Do you think schools will return as normal in January?

[LucozadeGirl]

Just that really.

We absolutely do not have filtration systems in Scottish schools, who suggested that??
Maybe in Fettes..

Blubells - that's if I have to buy my own purifier off Amazon because I am just a random parent. Obvs not something the government or schools would do. Assume government can bulk buy and get good deals if they'd stop lining the pockets of their mates with tax payers money.

As I posted earlier it is estimated that you could get all classrooms fitted out for half the price of the royal yacht.

@Blubells

*So frustrating that even if I am prepared to shell out £250 for DDs class it won't make a difference. The government needs to fund this properly for schools*

Wow £250 per classroom?

And do we really think that they will prevent Omicron from spreading? I find that hard to believe

Are you thinking £250 is a lot? The government should have explored the effectiveness in classrooms before now.

The cost of at least 5 days supply cover is more than that...

@Blubells

*So frustrating that even if I am prepared to shell out £250 for DDs class it won't make a difference. The government needs to fund this properly for schools*

Wow £250 per classroom?

And do we really think that they will prevent Omicron from spreading? I find that hard to believe

We would probably not be allowed to use a filtration system of our own in school as it would need to be checked by the LEA. I'm in Scotland. We aren't allowed to as much as plug a kettle in without clearance to check its compliant.

@kittensinthekitchen

We have all of those in Scotland and yet similar Covid rates in schools, so… maybe not.

@GoldenOmber

Proper ventilation in Scottish schools? How many of them? 3? 🤣

Perhaps read what I actually said again? Which is that we have is “funding for air filtration systems”, but this has not translated into actual air filtration systems in actual schools.

Some might say it is therefore more of a grand political gesture with nothing practical behind it? I would never be so cynical though.

Masks were never removed from Scottish high schools made no difference it’s still rife.

@noblegiraffe

Of course ten days, well seven now, is better for dc than hit of isolation or lockdown

But what about the other mitigation measures you refuse to support?

Many thought that not isolating household contacts was bonkers.

And it's not seven days. It's seven days with 2 negative tests, which will not cover everyone.

Isn’t it 7 days then negative tests and avoid crowded places. Does 1,500 children count as a crowd ? I’m sure it will .

I think that we had far less cases in our high school that what I read on some threads about English high schools. Certainly with Delta. There was the odd year group letter emailed. I do think masks help.
We have had more spread in primaries.

Primaries in Scotland have less mitigations.

@Explosivefarts

Masks were never removed from Scottish high schools made no difference it’s still rife.

See my point somewhere earlier that it would be interesting to see if masks have reduced the severity of covid in children or not. If yes, that’s a good thing. If it hasn’t, why? Do we need better quality masks? Is air filtration more important? Is community transmission so rife that kids are picking it up in the community rather than school, and can that be mitigated against?

Why is everyone so willing to just give up and say nothing works, just let them get infected?

Sorry by “everyone” I don’t mean you personally, explosivefarts but the people you’d expect to care, like the Education secretary, health secretary, childrens’ commissioner, opposition government etc.

Beware, out of interest do you know what happened about those ten paediatric long covid hubs that Matt Hancock announced in the summer?

whittingtonmum have signed that petition - many thanks

Noble I do in theory! One apparently exists not too far from me, and I’m trying to get a referral there at the moment. Unfortunately we’ve confused the system by having two different problems related to covid, so needing to see two specialists. One specialist has advised the paediatric long covid clinic, the other we still haven’t seen because Nhs delays (understandable but frustrating). We need to be referred to the clinic by our gp though, so back to the gp for more tests to rule out everything non-covid before they refer, and hopefully they won’t want to wait until we see the other specialist, as that is likely spring or later.

The gp we’re currently seeing has less than zero interest in the cause of this problem, and just repeats “no infection so no problem.” despite ds being in constant pain. Last gp was much more receptive so transferring back to her.

So yes, they exist but you can’t refer yourself (which is fair as long as gps understand the problem and patients know to request it) and specialist referrals seem to slightly confuse the system as you need lots of evidence ruling out anything else before you’re allowed to go. Again, fair, but time consuming!

So, yes. I haven’t been there in real life to confirm its existence but will report back. If it turns out to be a dark cupboard with a cardboard cutout of Matt Hancock you’ll be the first to know!

I’m also incredibly shocked that they actually exist in the first place, because Hancock.

Meant to put a link above in case it’s useful for anyone else.

Also with the caveat that -
“The teams will offer specialist advice to family doctors, community nurses and others seeing Covid patients aged up to 18, so that they can get the help they need closer to home.”

so not a face-to-face service (which people might expect it to be) as far as I can see, but a way to get referred to the right place by specialists more knowledgable about covid in children than your Gp might be, so advice about whether it’s more appropriate to see a physio or rheumatologist etc.

www.cuh.nhs.uk/news/new-specialist-service-for-children-with-long-covid/

Apologies I am very tired and making no sense - possibly not a face to face service in all cases. The one I linked seems not be, the one closer to me seems to have a physical, visitable hub for assessments. We’ll see!

You do make sense and thanks for sharing your experience.

I haven't seen a GP for over 2 years despite a couple of chronic conditions that require proper monitoring and despite some abnormal blood test results that really should be looked into. I've had health stuff that would have totally justified me being signed off but I'm a teacher and things are in desperate straits and despite the contradictory propaganda we do tend to keep on keeping on as a profession because we care about the youngsters in our care and know what a wafer thin edge our underfunded system balances on.

If we want schools to open and stay open people have to be responsible and prioritise not taking out students and staff with covid because they believe it's just a sniffle and why should they take care of their kids at home just because they have or more than likely have covid. If people refuse to do that then? It won't be schools fault and ironically it will be the biggest moaners and foot stampers who cut off their noses to spite all of our faces.

Some people genuinely seem to want the moon on a stick without having to lift a finger or inconvenience themselves in any way to make it happen in exceptional times. It is truly bizarre.

I think schools will return. Some will end up closing or not having all year groups because of teachers and/or support staff self-isolating.

Someone suggested that all OFSTED inspections should be stopped for a while and the inspectors work in schools to provide cover where needed. Not sure some of them I'd want back in teaching, but worth considering.

Another excellent post, @swallowedAfly

Some people genuinely seem to want the moon on a stick without having to lift a finger or inconvenience themselves in any way to make it happen in exceptional times. It is truly bizarre.

Do you think people haven’t done that much in the last two years?

I find it bizarre that anyone would say that tbh

The Observer is reporting a return to masks in classrooms until 26th Jan.

@MarshaBradyo

Some people genuinely seem to want the moon on a stick without having to lift a finger or inconvenience themselves in any way to make it happen in exceptional times. It is truly bizarre.

Do you think people haven’t done that much in the last two years?

I find it bizarre that anyone would say that tbh

But we're talking about "now." After the last two years (and don't discount the extended pockets of time where restrictions were lifted and we could enjoy almost "normal" conditions), Covid fatigue has set in amongst too many people and they are now stropping about the need for continued mitigations that we require for the time being to deal with the current threat.

A pretty sensible and obvious step to take imo noble. I'm sure Marsha will disagree whilst pretending to still care about keeping schools open for 'vulnerable' (not medically vulnerable though) kids.

You're being generous Hendricks. Many of them were moaning from day 1.

Until 26th January. At least there’s a date.

You’ll find other posters more vocal about not wanting that than me.

As for ‘pretending’ Swallowed yeh ok whatever insult you want to go with next to make you feel good for a minute. Cba with your take.