Schools communication with parents about covid cases despite spike in cases

[Cet73]

So my dd in secondary school and we have no notifications about anything related to the number of covid cases within the school. Now I know others have commented on this and that schools no longer responsible for track & trace BUT I am aware of a lot of cases via peers of dd and mums, who doing the track & tracing PLUS really shocked today as in our area in Hampshire, according to the ZOE app, cases are up 600 from last week and the spike is extremely sharp from last week - possibly the highest number this year.

I wondered if many your kids schools, as cases have risen a lot, are communicating with parents about it and if any schools re introducing mitigations like face coverings.

I appreciate that covid not as serious in children and that life needs to return to normal, however my dd (year 10) just returned to school today after a week off with a non-covid cold/fluey bug (PCR and several LFTs negative) and both my children have other health problems (not CEV) but health issues which mean they often have to take time off school. I wish at least we could be better informed by the school and personally, I would welcome the return of face coverings whilst the cases are so high (although appreciate many don't agree with this).

The vaccination is being rolled out at dd school next week, but I am sure many, through out the UK, won't be able to have it if they are unwell with another cold type bug or with covid (how many weeks after do you need to wait for vaccine after getting covid??)

Kc

oh just to add she tested negative for many LFTS and PCR with this cold she recently had.

No idea how many cases but our secondary school has moved to amber alert. Face masks are back and they’ve cancelled any big gatherings. It seems to be the same for a few secondary schools round here.

Staff is also an issue. My dds form tutor didn’t show up yesterday with no explanation from anyone. They sat in the room and left when the bell rang!

My dds friends are dropping like flies. I’m testing them every day and hoping for the best.

Flu and covid jabs are happening next week.

All of you complaining that you should be informed, what would you actually do with the information? Stop sending your kids to school? Lock yourselves away for years on end until we are zero Covid? Or will it just give you something else to complain about? Then what? Schools are shut. Oh look, SOMETHING ELSE for you to complain about. And on and on it goes...

Dcs secondary has not been informing us of cases since coming back in sept, only know there’s been some due to them thanking parents informing them of cases in an email and dcs saying people are off with it. They’ve cancelled open days and sports fixtures and singing.

Other local secondary innext town has 200/1800 off with it in last 10 days. I was quite shocked to read that tbh.

Before the holidays it had literally been a small handful of cases in each year group, sounds like it’s now well and truly ripping through the schools. Frightening considering they think around 33,000 kids nationwide so far have long covid.

@delilahbucket I’m 35 weeks pregnant so would like to know so I can decide whether or not to take them out nearer the time. I don’t want to risk covid during labour or having it in the house.

@Cet73 I'm a teacher absent with covid in your area. I recognise the figures.
It's so worrying. I feel awful, and it's all because policy seems to be for all of us in Education to catch it.

what would you actually do with the information?

Avoid seeing high risk relatives, such as my pregnant sister. Get a PCR for my child if more than half her class has covid as it is likely she is a close contact of at least one of them.

@delilahbucket some measures being reinstated could have curbed such a huge spike. Masks, a bit of distancing and pushing testing for all cold symptoms might have prevented me from going through what I'm going through now.
I'll be away from my classes for two weeks. That's not good for them either.

What I did with the arrangement was to stop my CEV coming to stay to help with childcare for some after school stuff... just before both my DDs tested positive.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

What I did with the arrangement was to stop my CEV coming to stay to help with childcare for some after school stuff... just before both my DDs tested positive.

Should say information, not arrangement!

@Bennetgirl and how long will you keep your kids out of school for? Until your baby is a year old? Surely you have had your vaccine?

@Lemonsole but that is for the school to decide. Informing parents of case numbers in the school has absolutely no bearing on that decision. As a teacher I would expect you to be putting that request to your management if you think it will help but let's face facts, did mask wearing and a lot of restrictions stop spikes last time round? No it didn't.

@COVIDtesting is your sister not vaccinated? Is she locking herself away? Are you not vaccinated to help curb the spread? Are you not all doing regular lateral flow tests to help pick up asymptomatic cases? Are you going around seeing who has any other virus to make sure you stay away from them too?

People need to move away from this zero Covid thinking they have. This virus is here to stay. You CANNOT spend your lives avoiding it. Get your vaccine and get on with it. Unless you are CEV, and from what I've read here the only person who has mentioned that is one who's had their kids vaccinated and isn't worried, then why are you all still complaining about case numbers? In the last week, the average number of cases per school as an absolute maximum is around 7 (based on case numbers and approximate number of schools in the UK). And that is if every single positive test is a school child. SEVEN!!! In a week!

@delilahbucket wanting mitigation measures does not equal a belief in "zero covid". The separation of track and trace from schools, together with the pretence that covid has gone away, by PHE not allowing schools to request mask use in public areas, has contributed to a separation of what is actually happening in schools from the exhausted managers who run them. The policy seems to be that everyone in education catches covid.

And you're wrong: mask wearing and social distancing kept numbers in my work place right down in the last waves. SMT cannot go beyond DofEd guidance. It's not down to schools, because parents can and will simply ignore any requests that seem stricter than legally required.

You cannot frame a wish for the same mitigation measures as are in place in the rest of the UK and in Europe as evidence that we are a lunatic fringe.

I am an incredibly unwell teacher who is angry that she will be away from work and her family for two weeks, when it need not have happened.

DD secondary school (in Cornwall) haven't been giving much detail about case numbers, but last week they sent out a letter saying there are 'some' cases in school (not very helpful, without any quantification). DD has said quite a few teachers have been/are off (presumably due to illness of some sort) this week, and they've had supply teachers and classes doubled up - 60 kids in a classroom intended for 30, that'll help!

Today they sent out an email with the subject 'school closure'. Although the headline is a bit dramatic - they're only 'closing' to one year group (yr9) tomorrow, dues to a shortage of teachers, citing sickness with covid and flu as the reason. Said they'll update at the weekend as to what is going to happen next week, but it sounds pretty desperate.

Has @delilahbucket had Covid? She's pretty judgemental about everyone else from her cosy soapbox.

I'm double jabbed. I'm also really ill. I believe in living with the virus - but I also believe that I should have the right to the same level of protection in my workplace as anyone else.

Knowing numbers helps parents to realise when other measures have become appropriate or - as in the case of this area - imperative.

@delilahbucket For as long as I see necessary. I don’t want to risk giving birth alone thanks.

Loads in our schools (heard from mums in same classes/years). Last year eldest had class bubble burst once, youngest never did, now there’s tons! Junior School sent out a message that they don’t share information anymore as it’s private medical information and now not down to the school, I imagine a lot of people are asking what’s going on. You’d think they’d give a general idea and what measures they’re putting in place, that’s all anyone wants to know, that they’ve spoken to PHE and if the guidance is unchanged then fine.

Secondary have sent info that there was an increase of cases, they’d spoken to PHE and that students in the affected years were doing daily LFT instead of twice weekly, those years are being segregated from rest of school and to speak to dc if they’d like to wear masks, etc. No need to detail numbers but an idea that it is being monitored. That’s what juniors should do too but nope it’s not their problem, it’s private medical information..

Yesterday, DD's year had 15 out with covid. There's only 80 in the whole year group.

However, I am not remotely surprised. We live in a large city where the take up of the vaccine has in many areas been pitiful. Only 62% have had the first dose - I can't believe how many selfish / stupid / ignorant / unconnected / idiotic individuals live within our city. Presumably some of these people have children at our DCs schools. We are just waiting for our children to get it and hoping they'll only have a mild bout.

@Essexmum321

We are still getting notifications of cases in school and close contacts, I’m shocked they are still allowing siblings of those who have tested positive in.

Your school is following DfE and Public Health advice correctly.

I work between schools, can be in four or five in a day, even though my family have COVID.

Currently have covid and have complained to the local council and test and trace about it schools not informing us of vases. Unfortunately schools no longer have a legal requirement to inform us. It's really irresponsible in my opinion. It's causing it to spread rapidly. I am now concerned when my DS returns will he catch it again from school as nothing is being done to stop it spreading

Over last weekend the cases on our secondary school went from 20 to 65. The school has reintroduced masks for busy areas and corridors and the spike has reportedly slowed a little now, although I'm still hearing about a lot of new cases through parents whatsapp groups.

Information is only useful and relevant if you need to act on it .

Chances are they don't send it out to stop neurotic parents constantly kicking off .
All the info on how case are deal with in schools is freely available .

We've had enough of well meaning scare mongering .

Honestly wish they would just let it go now in primary, the kids are all going to get it this academic year better now than say Xmas. One of the years is currently being forced to bubble which must be horrible for them as they are being singled out, all years have had events cancelled which isn't fair on the kids.

Even with the vaccine it is only seeming to be effective at preventing severe disease so no better than biology for kids

I’m a bit apprehensive at the moment as we are supposed to be visiting FIL who is vulnerable, just me and DP as kids are not vaccinated, we haven’t seen him in 2 years and need to help him around the house as he has no other family. So having a lot of cases in DS school is highly annoying... other than that I will be just getting on with things after... we can’t hide away forever

No idea how many in our Primary. (Lots if you go by word of mouth, including 3 teachers and my whole household.)

They can't wait to send a letter to tell you there are nits going round the class but apparently can't tell you covid is going around.

I know from gossip that there are 20+ cases in my kids' secondary. The actual figure could be loads more, but the school don't tell us numbers. I think this approach is pretty standard across the country.