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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:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 10/12/2021 17:23

@Nellodee

In a factory, you work on a production line side by side with your other workers. You will probably infect each other.in a school, teachers do not work in the same room as each other and are much less likely too pass it from teacher to teacher. The rate at which teachers will get it is much more staggered. Also in a school, every lesson needs covering, you can't teach more students by working harder or faster.
It's not a production line, it's large items of furniture so there are various departments, sewing, upholstery, etc.
Nidan2Sandan · 10/12/2021 17:23

I have 2 kids in primary and 1 in secondary. East of England and no issues here. It was worse with Delta, but never has gotten to the state of whole years groups needing to go home. And that's even with our Secondary being compromised of 2 campuses with a total of some 3000 children! Our primary has 700 kids.

Nellodee · 10/12/2021 17:26

Sorry, I've only ever worked in food factories. Still though, teachers don't actually work with other teachers very much at all.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 10/12/2021 17:27

Yes, that's true.

Piggywaspushed · 10/12/2021 17:30

A lot of our teachers have come back after 10 days warhertistuff and then gone off again ill - the came back too early. Many younger/middle aged staff underestimate how ill it has made them. Unlike some jobs, I guess, you can't take a quick break/take it easy/have a nap/work flexi hours/ go home for a bit,so it's full on.

But, yes, most teachers are women and the UK teaching workforce is young, so women with young children.

As I said, I was ill for six weeks (conveniently for the profession mostly during the holidays...) We have three members of staff (that I know of) who have been off for more than 6 weeks.

This is not to bleat - it is just to point out how disruptive this is.

Itisasecret · 10/12/2021 17:34

Teachers are exposed to a higher viral load. No ventilation, no masks, busy rooms, lots of Covid in classes. That’s why they are falling hard when they do get sick. Can’t even get supply now. It was established very early on that viral load has a significant impact on illness.

DigitalGhost · 10/12/2021 17:36

Every kid in my daughter's school has a cold. Pretty sure nobody bothers testing anymore

Skysblue · 10/12/2021 17:46

Yes, we’re SE and it’s pretty bad. There was a thread the other day on schools sending year groups home etc.

It’s also weird. Like one class has 16 cases, but another only 2 cases. It’s just strange who catches it and who doesn’t.

Yellowarmy · 10/12/2021 18:37

In the last 15 months we've had approximately 300 students positive in my school, not one with anything more than a bad cold. Stop believing everything you read in the media. It doesn't matter whether it rips through schools. The common cold used to rip through schools every winter.

liveforsummer · 10/12/2021 18:42

It’s also weird. Like one class has 16 cases, but another only 2 cases. It’s just strange who catches it and who doesn’t.

Probably more likely who is testing and who isn't. DD's school is absolutely rife, the parents though are very mindful and are testing before absolutely anything, weekend trips, clubs etc. Where I work the cases are non existent. Lots of unwell dc coming in to school day after day. Majority of parents unvaccinated and of the conspiracy attitude doubt very much any of these kids are getting tested

Crunchymum · 10/12/2021 18:46

Central London primary, double year intake and as of today parents are still being allowed in the school (albeit with a negative LFT and masks) for nativity plays. Next week more of the same planned Shock

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 10/12/2021 18:47

We had murmers from slt that cases are getting high in our setting but I Can't see how it will change because no students wear masks

liveforsummer · 10/12/2021 18:47

@Crunchymum

Central London primary, double year intake and as of today parents are still being allowed in the school (albeit with a negative LFT and masks) for nativity plays. Next week more of the same planned Shock
In Scotland we still aren't even allowed in the playground at pick up or drop off let alone near the school building even individually let alone in a group
Maireas · 10/12/2021 18:48

@Yellowarmy

In the last 15 months we've had approximately 300 students positive in my school, not one with anything more than a bad cold. Stop believing everything you read in the media. It doesn't matter whether it rips through schools. The common cold used to rip through schools every winter.
It's not the common cold, though. Is it?.
FindingMeno · 10/12/2021 18:52

Seems there's a lot of teacher cases atm in our school.

vickyc90 · 10/12/2021 19:15

@Maireas for the majority of people it less than the common cold. I volunteered for a vaccine trial but was already antibody positive not sure when we had it. Current cold has me floored.

wincarwoo · 10/12/2021 19:26

@Yellowarmy

In the last 15 months we've had approximately 300 students positive in my school, not one with anything more than a bad cold. Stop believing everything you read in the media. It doesn't matter whether it rips through schools. The common cold used to rip through schools every winter.
Yeah the whole world is in a tizzy over the common cold. Stand down everyone @Yellowarmy has news!!!
liveforsummer · 10/12/2021 19:34

Yeah the whole world is in a tizzy over the common cold. Stand down everyone @Yellowarmy has news!!!

The pp was talking about the dc in her work place. Entirely believable. Dc at DD's school for the majority have been picked up asymptomatically via ltf and wouldn't have had a clue otherwise. The odd one has had a stuffy nose, sore tummy and or a headache for a day or 2. Having seen my dc floored for days with everyday viruses spiking 40c temps I can see why many people are comparing it to common colds when this is their experience

wincarwoo · 10/12/2021 19:40

@liveforsummer

Yeah the whole world is in a tizzy over the common cold. Stand down everyone @Yellowarmy has news!!!

The pp was talking about the dc in her work place. Entirely believable. Dc at DD's school for the majority have been picked up asymptomatically via ltf and wouldn't have had a clue otherwise. The odd one has had a stuffy nose, sore tummy and or a headache for a day or 2. Having seen my dc floored for days with everyday viruses spiking 40c temps I can see why many people are comparing it to common colds when this is their experience

Yes indeed symptoms can be mild like a cold or as bad as a nasty flu. Unfortunately though until we get more people vaxxed or it burns itself out we're still going to be hit with these restrictions because it can be lethal.
HerbertChops · 10/12/2021 19:50

My ds’s school (SW London) have been doing daily LFTs for the last few weeks, he was negative all last week but homeschooling with a high temperature and nasty cold, this week he’s tested positive and is asymptomatic so far. There were 3 of them homeschooling last week and 6 this week. His school hasn’t had many positives, he’s secondary.

Youngest is at primary and it was going round October, seems to have burnt itself out there now, youngest had it over half term but oldest didn’t catch it then, neither did dh or me. Youngest had a blocked nose for a few days and red eyes one day.

So far we’re all negative this time, not been told to isolate/test every day by test and trace so assuming this is delta as well.

Maireas · 10/12/2021 19:51

[quote vickyc90]@Maireas for the majority of people it less than the common cold. I volunteered for a vaccine trial but was already antibody positive not sure when we had it. Current cold has me floored. [/quote]
Yes, Vicky, but colds don't routinely fill up intensive care departments do they?
Glad you have antibodies. It's a killer.

beentoldcomputersaysno · 10/12/2021 19:56

@Itisasecret

Teachers are exposed to a higher viral load. No ventilation, no masks, busy rooms, lots of Covid in classes. That’s why they are falling hard when they do get sick. Can’t even get supply now. It was established very early on that viral load has a significant impact on illness.
One of our teachers has gone on may leave early - doctor advised risk is too great
Yellowarmy · 10/12/2021 19:57

With a population of 67/68 million, covid is nothing to most. But we are restricting people's lives because the NHS is not fit for purpose, with or without covid, due to years of underfunding and a rapidly growing population.

wincarwoo · 10/12/2021 20:04

@Yellowarmy

With a population of 67/68 million, covid is nothing to most. But we are restricting people's lives because the NHS is not fit for purpose, with or without covid, due to years of underfunding and a rapidly growing population.
That would make sense if we were the only country not "coping". Clearly most nations need to up the capacity of their care to deal with the virus. We will only be able to do it with a tax rise...
Yellowarmy · 10/12/2021 20:09

I agree we can only pay for it with a tax rise. But are all these restrictions worth it, that's all I'm asking. Weekly death toll is no higher than in any normal year