Schools update

[enterparentone]

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/30/living-with-covid-the-end-of-routine-testing-in-schools-colleges-and-childcare-settings/

Don't test for Covid, and do go to school, but if you do test for Covid and you do indeed have Covid, don't go to school. Except if you feel well then you can go to school, but don't go to school if you have a high temperature. If you tested your temperature. Classic!

I've taken more time off work since September because of covid than I have taken off sick in my whole life Either one of the children has been ill with covid, or I have, or their teachers have so the school has sent classes or years home. I'm quite worried about my job to be honest.

Oh if only it was as simple as keep your kids hone if not well! Anyone in a primary school knows this does not happen. I sent an unwell child hone on Monday- back in Tuesday still unwell. Sent home again and tested positive same day. 3 more have since tested positive and my ta. The mum of child A is insisting hes well and will be back in tomorrow 🙄
Some people have no common sense a d others desperately need childcare so lots of unwell child attend school, covid will not change that.

@DaisyTheUnicorn

And after testìng stops it can only spread more. Are they hoping for herd immunity!? Or that we'll all have it and it will go?

They’re probably hoping it will act like all the other common respiratory viruses we have in circulation. I know I know I know, ‘covid is not the flu’, ‘covid is not a cold’. But the viruses that cause colds and cause flu were once new to humans and caused a hell of a lot more damage than they do now, before settling down because so many people had a lot of immunity.

We don’t get full immunity from most cold/flu type viruses either. We are repeatedly exposed to them over our lives and get repeatedly infected, but they don’t end up knocking half a school’s teaching staff off sick all at once, even so.

Obviously we don’t know for sure what’ll happen, and maybe this will be the one virus that doesn’t act like all those others, but I don’t think there’s much reason to imagine that will be the case.

Thank fuck they’re removing tests. It’s clear the country has completely lost its ability to risk assess and use common sense whilst they’re available.

Many, many people need to get a grip.

@AledsiPad

Thank fuck they’re removing tests. It’s clear the country has completely lost its ability to risk assess and use common sense whilst they’re available.

Many, many people need to get a grip.

I just think it will lead to more covid, which will lead to more teachers being off ill with covid, which will lead to more classes and year groups being sent home, which will lead to more time off work for me.

Parents have been knowingly sending their dc to school with covid at dd’s school. The teachers don’t stand a chance.

My schoolchild is medically vulnerable.
This is what the government advice is now for the medically vulnerable (my response in capitals):

get vaccinated DONE

wait for at least 14 days after you've had your 2nd dose of a Covid-19 vaccine before meeting with people COULDNT FOR SCHOOL

meet people outside if possible CANT AT SCHOOL

open doors and windows to let in fresh air if meeting people inside SCHOOL DONT DO THIS ANYMORE AND ONE CLASSROOM DOESNT HAVE WINDOWS ANYWAY

ask friends and family to take a rapid lateral flow test before visiting you WHAT EVERY DAY AT A SCHOOL WITH 1500 PUPILS AND 100+ STAFF ?

limit the number of people you meet and avoid crowded places CANT

wear a face covering in shops, on public transport and when it's hard to stay away from other people (particularly indoors or in crowded places) CAN BUT LIMITED USE WHEN YOURE THE ONLY ONE

wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day CAN BUT ITS NOT PRIMARILY TRANSMITTED THROUGH TOUCH

So she’s washing her hands and has a mask on (both not that useful). And because she’s vulnerable she had her booster way before most people so could really do with a top up.

It feels so against my parental instincts to be sending her in. Her classmates doing lft were the last thing that helped to go. Ironically we can still get the lft tests free because of her medical condition but she’s not on the list for anti-virals.

What fun.

@Lilaclavenders

Just use common sense: if they feel fine, send them to school, if they feel ill keep them in bed at home.

It's really not that complicated

How small minded.

If too many staff members get it, schools have to close. So, if that's pressure you want to put your school under, go ahead & send them in, then when there aren't enough staff to keep the school open, remember your part in it.

No it's not complicated, but idiots still send kids into school

@MuggleMadness What is 'small minded' about parents sending in well children? They've missed enough school during the Government school closures over the past two years, and my children have exams coming up in 2 months. What on earth is 'small minded' about that?

Our nursery had 10/22 staff off with it last week. They had to use bank staff, which they never normally do and was one of the reasons I chose the nursery.

I'm relieved they didn't close, but if everyone regularly exposed to Covid needs a week off sick every few months, it's not sustainable.

[quote Lilaclavenders]@MuggleMadness What is 'small minded' about parents sending in well children? They've missed enough school during the Government school closures over the past two years, and my children have exams coming up in 2 months. What on earth is 'small minded' about that?[/quote]
@Lilaclavenders

I've already explained. Try reading all of my post.

I can't wait til people start sharing posts about how marvellous it is that Jessica and Tommy's parents sent them into school this week with chickenpox. They were feeling fine.

@kittensinthekitchen

I can't wait til people start sharing posts about how marvellous it is that Jessica and Tommy's parents sent them into school this week with chickenpox. They were feeling fine.

I wouldn't care. All kids get chicken pox at some stage. Most have already had it before they start school.

I can't wait til people start sharing posts about how marvellous it is that Jessica and Tommy's parents sent them into school this week with chickenpox. They were feeling fine.

I doubt many parents would care. It's much better to catch chicken pox as children as it offers lifelong immunity. There's even a vaccine for anyone who'd rather get immunity that way.

@Waxonwaxoff0 would you care if the teacher was pregnant or a parent was undergoing cancer treatment where chicken pox can have disastrous consequences. I know a child can be contagious before the spots come out but no-one should knowingly be sending their child in with chicken pox. Same with norovirus. Are you equally ambivalent about the 48 hour rule?

15 teachers off for us today. Surviving staff stretched so thin covering duties.

[quote toomuchlaundry]@Waxonwaxoff0 would you care if the teacher was pregnant or a parent was undergoing cancer treatment where chicken pox can have disastrous consequences. I know a child can be contagious before the spots come out but no-one should knowingly be sending their child in with chicken pox. Same with norovirus. Are you equally ambivalent about the 48 hour rule?[/quote]
I'm a single working parent, I've got enough on my plate. I don't have the time to worry about strangers any more to be quite honest. That's what happens after 2 years of constantly being told that I must put everyone else's needs ahead of mine and my child's at all times.

ffs you wouldn't care? Do you not consider for one minute the people that could be at risk from chicken pox? There's a reason why the recommendation is to isolate until the spots scab.

So when your child is off with a sickness bug because someone else bought their child in within the 48 hours what will you do?

Some parents really don't give a damn about the well being of school staff do they. I cannot believe that there are posters sending in their covid positive kids because they are 'fine'. You do know that your child will infect other children and school staff don't you? I know teachers who have had covid three times now. School budgets are straining under the burden of supply costs - and indeed actually getting hold of supply teachers is getting more and more difficult.

Once again we have school closures and year group closures because schools just do not have enough teachers who are well enough to be in school. I still can't get into my GP, my dentist, my opticians, my local hospital without a mask and without confirming I have no symptoms. Yet parents can send their covid positive kids into school.

Do this. But don't complain when the school has to close.

@toomuchlaundry

So when your child is off with a sickness bug because someone else bought their child in within the 48 hours what will you do?

DS hasn't vomited since 2016. We seem to be quite lucky, neither of us ever catch sickness bugs or get ill in general - I've not been off work sick in 4 years aside from when I had Covid, and that was because I had to stay off, I wasn't particularly ill. So I'm not worried about hypothetical situations that are unlikely to happen.

I’m a secondary teacher (Last day of teaching ever today! Woop) and we are on skeleton staff. I have covered in every free, including ‘protected time’ for the last month. And we have to teach those cover lessons - its not just worksheets. I have responsibility for running a department and although I’m 0.8, I’m working 70 hour weeks to keep up with it all as I haven’t got time in ‘working hours’ to get it all done due to cover.

I caught Covid at Christmas and was very very poorly. As were some of my colleagues.

I cannot believe that there are posters sending in their covid positive kids because they are 'fine'.

I actually said that if children feel fine they should go to school, if they feel ill they should stay at home. Given that we're no longer testing and therefore do not know whether our children are covid positive or negative, I think that's a reasonable stance?!

So many selfish people on this post. maybe it's an April Fool thread?

You don't care about other 'strangers', so school is just a free for all.

This is very short sighted of you. Schools will close if they don't have enough staff.

@itrytomakemyway

So many selfish people on this post. maybe it's an April Fool thread?

You don't care about other 'strangers', so school is just a free for all.

This is very short sighted of you. Schools will close if they don't have enough staff.

Nope. Like I said, I'm sick and tired of being told that I always have to put everyone else first ahead of my own family.

DS doesn't really get ill anyway so I won't be sending him in ill. But I don't care if other parents do.