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Original poster

School closure

53 replies

Picklesandbeans · 02/02/2022 18:16

So dc school sent out a message today to say its struggling to staff itself and may have to close on safety grounds as staff absence so high. There ate year groups closed already. My ds just went back after covid and dd still off with it. I've been off too. Anyone else having issues ?

OP posts:
Ohdoleavemealone · 02/02/2022 18:20

They have struggled but come out the other side here.
No classes closed but a lot of classes have job shares so I think they have helped cover a lot.

Blubells · 02/02/2022 18:33

I wonder whether the absences are due to illness or whether they are forced to isolate due to a positive test (while well enough to come to school)?

Blubells · 02/02/2022 18:34

In other words whether the ending of forced isolation might help?

Original poster
Picklesandbeans · 02/02/2022 18:35

@Bluebells no idea, but I'm a teacher in another school and I was well enough after 4 days but tested positive until day 10!

OP posts:
Hercisback · 02/02/2022 18:35

IME people testing positive after 5 days are too unwell to return to work.

JanglyBeads · 02/02/2022 18:36

Here's the thread you want OP:

Whole yeargroup rolling closures (secondary) www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4470024-Whole-yeargroup-rolling-closures-secondary

By "help" Blubell, do you mean help to spread yet more covid around this increasing illness, long covid and hospitalisations for some CEV and or unvaccinated folk?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 02/02/2022 18:38

No issues at DS's school that I'm aware of.

gogohm · 02/02/2022 18:40

DD's university department went back online today as 60% staff are off

Blubells · 02/02/2022 18:41

By 'help' I mean that not forcing every positive case to isolate but rather allowing them come to school and work if they're well enough will avoid the problem of school closures and children losing out on education!

Omicron will spread regardless. We need to build up immunity and provide support and antivirals to people who need them. But the rest of society should continue living normally imo.

Original poster
Picklesandbeans · 02/02/2022 18:51

Thanks @janglyBeads I'll take a look

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 02/02/2022 18:54

All my teacher friends who currently have COVID would be too unwell to be in school, isolation period makes no difference

MsAwesomeDragon · 02/02/2022 18:55

I don't think any of the teachers at my school who are off with covid are well enough to be at school regardless of positive or negative tests. My friend is on day 11 and still quite poorly (not hospital level but definitely not well enough to come to work)

Iggly · 02/02/2022 18:57

@Blubells

By 'help' I mean that not forcing every positive case to isolate but rather allowing them come to school and work if they're well enough will avoid the problem of school closures and children losing out on education!

Omicron will spread regardless. We need to build up immunity and provide support and antivirals to people who need them. But the rest of society should continue living normally imo.

Catching omicron doesn’t stop you from catching it again, so I’m not sure where this idea of building immunity has come from.

Oh, that’ll be our negligent government.

Until they can guarantee that there won’t be too much pressure on the nhs, until then, can they stop isolation. That’s why they’ll wait until the warmer months and hope it won’t spread as much.

StampOnIt · 02/02/2022 18:58

@Hercisback

IME people testing positive after 5 days are too unwell to return to work.
I tested positive until day 11, I felt well enough to work around day 3.
Pootle40 · 02/02/2022 18:59

No issues here

Shitfuckcommaetc · 02/02/2022 19:00

Everyone I know currently know isolating are either asymptotic or just mild cold symptoms. Strange that all the teachers known on this thread are all so unwell they couldn't possibly work

SE13Mummy · 02/02/2022 19:01

I'm a teacher with covid and my primary class had to be closed for a day last week because we'd run out of staff. The entire year team had/have it and there was simply no-one left to cover as they were already covering elsewhere - even the office staff were helping in classes at one point.

I'm still testing positive a week later and can barely get out of bed, never mind teach a class. I'm triple vaccinated and normally healthy.

Birdkin · 02/02/2022 19:09

I’m a supply teacher and though there’s no whole school closures I know of round here there’s been class/year group/key stage closures (primary).

Loads of staff absence (Loads of kids off too) and it’s a nightmare for schools getting supplies as everyone needs us and lots of us have covid too (I just had it myself!)

SE13Mummy · 02/02/2022 19:11

@Shitfuckcommaetc

Everyone I know currently know isolating are either asymptotic or just mild cold symptoms. Strange that all the teachers known on this thread are all so unwell they couldn't possibly work
I was hopeful that's what I'd experience if I tested positive given I've been triple vaccinated etc but I'm totally wiped out, I can barely hear because of the ringing in my ears, my back is extremely painful (I don't have back problems) and my sinuses, eyeballs and head have felt as though they are going to explode. I teach in an SEN setting and we have very close contact with the children we teach. There is no way they would be safe with me at the helm in this state, not least because today is the first time in a week that I've been awake for three hours in a row.
LongLive89 · 02/02/2022 19:12

Current isolated and well enough to work/email but positive tests from day 5-9 - tomorrow is my final day.

I felt truly dreadful days 2-7. Setting cover work was horrific.

School has a lot of staff off but no closures.

cantkeepawayforever · 02/02/2022 19:17

@Shitfuckcommaetc

Everyone I know currently know isolating are either asymptotic or just mild cold symptoms. Strange that all the teachers known on this thread are all so unwell they couldn't possibly work
It’s not that surprising when you consider that severity of illness is linked to viral load. With 1 in 8 children estimated to be positive for Covid recently (ONS) and the total lack if mitigation in school, teachers facing classes are exposed to a high viral load. That then means that when they catch Covid , they will - on average - be more ill than others of the same age.

It’s also worth remembering that teaching is a very physical job compared with e.g office work, and cannot be done at anything other than full pace and intensity. It’s therefore harder for a ‘convalescent’ teacher, particularly for younger kids- you either have to be up for 6 hours on your feet and performing, or not. No half measures.

wonderstuff · 02/02/2022 19:20

My school hasn’t closed any years but 10% of the kids currently off due to Covid, cases were falling a couple of weeks ago but going up again now. Quite a few staff off but we’re a large school which helps.

Hercisback · 02/02/2022 19:32

@Shitfuckcommaetc
Viral load to teachers is usually higher due to their level of contact.

There is also a big difference between well enough to reply to emails, do the odd call, sit at a laptop and teach a 5 period day. Doing 5 hours straight of presentations to new clients isn't an easy day! You have to be better when returning to teaching.

Lollipop858 · 02/02/2022 19:33

My DD school has closed for the next two days due to staff shortages. Everyone is off isolating I was told on the phone.

CardRoomGreen · 02/02/2022 19:37

Our primary is struggling, especially early years. It had just been children off till a fortnight ago, but teachers and support staff too now. A mix of ok but positive and quiet unwell for several days.

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