Annoyed that schools weren’t mentioned once in the press conference

[OnceuponaRainbow18]

So masks back in shops and on public transport, where most people are double jabbed and can distance, yet not in secondary schools where majority unvaccinated and unable to distance at all. But don’t fear we can open a window.

[quote worriedatthemoment]@ShowOfHands and have you had covid cases ? [/quote]
DD had it 14 months ago and she knows of one other in the year who has had it but no more than a handful of cases that I know of across the school (5 form entry high school). They've continued to ask that students learn from home if they're close contacts so that's been the only disruption from that pov and it seems that it's primary aged siblings who cause that eventuality.

"Being physically uncomfortable is a barrier to learning"

So is rampant Covid.

I seriously have no patience for the argument that teachers are at no greater risk than others (patently nonsense anyway). Anyone who works in a school knows that there is no conceivable way in which this can be true. Every lunch duty in a packed canteen puts me at greater risk than your average office worker- and of course there are no screens separating me and them, as shop workers have come to expect. Rates in schools are sky high and have been since September. With this new variant they are likely to get higher still, but the government don't want you to know this as it's viral for the economy that we keep sending in our kids and going to work.
I don't want schools to close. When schools did close, my workload was insane. However, I do want every possibly mitigation to be put into place to protect staff and children (and of course their families). That's all any teacher has ever wanted.

@MyBeautifulFlower

I’m not scared of it. I’m vaccinated. But if I get it I can’t go into school for 10 days. We have three staff off with it at the moment. Small primary school. We are one adult away from having to close because there simply won’t be enough staff to keep the kids safe, never mind educate them. Far more disruptive than a few measures to try to prevent the spread.

Like what? Mask wearing? makes no difference they have to take them off to eat . Windows open? too cold to learn

Fair enough. The measures make no difference- so we don’t do anything and school has to close because we don’t have enough adults to staff it. We tried to get supply - needed one for five days and could only get two days so TAs had to ‘teach’.

Either we try and do something or we don’t do anything, and the effects of not doing anything at all are likely to be far more disruptive in the end. Maybe the options we have aren’t great but surely better than doing nothing. And someone could spend some time coming up with some actually helpful mitigations. We are struggling more in our school now than at any point in the entire pandemic. Kids don’t know who is going to be in front of them when they get in in the morning, kids who need 1 to 1 may not have it. We have a plan but this last week the plan has had to change by 8.30 am every single day. Telling me mask wearing won’t help also then won’t help the school stay open.

If you want schools to stay open, what would you do?

@Comedycook - never mind the teachers though.

@babybythesea I definitely agree that something has to be done and the most effective measure is improving ventilation.

But that doesn't seem to be concentrated on by the unions that is by far the most effective way to reduce risk. They should be pressuring the govt to put standalone filtration units in.

Surely the idea is that immunity from vaccination or infection will be protective so the infection will burn itself out. Personally I’d say the lockdowns and isolations of all contacts (entire classes at one point) were more disruptive. Neither is great but I don’t think there’s another option. Covid is highly infectious so I think there’s a general acceptance that the vast majority will get it? Antiviral treatment and vaccination to minimise serious disease. Personal views differ but I’m not sure how effective it’s going to be to swim against the tide of government policy. There’s nothing to say your mask needs to be fabric, medical grade ones are freely available now

[quote Scottishskifun]@babybythesea I definitely agree that something has to be done and the most effective measure is improving ventilation.

But that doesn't seem to be concentrated on by the unions that is by far the most effective way to reduce risk. They should be pressuring the govt to put standalone filtration units in.[/quote]
Certainly in the classroom I normally work in there is no ventilation. Very old school which has been extended so the room is now in the middle of the school with only one small window which is about 3m up and opens to tilt. We’ve looked at buying things but we can’t afford it. Money to put it in some of the mitigation effects would be nice!

@MrsHamlet

That's the job now! get used to it or quit What an absolutely ridiculous statement.

You can't argue with such posters, @MrsHamlet. Clearly no sensible debate to be had here.

I would like to be allowed to choose. My school is very well ventilated and I am 2m away from pupils, so I want to pull down my mask when delivering a lesson. I want pupils to be able to pull down their mask when answering a question, or discussing something.

It is very tough in a mask all day. I can't hear what pupils are saying and don't often know what they look like. I can't dramatise things or deliver a line with a smile, to help reassure someone that my comments are meant to help, not criticise. I can't tell if someone really understands or is struggling.

It is directly harmful to pupils and of no clear benefit to teachers. Masks or not, schools pass on any infections going.

I resent the fact that my pupils' mental health is being compromised while those across the border have not worn masks since about April. Long term effects? Who knows but I bloody hate it.

If you want schools to stay open, what would you do?

I’m double-vaccinated and had a booster.
As a primary supply teacher, I’m in multiple, poorly-ventilated classrooms with unmasked, unvaccinated children, usually replacing staff who are isolating. The money is running out.
I’m expecting the government to declare teaching staff essential, exceptional...and to prevent schools closing through lack of teachers...they’ll say we don’t have to isolate and can keep working.
So schools won’t close.

[quote HelplesslyHoping]@Happyharry2003 You're so lucky to think that, let's hope it's not you on them next x[/quote]
Having had a close family member on a ventilator before I wouldn’t wish it on anyone but to keep hurling the ‘let’s hope you won’t be on a ventilator’ every time Covid is mentioned is just bizarre. There are a million more reasons I could end up on a ventilator than just Covid but we don’t mention ventilators every time someone has a health issue. It’s lazy and designed to hype and scare people. It’s not right.

@NovemberWitch
That's of course if we are well enough to teach.
Plenty of double vaccinated people I know have been really quite unwell. A few have needed longer than the 10 day isolation period to recover.

My da secondary has been back in masks since before half term

@BungleandGeorge

Surely the idea is that immunity from vaccination or infection will be protective so the infection will burn itself out. Personally I’d say the lockdowns and isolations of all contacts (entire classes at one point) were more disruptive. Neither is great but I don’t think there’s another option. Covid is highly infectious so I think there’s a general acceptance that the vast majority will get it? Antiviral treatment and vaccination to minimise serious disease. Personal views differ but I’m not sure how effective it’s going to be to swim against the tide of government policy. There’s nothing to say your mask needs to be fabric, medical grade ones are freely available now

It won't burn itself out - it will become like other common coronaviruses and we will get it repeatedly over our lifetime but most of us will experience it as a cold like those other coronaviruses. At some point soon we will have to accept this and live with it.

@Lovelyricepudding yes sorry I was unclear I meant that the enormous waves happening due to no immunity will burn themselves out and it will indeed become more like other illnesses.

BungleandGeorge I think the suggestion is that is what has happened in the UK - it is now endemic. Which also means there ceases to be much point in all these covid measures.

Good. There shouldn't be masks in schools, it's damaging to kids' education. If you're double jabbed you'll be fine.

What about the double jabbed people who get covid?
If I'm off school for a minimum of 10 days, my two GCSE and three a level classes will be working under cover supervisors or independently. We can't afford supply.

"If you're double jabbed you'll be fine."

Nope, sorry that's not your call to make.

Nope, but it is the government's call and I'm glad they've made this decision.

Masks required in crowded and enclosed spaces - what are schools if not crowded and enclosed?

@roarfeckingroarr

Nope, but it is the government's call and I'm glad they've made this decision.

Will you be glad when your child has no teacher (qualified or otherwise) for their class?

Anyway, what "decision" have they made?

Will you be glad when your child has no teacher (qualified or otherwise) for their class?

The point is masks won't make any difference to this so why inflict this on children to their detriment? To make you feel better but actually despite it does nothing to lower incidence of covid?