Teachers - Anyone else worried?

[foundlingfar]

Any teachers on here concerned about the current covid stats? I am surrounded by kids in my class who's families are isolating, they clearly have symptoms but have tested negative so are able to attend school. I feel like I can't do anything to protect myself and my family 😕. I work with very little children so I'm constantly tying shoe laces, helping to zip up coats, comforting children etc. I'm just so anxious and feel like other workers have been told to 'work from home' or 'limit contact' whereas teachers have been largely expected to get on with it. I know we're not the only ones but in primary, we aren't even allowed to wear masks as children need to see us speak etc. I know this is an awful thing to say as I love my job and children, but it's like we are putting the kids before our own health?! And come of us have families and our own children too!

[quote sharkyandme]@Sowhatifiam yeah they should invest in making schools safer places but first just get the kids in. [/quote]
The kids ARE in.

In the UK right now, except where there are too many teachers off sick for kids to safely go in.

That's the whole point. Making those children and their teachers in school safer so they're more likely to stay there and not be off sick for weeks (viral dose matters).

@user1477391263

I agree that I do not understand any parent who would not want air filtration, unless they are an out-and-out covid denier.

I don't think many people are against air filtration. I agree it's a good idea. I just think that some people are trying to point out that it's unlikely to make omicron magically go away--it might slow the spread somewhat.

In some parts of the US, they've been steadily strapping ever-more-cumbersome devices onto ever-younger kids' faces (N95 masks mandatory for kindergarden and preschool in some Democratic cities!?), shouting at kids for not wearing masks perfectly at all times, making kids eat outside when it's absolutely freezing, and making the vaccine mandatory for school. And yet, it seems like none of this is enough, because many schools are still closing in Democratic-voting cities--precisely in the areas where the most mitigations have been put in place. It's as though the existence of more mitigations has just encouraged the schools to develop an ever-more sensitive panic trigger about any cases whatsoever.

I'm happy to have more mitigations in schools and my DD1 wears a surgical mask. But please understand why some of us are starting to get a bit frustrated and are getting cynical about claims of "If only we can put THIS mitigation in place, everyone will be able to stop worrying about covid. No really, honest! We promise it'll work this time!!!"

The stuff I've seen from the US is indicative of a level of panic that is kind of taking on a life of its own, regardless of the actual level of societal harm caused by the virus. The IFR has been dropping pretty steadily, yet the fear seems unending and un-nuanced.

It is precisely because it is not going to go away that we shoudl consider mitigating for ongoing issues.

It is not sensible to try to ignore a problem that can be managed more effectively.

If you are only measuring the harm in terms of the IFR, then it is you that is 'un-nuanced' I think. I am not personally afraid of covid any more than I am of other diseases - but on a societal level covid is causing a lot more problems and the rational thing to do would be to take steps to mitigate those problems.

Which is usual at this time of year (bronchiolitis etc). These kids have covid, not all are admitted because of covid.

Do we think bronchiolitis from RSV will be made better or worse with a co-infection of covid?

I'll answer, many many doctors have said getting covid on top of something else is a serious problem.

It's not rocket science.

So bored of these threads. As a teacher, I am triple jabbed, fit and healthy. Stop whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it!

So bored of these threads. As a teacher, I am triple jabbed, fit and healthy. Stop whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it!

So bored of fellow teachers not recognising that many colleagues may well be triple jabbed but are not necessarily fit and healthy and/or have people at home they are particularly worried about.

Stop ignoring the very real concerns of thousands of people who work and attend schools.

yeah they should invest in making schools safer places but first just get the kids in

the kids are in.

what would make schools a healthier environment?

Windows that open. Better ventilation. I worked supply for years - some schools are shocking - I have spent hours in rooms with no windows, for example.

Students who understand the potential impact of their actions on others and therefore refrain from deliberately coughing on others, emptying out the soap dispensers for fun and other such rubbish. Parents who don't argue with teachers when their children are caught red-handed and punished.

Students and parents who understand that not every child is 'healthy' and that sometimes, to give some better protection for the CV and CEV children who still need educating and who are also prone to mental health issues if left alone at home for months on end, wearing masks and giving that child some space would make the world of difference. In other words, vulnerable to covid children, not just vulnerable children, also have rights.

@Fritilleries

So bored of these threads. As a teacher, I am triple jabbed, fit and healthy. Stop whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it!

Think the important words are 'fit and healthy'. Presumably you have some older colleagues, who may have health conditions?

Do none of your students have health conditions?

Do you care about no one but yourself?

@Fritilleries

So bored of these threads. As a teacher, I am triple jabbed, fit and healthy. Stop whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it!

How lucky that you are both fit and healthy. I’m sure you understand that not all people that work in schools are as lucky as you.

Fit and healthy kids and teachers can also get v ill though?

@Pootle40

Genuine question....what would make schools a healthier environment? Do they all need rebuilt so the classrooms are bigger? What realistically can be done? Are schools unhealthier than office environments?

The DfE’s own figures show it would cost £11.4 billion to repair schools to a satisfactory standard.

This isn’t jazzing them up so they’re all fancy, this is making sure the roof doesn’t leak, fixing the wiring, the holes in the walls. The toilets! Asbestos was mentioned by a pp. Fire safety is another issue, the govt won’t install sprinklers and have recently approved Grenfell-style cladding for new school builds.

schoolsweek.co.uk/repairing-englands-schools-will-cost-11-4-billion-dfe-admits/

So yeah, schools are a mess.

Interesting to see a pp wanting a cost/benefit analysis of improving ventilation in classrooms. I invite them to try to teach in an English classroom when it’s really hot. Teaching is massively disrupted every single summer by the temperature in classrooms, there would be massive educational benefit to sorting that out.

@noblegiraffe bloody hell.

It would be interesting to see a cost/benefit analysis of improving ventilation that compares it to the increased cost of heating Primary classrooms that have the doors open! But yes I completely agree with you Noble - increasing ventilation would certainly improve learning outcomes. I used to work in a Primary school that had an upstairs with a glass roof and very large windows facing South - it genuinely did have a negative impact on the children's ability to learn and our ability to teach

@Fritilleries

So bored of these threads. As a teacher, I am triple jabbed, fit and healthy. Stop whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it!

Wow, this attitude is really concerning for any disabled, CV or CEV kids in your care. Do you tell their parents to stop 'whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it' when they express concern about the absence of risk reduction and appropriate safety measures in school?

I'm guessing that most of the people who come on to berate teachers and parents for wanting some safety measure in schools don't actually have any family members in state school classrooms.

Usually they don't seem that familiar with actual state school classrooms and conditions.

It’s extraordinary how many people are kicking off about how uncomfortable masks are, detrimental to education etc while ignoring basic stuff like the temperature of classrooms in the summer, every summer.

@theemperorhasnoclothes

Which is usual at this time of year (bronchiolitis etc). These kids have covid, not all are admitted because of covid.

Do we think bronchiolitis from RSV will be made better or worse with a co-infection of covid?

I'll answer, many many doctors have said getting covid on top of something else is a serious problem.

It's not rocket science.

Your last line is why it is so difficult as a parent to engage with many school staff on these threads. It is easy to make points without being so damn rude and condescending. It makes it impossible to engage in meaningful debate which is a terrible shame. I have worked many shifts on a paeds ward over the last few weeks so we could have had an interesting conversation on this if you hadn't felt the need to add that last line.

Are people on this thread berating teachers or complaining about the discomfort of masks? I definitely haven't saw that to be honest. The post certainly has derailed somewhat though from the original op that's for sure!

@noblegiraffe

Yup!! Some lessons my kids would just lie on the floor doing some colouring in it was that hot…!

@PrivateHall

Are people on this thread berating teachers or complaining about the discomfort of masks? I definitely haven't saw that to be honest. The post certainly has derailed somewhat though from the original op that's for sure!

Are people berating teachers

Not as bad as some other threads, but there are a few examples:

Stop whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it!

I really wish teachers would stop thinking they are the only ones in the World not WFH and at risk of Covid

Use your teachers' brains to understand the stats and read beyond the media scaremongering!

Ahhh I wasn't focused on those as at least two were written by teachers (apparently??). I personally think comments from teachers on this thread are far worse than posters not claiming to be teachers 😕

Wow, this attitude is really concerning for any disabled, CV or CEV kids in your care. Do you tell their parents to stop 'whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it' when they express concern about the absence of risk reduction and appropriate safety measures in school?

Do you honestly think that these 'risk reduction' measures would prevent a CEV child from catching Omicron in school? Unfortunately I don't think they would as omicron is very very transmissible.

That's not the point Blubells. The point is the attitude.

“Long Covid rates increased fastest among teachers and education staff in England towards the end of last term, compared with all other professions, and the sector has the second-highest rate of the condition overall, according to Office of National Statistics data published today.

The number of teachers and other education staff self-reporting long Covid symptoms increased by 4 per cent compared with the previous month - to a proportion of 3.1 per cent. It was the largest increase among professional groups, the latest ONS data covering the month to 6 December 2021 reveals.

Teachers and education staff had the second-highest rate at 3.1 per cent - higher than healthcare workers at 3 per cent and just behind the 3.4 per cent of social care sector staff reporting symptoms”

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/long-covid-rising-fastest-teaching-and-education-staff

@Blubells

Wow, this attitude is really concerning for any disabled, CV or CEV kids in your care. Do you tell their parents to stop 'whipping up endless hysteria and get on with it' when they express concern about the absence of risk reduction and appropriate safety measures in school?

Do you honestly think that these 'risk reduction' measures would prevent a CEV child from catching Omicron in school? Unfortunately I don't think they would as omicron is very very transmissible.

Exactly - if you are a CV or CEV child then the only way to really keep safe from Omicron is not go to school. Even stringent 'risk reduction' measures would not guarantee a CEV child being shielded from it at all if they were still coming in and mixing with other kids.

So fining for unauthorised absence of CEV kids shouldn’t be happening then.