk than anybody else and are at a lot less risk than some.

If anyone on here used such appallinglanguage to describe any other members of society, for example ethnic minorities or the gay community, the thread would be immediately deleted

This is a straw man argument.

Kids are snot nosed, especially infant aged! They are also (same as adults) germ ridden.

"Teaching uions are too powerful"
"Teachers hate children"
Have I been transported back to last term?
So depressing.

Anyway if they are vaccinated they arent at any more risk than anybody else and are at a lot less risk than some.

Source for this?

I'd argue teachers are one of the greatest risks of catching covid. The study then shows the population of classroom facing teachers is female and young.

@AchillesLastStand please name these teachers as I'd not be happy with that description either. Strangely most teachers are also parents so they'd be describing their own kids 🤷‍♀️.
Scotland's cases have gone up 170% since schools reopened. And they gave masks snd stuff. We have 🤞.

The control group were healthcare workers, so this absolutely doesn't show teachers are lower risk than the general population, it shows they are lower risk than healthcare workers.

Within schools teaching assistants rather than teachers are in the highest risk positions I think.

@Hercisback average age of teachers at my school is 39. About 40% male. Secondary schools have a v different profile than primary.

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

Like other posters, I am now fatalistic. I am still very anxious as I am at higher risk and from what I see, even mild Covid has had a nasty impact on a significant number of lives. But I need to work to get money to live.

On the other hand, the rest of you who don’t think teachers are more at risk should know that I will be amongst you in the shops, restaurants, pubs, cinemas and theatres after spending the day in rooms of unvaccinated people. My risk is your risk. If I am to catch Covid and be seriously ill, I intend to enjoy myself before I do. You and your loved ones are MY collateral damage. As Abraxan said, up to now those who stayed at home were protected to a greater degree. This will change.

I would also add that if the rest of society is in lockdown because it is too dangerous to live normally, schools should follow the same guidance. If we take the OPs report without cynicism, it’s still saying teachers’ risk Is THE SAME as everyone else’s, so schools shouldn’t be treated differently to other workplaces. It’s back to being cannon fodder again.

@wonderstuff I agree soooo much. Our poor TAs (mostly older woman) having been sitting 1.1 with kids throughout. I admire their dedication & they deserve so much more than this complete lack of care for their health.

Oh there were plenty of teachers on here, plenty, who described young children using the most awful language you can imagine.

I remember parents describing their own kids as having poor hygiene. Are you going to attack those parents?

Is calling kids 'the unvaccinated population' an example of the 'most awful language you can imagine' btw, because your response to that makes your level of assessment of offensive language to describe children a bit dubious.

Recent ONS study has estimated that 25% of teaching staff have Covid antibodies from infection rather than vaccine (no idea how they differentiate)....

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19latestinsights/antibodies

Given there are over 620,000 teachers, that's 130,000 teachers who've had Covid.

@BustopherPonsonbyJones if I could hug you I would. 🤗

@mumsneedwine Your secondary has a different profile, not all do.

Of our FT classroom teachers, they are majority women under 35. The men are mostly SLT and over 40 (so hide in their office).

@Warhertisuff the antibodies from the vaccine are different from the ones from infection. One is P type and one is S.

@Hercisback 😂. We do have a lot of male teachers, which is lovely for the kids.

My risk of severe disease is now low, but at least 3 people I work with, 1 specialist teacher, a very vulnerable student and a CEV mother, are all still at a high risk and because they have underlying health issues no one seems bothered.

My teacher friend can have vaccine for children who live with her, but obviously not for the children she teaches in her small, poorly ventilated classroom.

@mumsneedwine
I’m hugging again. But only if the windows and doors are open 😁

[quote Bobholll]@ChloeDecker - those stats are about catching covid, not dying of it. Very different.[/quote]
But if teachers catch covid they have to isolate.

So there is an effect on education.

The issue isn't teachers catching it and dying.

The issue is that people generally cannot seem to grasp the bigs i between and the consequences if that.

@Warhertisuff

Recent ONS study has estimated that 25% of teaching staff have Covid antibodies from infection rather than vaccine (no idea how they differentiate)....

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19latestinsights/antibodies

Given there are over 620,000 teachers, that's 130,000 teachers who've had Covid.

Many of our staff have done the virus-acquired antibody test from the government, usually via ZOE. You enter your occupation details when registering. The test only looks for virus-acquired antibodies.

The control group were healthcare workers, so this absolutely doesn't show teachers are lower risk than the general population, it shows they are lower risk than healthcare workers.

Very interesting and thank you for pointing that out. The use of language around describing education staff risk has usually been ‘not more at risk than similar occupations but certainly has never meant no risk at all, especially compared to the general population. Very clever of the government, their PR and use of the media the swines.

I don't understand why people still think they can avoid covid. Teacher or not, you'll probably all catch it sooner or later?