Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

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

Schools - why are they doing this?

744 replies

Scrooge89 · 16/12/2021 07:14

Why are the media preparing us for school closures? They simply can’t do this to us…

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-59673271

Not to my children. My youngest struggled so much at home and was one of the 25% who couldn’t go to school (although I saw how much some people fudged the key worker card I may have to do it).

OP posts:
BustopherPonsonbyJones · 16/12/2021 10:11

@Bohemond
I’m guessing you also work in a Covid-secure job (or are working from home). It doesn’t rip through once. Significant numbers of people are on round two or three and that’s before omicron.

Mitigation is what is needed. Covid is here to stay.

NinaDefoe · 16/12/2021 10:12

Everyone still has to go to work? Why should teachers be any different?

??? If a high number of the staff are off ill how can they go into work?
Would you send your DC to school with no teachers?

SmellyOldPartridgeinaPearTree · 16/12/2021 10:13

@NinaDefoe

Everyone still has to go to work? Why should teachers be any different?

??? If a high number of the staff are off ill how can they go into work?
Would you send your DC to school with no teachers?

I was replying to a message saying 'school staff just have to go in until they contract covid and it's not fair' - that's what everyone is doing!
MarshaBradyo · 16/12/2021 10:15

I think the issues are going to be more for other sectors as the numbers going up will be fast and whilst holidays are happening.

NinaDefoe · 16/12/2021 10:16

In that case, yes, nearly everyone is in the same boat. (Apart from those who don’t do customer facing jobs, work from home or work with only very small numbers of people)

Babyroobs · 16/12/2021 10:18

The implications of this tearing through the community are enormous as others have highlighted.
Whilst appreciating that it is hard for kids to not be able to go to school, it really is minor considering what we could be facing. I say that as someone who has a child in a crucial year.

Verbena17 · 16/12/2021 10:21

Because by having a testing system that’s not fit for purpose, it ensures the farce on a ‘pandemic’ is carrying on....pumping fear into the People for however long the tyrannical govt feel like it.
If healthy people didn’t test, there’d be plenty of staff to go round.
Dr Kary Mullis, inventor of the PCR test and Nobel Prize Winner for the invention, is on record explaining how it doesn’t find live infection and cannot be used as a diagnosis tool. It simply makes cell debris much larger until you can see it. ‘It doesn’t tell you anything’. By using 40-45 cycles to increase the sample, ‘you can find anything in anyone’.

NinaDefoe · 16/12/2021 10:23

@Verbena17

Because by having a testing system that’s not fit for purpose, it ensures the farce on a ‘pandemic’ is carrying on....pumping fear into the People for however long the tyrannical govt feel like it. If healthy people didn’t test, there’d be plenty of staff to go round. Dr Kary Mullis, inventor of the PCR test and Nobel Prize Winner for the invention, is on record explaining how it doesn’t find live infection and cannot be used as a diagnosis tool. It simply makes cell debris much larger until you can see it. ‘It doesn’t tell you anything’. By using 40-45 cycles to increase the sample, ‘you can find anything in anyone’.
I’m sure he’s now a very rich man though.
Getyourarseofffthequattro · 16/12/2021 10:23

I cannot believe people are still referring to themselves as "cannon fodder" when they are double and triple vaccinated.

MabelsApron · 16/12/2021 10:25

These threads have been happening for nearly 2 years now and following the exact same pattern each time.

Schools cannot stay open if there aren't staff, and no amount of shouting, crying or telling everyone to think about the children is going to do anything about this.

What will help is parents taking responsibility for encouraging mask-wearing, ensuring kids wear warm clothes, reducing socialising where possible, lobbying the government to provide schools the funding that they need to make the buildings less prone to transmission. And yet thread after thread we see parents saying that they don't want masks, they don't want kids to get cold, they don't want kids to not have Christmas fairs etc. etc. etc.

Much easier to start shouting at the schools that they can't do this - that'll fix everything.

DotBall · 16/12/2021 10:27

We have been told today that the first two days back after the holidays will be planning days. Wales are gearing up for the fact that the situation will be similar (if not more severe) than last January.

MarshaBradyo · 16/12/2021 10:29

Someone mentioned BBC article re it being spread to everyone by the New Year

I can’t find it - but going by numbers by the time school goes back it may well be a different situation

The other sectors operating now are going to find it tough though

PinkWaferBiscuit · 16/12/2021 10:29

@Getyourarseofffthequattro

I cannot believe people are still referring to themselves as "cannon fodder" when they are double and triple vaccinated.
Being vaccinated doesn't stop you catching covid and unintentionally passing it on to others who are more vulnerable.

I think cannon fodder is a fair assessment of how those working in the NHS, carers and teaching staff have been seen by some.

A lot of people sadly don't give a shit about these people as long as they get what they want. In this case some people don't care that teachers are being left to inevitably catch covid with no protective measures just as long as they don't have to keep their child at home.

wineandchocolateforthewin · 16/12/2021 10:29

We've already had over half the school off recently inc lots of staff but thankfully managed to stay open and no-one seriously ill, i'm hoping (touch wood) that's our wave done for now and that there is a lot of natural immunity around

DotBall · 16/12/2021 10:32

I cannot believe people are still referring to themselves as "cannon fodder" when they are double and triple vaccinated

Really? You don’t believe that people can still end up in hospital with covid issues despite the vaccines?

I am CEV, caught covid by the start of the second week back in Sept and had a (albeit brief) spell overnight in hospital as I had breathing issues which needed checking out.

For the first time since all this started, I am now genuinely uneasy about going back in Jan, and have made the decision to go part time or possibly take full early retirement at the end of this academic year.

I would like to be around to enjoy retirement.

Getyourarseofffthequattro · 16/12/2021 10:34

@DotBall

I cannot believe people are still referring to themselves as "cannon fodder" when they are double and triple vaccinated

Really? You don’t believe that people can still end up in hospital with covid issues despite the vaccines?

I am CEV, caught covid by the start of the second week back in Sept and had a (albeit brief) spell overnight in hospital as I had breathing issues which needed checking out.

For the first time since all this started, I am now genuinely uneasy about going back in Jan, and have made the decision to go part time or possibly take full early retirement at the end of this academic year.

I would like to be around to enjoy retirement.

Yes, really. I mean yeah retire if you feel that strongly but they say that 3 doses is good protection so I think cannon fodder is a bit of an over reaction - especially for younger people with no underlying conditions.
Getyourarseofffthequattro · 16/12/2021 10:35

@PinkWaferBiscuit for as long as COVID is around that's not going to change is it?

What would you have us do? Shut schools forever?

PinkWaferBiscuit · 16/12/2021 10:37

[quote Getyourarseofffthequattro]@PinkWaferBiscuit for as long as COVID is around that's not going to change is it?

What would you have us do? Shut schools forever?[/quote]
Of course I wouldn't have schools shut permanently what I would like is the acknowledgement that it's not the schools that are doing anything wrong and for people to stop blaming teachers, TAs and other school staff when all they want is some poxy bloody mitigations to help keep themselves and students safe.

Whinge · 16/12/2021 10:38

[quote Getyourarseofffthequattro]@PinkWaferBiscuit for as long as COVID is around that's not going to change is it?

What would you have us do? Shut schools forever?[/quote]
Or you know put measures in place to help reduce the spread. 🤷‍♀️

borntobequiet · 16/12/2021 10:39

By using 40-45 cycles to increase the sample, ‘you can find anything in anyone’.

It’s broadly the same technique used to amplify DNA in forensic testing. Would you dismiss its use in identifying criminals?

Getyourarseofffthequattro · 16/12/2021 10:40

Well yes @Whinge but that's down the government not parents?

They should also properly fund and staff the NHS too but they won't do that either and then they wonder why it nearly falls over every year.

Ormally · 16/12/2021 10:41

If teachers and pupils are isolating but healthy/ well enough to work, learning can be offered remotely and can take place. It isn't an easy solution for all who would otherwise be in school, and it has other downsides, but it is a plan b that is possible.

If medics, nurses, drivers etc are not healthy/ well enough to work, it's not possible to treat and monitor a major influx of hospitalised people remotely - including younger people, unfortunately, who are probably unvaccinated and exposed in school.

Getyourarseofffthequattro · 16/12/2021 10:41

@PinkWaferBiscuit I don't think anyone is blaming the staff, I think they're rightly blaming the government.

PinkWaferBiscuit · 16/12/2021 10:43

[quote Getyourarseofffthequattro]@PinkWaferBiscuit I don't think anyone is blaming the staff, I think they're rightly blaming the government.[/quote]
You're joking right? Have you not seen the probably thousands at this stage of posts on here alone blaming staff? Have you been living under a rock?

ifonly4 · 16/12/2021 10:43

Looks like a delayed start in Wales now, two days to allow for assessing staff capacity/planning for whatever the situation is