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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:
TheKeatingFive · 09/12/2021 22:55

the government are left to close what they can control i.e. pubs, clubs, shops and eventually schools.

Which would achieve nothing except economic hardship and the next generations missing out on valuable education.

siestalady · 09/12/2021 22:55

@HereComesTheSun12

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.

Oh the old classic line about blaming all the other plebs for putting pressure on the hospitals by daring to see other human beings. I cant believe two years on people still wheel that out.

How about, instead, we blame the government for failing to invest in proper healthcare infrastructure to be able to manage an increase in demand on the hospitals?

IWantMoreStationery · 09/12/2021 22:56

DS comp school is OK in the Midlands but 3 villages. He's had his first vaccine today as missed the school one. There is no hysteria here.

CovidCorvid · 09/12/2021 22:58

My brother is a secondary teacher and says the same. He says he will be amazed if exams go ahead….and that if they do it won’t be fair due to mismatched periods of isolation for different kids. Some kids have missed weeks and weeks and some none! He thinks another year of teacher assessment will be better.

november90 · 09/12/2021 22:59

I tell you what else is spreading like wildfire.... bloomin norovirus! My son is currently unwell for the second time on 4 weeks with tummy bugs. Poor little thing. It actually sounds like there's an outbreak at his school even his teacher is off sick with it!!!

StellaGibson118 · 09/12/2021 23:00

Im in Greater Manchester and it's already ripped through our school for most people so it's not too terrible at the minute.

Tatum1234 · 09/12/2021 23:04

No, there’s been about 6-7 cases in my son’s class since September. None of them have passed it to anyone else luckily.

toomuchlaundry · 09/12/2021 23:04

DS's school have had a few year groups off for 2 weeks doing remote provision at various times this term

TheScenicWay · 09/12/2021 23:05

In London. Delta ripped through ds school this time last year and now again though I don’t know which variant. Lots of kids off and restrictions.
Hardly any infections inbetween though.

Tabbacus · 09/12/2021 23:06

@november90

I tell you what else is spreading like wildfire.... bloomin norovirus! My son is currently unwell for the second time on 4 weeks with tummy bugs. Poor little thing. It actually sounds like there's an outbreak at his school even his teacher is off sick with it!!!
I fear this more than covid, so grim!
RedToothBrush · 09/12/2021 23:08

@Ginflinger

And chicken pox. Some families have had both on the go at the same time.
We've had chicken pox this half term.

One class had a third off at one point.

JingleJangler · 09/12/2021 23:15

But are any of them actually seriously ill with the new variant?

HesterShaw1 · 09/12/2021 23:21

If I never hear/see the phrase "ripped through" again....

It's just so bloody melodramatic.

RedToothBrush · 09/12/2021 23:22

@JingleJangler

But are any of them actually seriously ill with the new variant?
We have not got enough cases of the new variant to have data to establish this one way or another yet.

Just cos 30 kids are fine in one school (which perhaps has had a lot of covid previously thus meaning kids have antibodies) doesn't me 30 kids at another school (most likely a much more rural one) will also be ok if theyve never been exposed to covid.

This matters.

Malteser71 · 09/12/2021 23:22

It’s like a motorbike, with all this dramatic ripping and tearing.

Hope it’s taxed.

Treaclepie19 · 09/12/2021 23:23

Same @Tabbacus
I'm more scared of stomach bugs coming home than covid 😩

Tabbacus · 09/12/2021 23:23

@HesterShaw1

If I never hear/see the phrase "ripped through" again....

It's just so bloody melodramatic.

That's giving me lockdown 1 vibes, I also hate it.
HereComesTheSun12 · 09/12/2021 23:28

@siestalady for what it's worth I agree with you. I am dreading the thought of online learning. The only reason they'd have to close schools is that they haven't invested sufficiently in healthcare.

Grayskelly · 09/12/2021 23:29

A lot of the focus has been on keeping the health system going, so anyone recovering at home without medical intervention is a win from that perspective. Fatigue is one of the symptoms, so I can see how someone could be in bed for over a week without being gravely ill.

BlueTuesday20 · 09/12/2021 23:29

Because Omicron is thought to have a higher R value, many more people are like to be infected already. Asymptomatic etc. It's a numbers game. Even if the percentage of people getting seriously ill is lower, and it is a generally milder version, if the actual number of people getting seriously ill at the same time and needing to be treated is high, then it still has the same potential to overwhelm the NHS. And further mutations along the Omicron variant have been identified already.

Spreading like wildfire in Surrey....

babybythesea · 09/12/2021 23:35

My school is bad. We have had the odd case up to now, but since half term it’s been really, really bad. There’s one class where over the half of the kids have it. Tiny village school - half of one class is a massive chunk of the school. Waiting for it to get into the other classes now. We’ve got lots of children off with parents getting them checked before bringing them back, which is nice as we have already had one staff member hospitalised, and one off with long COVID. Don’t need any more staff out of action.

We’ve been checking with public health but they keep telling us it’s fine. We’ve got parents stressing because their child is in a class with a high number of COVID cases (small community - everyone knows everything). We have staffing issues like I have never known before and have had to shut once because so many staff were off. Can’t do much consistent work because so many children are coming and going. It’s a bit of a shit show but we’re doing the best we can.

RedToothBrush · 09/12/2021 23:37

[quote HereComesTheSun12]@siestalady for what it's worth I agree with you. I am dreading the thought of online learning. The only reason they'd have to close schools is that they haven't invested sufficiently in healthcare.[/quote]
Tbf from those i speak to in Europe with much better health care systems there is just as much worry re omicron and health services being unable to cope.

Northsoutheastwest76 · 09/12/2021 23:37

By far the highest infected group in our area for weeks now has been Primary aged.
I know there are lots of cases in dd3s school.
Now dd2s Forn tutor is off with COVID. I know this as weknow each other out of school.
Think it is only a matter of time before we succumb.

whitehorsesdonotlie · 09/12/2021 23:43

@Wowwellokthen

The 10 isolation for omicron has been changed to daily lateral flows.
We had an argument text from school last night. Ds has to isolate for 10 days. Close contact with Omicron case.

Which is right????

StellaGibson118 · 09/12/2021 23:49

@HesterShaw1

If I never hear/see the phrase "ripped through" again....

It's just so bloody melodramatic.

Says you who is being melodramatic over a phrase Grin