Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Spreading like wildfire- schools

255 replies

DirtyDancing · 09/12/2021 21:09

It's been pretty bad in London on and off.

But this is unprecedented on this scale- local schools which have had the odd cases here and there now seeing 8,10 children sometimes more getting it in a class. Multiple confirmed Ormicron case at local secondary and subsequently lateral flows coming back positive tonight. PCR results pending.

I know of full classes out, and two full year groups (Y3 & Y4) in two other schools .

Is it this bad anywhere else?

OP posts:
Timeisavirtue · 09/12/2021 22:24

DD’s class (yr 4) had 5 cases the last of which came back 2 weeks ago, luckily no more. The other year 4 class had several cases of chicken pox . 1 year 5 class has half the kids missing with corona, the other one only one or two.
DS (year 9) school a few teachers off with COVID and there’s also been a stomach bug making the rounds. Luckily thanks to DS washing his hands every 5 minutes he’s not caught it.

KangSaeByeok · 09/12/2021 22:25

@MarshaBradyo

There's currently a bill going into parliament to stop school closures as they've been catastrophic for vulnerable children.

Really? This would make my day

www.roberthalfon.com/news/robert-halfon-mp-introduces-new-bill-prevent-future-school-closures-after-disaster

Importantly it's supported by the children's commissioner. Let's be clear there are children like Arthur who were put at greater risk of harm due to school closures. They have to be considered in future decision making.

tintodeverano2 · 09/12/2021 22:26

My dd secondary school publishes weekly figures of those isolating. They are much lower now than at the beginning of term. It's in the region of 20/3,000 so a tiny amount really.

Delatron · 09/12/2021 22:26

Based on my experience in my town. Most of DS’s friends had it. I would say 25% of the parents picked it up. So plenty (myself and DH included) managed to swerve it (or vaccines kicked in as no way was I isolating an 11 year old).

Of the parents that were ill most had a few days in bed if that. Some lost sense of taste and smell (but it came back) and a couple had a bit of lingering tiredness.

firefly123 · 09/12/2021 22:28

Seems to be affecting primaries more where we are in London. Lot of hype though

Ginflinger · 09/12/2021 22:28

41 kids out of 184 at our primary had covid at the end of last week. Years 5 and 6 closed.

EarthSight · 09/12/2021 22:29

Can't give you numbers but it's all over here in rural Wales.

user1471505494 · 09/12/2021 22:29

@MarshaBradyo

There's currently a bill going into parliament to stop school closures as they've been catastrophic for vulnerable children.

Really? This would make my day

If this bill passes what is going to happen when schools don’t have enough teaching and ancillary staff to function safely. I know some schools in my area are really suffering and are having to close classes
Tinsellittis · 09/12/2021 22:29

My Dc's school is rife, absolutely spreading like wild fire.

RedToothBrush · 09/12/2021 22:29

One year got it badly before half term. Then it really died down and stopped.

Then there's been another big outbreak in two years including my sons. There's a lot of cases locally in similar social circles too, so it doesn't really surprise me. In school its clear that there is a single family which got it, and then its gone unnoticed and both the sons have passed it to half their classes. Not their fault (at least one of the boys is definitely assymptomatic). But its had a big impact.

I actually feel quite sorry for the family. And as soon as they've realised they've been straight up and honest about it.

Ginflinger · 09/12/2021 22:29

And chicken pox. Some families have had both on the go at the same time.

HereComesTheSun12 · 09/12/2021 22:30

There are already rumblings about a delayed start to the new term. Ofsted have cancelled inspections for the next few weeks to allow schools time to work on their contingency plans, whatever that is supposed to mean.

At the end of the day, if the general public won't play ball with reducing contacts and hospitals are under severe pressure, the government are left to close what they can control i.e. pubs, clubs, shops and eventually schools.

gogohm · 09/12/2021 22:35

Was like this 6 weeks ago here, 20% of high school out, then similar numbers in the primaries about a week later.

Badgerforbreakfast · 09/12/2021 22:35

Same here in my part of Scotland. We haven’t seen anything like this up until now.

Clementine183 · 09/12/2021 22:37

25 out of 30 kids in my daughter's class currently off with covid. To be honest, though, I don't think it's entirely a bad thing - once they've all had it once and got it out of the way they're less likely to catch it again, at least for a while, and will build up antibodies. It seems that none of the kids in our class are suffering badly with it. I've picked it up too, again not too badly. I know some people aren't so lucky, but even so, I don't quite get the hysteria over it spreading in schools at the moment... it was going to happen at some point.

MarshaBradyo · 09/12/2021 22:38

Thanks Kang a good read, I like the term essential infrastructure

Delatron · 09/12/2021 22:40

If Covid has been through a school then it’s pretty pointless closing it. They’re in a good position. They’ve been through the disruption and things will settle down.

MarshaBradyo · 09/12/2021 22:42

Also I’ll think very badly if anyone who doesn’t pass it, well done to people putting it forward

Bellie710 · 09/12/2021 22:42

We have not had any cases in our primary school and in the last 18 months probably about 20 cases in our secondary school.

TenoringBehind · 09/12/2021 22:43

Barely any cases at my dc’s secondary school.
Seems to be a problem for primary schools only here.

PieMistee · 09/12/2021 22:44

It's a bit like it was in Jan last year when so many people I know are positive.

Xtraincome · 09/12/2021 22:46

My DDs primary is rife with every bug except Covid to be honest. We are in Northamptonshire, the school has 1 week left and we can see the finish line!

Numbers are very high where you are so I can see how scary it must look. You're in London, it's kind of inevitable really. Hope your DCs are OK?

kickupafuss · 09/12/2021 22:47

I wish our school would tell us how many cases there are. My DD has it and has passed it on to me. Now I'm so worried that the CEV person in our family will get it. I would like to have known numbers were high so I could have decided to take DD out. I know other people would think that was wrong but the worry on top of having covid is making feel so stressed.

Remoanercorona · 09/12/2021 22:53

Local primary had to close 3 out of 7 classes as so many staff and kids off.
In my son’s class there were only a handful that didn’t get it.
Seems to have settled down now thankfully

DespairingHomeowner · 09/12/2021 22:54

V v mixed picture in London schools as far as I can tell

  • 1 school SE classes closed in yrs 1/2/3
  • 1 school NW London - plenty of COVID among primary pupils but no closures
  • a 3rd school - also NW London but slightly further out - no cases at all apparently (I think this will change)

It’s going through my colleagues too - all WFH so probably via the kids …