Page 13 | Thread 18 - Corona Cohort Enrolling to Year 13 2021, Invasive Infections & Uni Uncertainty

Seeline · 13/08/2021 10:10

@ExtremelyDisorganised Social media really helps I'm afraid. DS started uni last year. There was a FB group for Freshers set up by Accommodation so that he could find the others in his flat. They then set up a WhatsApp group for their flat so they could get to know each other a bit, see when everyone was moving in and arrange things like who would bring what to share in the kitchen. It really helped him settle in. He had to set up a FB account - he sees that as being for Mums, but maybe because of that it is how his old school stays in touch, and consequently he has kept in touch with school friends that way.
The uni uses insta quite a lot to spread info.
He uses Snapchat quite a lot too with friends

icanbewhatiwant · 13/08/2021 10:30

@Decorhate yes our school stopped lessons March last year. But I can see why really, no exams to do, many will have been moving onto colleges, apprenticeships etc. So there wasn't any point continuing lessons, I suppose for those staying on it would have been useful to have some form of teaching. Second lockdown I can't fault the school at all. All lessons were online.

ExtremelyDisorganised · 13/08/2021 11:08

@Seeline yes, I've thought this at various stages before that he'd be left out without SM but he never has, I don't think his friends bother with it much either, most of them are autistic too, it certainly hasn't been a hindrance so far apart from he doesn't follow useful organisations etc which is a lot of what I use FB for and is very handy, he relies on email and text for everything. I remember thinking a few years back better to start when he's younger and I can help than when he's in his own trying to work out all the privacy settings etc. DD doesn't really use it either although she does have an Insta account but she is a dab hand at sorting out online accounts for other stuff and I'm sure will cope. Neither of them socialise in groups much IRL (both dyslexic/dyspraxic and I think get overwhelmed easily when several people talk at once). Better get myself snapchat so I can see how it works - I have insta, FB, whatsapp.

Seeline · 13/08/2021 11:13

I think maybe last year was a bit different. I know DS has WhatsApp groups for all his different modules etc. Although there were very limited opportunities to meet in person, they were still expected to do group work (with complete strangers!) so I think SM helped with that too
I have no idea about Snapchat - that is definitely a young person's thing 😆

ExtremelyDisorganised · 13/08/2021 11:20

I know at DD's school there are lots of group chats but she's just not interested and hates her phone pinging all the time so she just sticks to her closest friends. I'm the other way, my phone never stops with whatsapp and messenger and I like it but it is distracting.

Monkey2001 · 13/08/2021 12:12

My 2 are completely different on social media. DS1 is not bothered by whether he is in contact with people, seems to ignore home friends when at university and university friends when at home, and that works for him. He did not join any university SM groups. DS2 does lots of instagram, twitter, snapchat.

Did a bit of analysis and was surprised to see that academies have the most A level grade inflation (+77% As on 2019) and independents the least (+59%). Not what I have observed locally, but that is what the data says.

Piggywaspushed · 13/08/2021 12:41

Who was it whose DD was planning to read The Authority Gap.? Just finished it. Wow.

I had to just sit for 10 minutes and quietly reflect. not hard in self isolation

Piggywaspushed · 13/08/2021 12:43

Surely grade inflating from the highest base will peg back the independents' numbers?

But, yes, I read that about academies, and also saw the government's disingenuous comparison of private school 'inflation' to 'other selective schools and academies'. So, what happened in LA schools and SFCs??

Fferny1 · 13/08/2021 13:06

😄 @piggy. So a good time to read books then.
I'm not worrying about the upcoming exams as ds1 isn't concerned a bit and too much has gone on this week. But i'm very sad following the chanel 4 news tweets on the Afghanistan situation and last night's interview. Especially for the families of the soldiers on both sides

ProggyMat · 13/08/2021 18:13

@Piggywaspushed

Oh, just had a message saying it was cancelled!!

Although they have seen the discussion on the thread and ‘might’ set something up for our Corona Cohort ‘soon’ … Aye, reet

icanbewhatiwant · 14/08/2021 11:25

I just tried to book Ds2 in for covid vaccine. But it won't let me. It says he isn't eligible. His birthday is mid November. Ds1 has just headed to a walk in for his second. It's a little nearer than his gp in Norwich near his university, they text him this week to book. So he's trying the walk in instead. I suggested ds2 go with him to see if they'll do him but he said no. He's asleep still anyway. I still don't know whether to get ds3 vaccinated.

My mum had her pcr result this morn and is positive. She's not ill though, just a sore throat. She's on day 5 so perhaps she won't get ill now.

ProggyMat · 14/08/2021 11:59

@icanbewhatiwant DD is booked in for end of this month as called by GP
She’s just received a letter from NHS saying she can now book- birthday at end of October.

blahblahblah321 · 14/08/2021 12:12

@icanbewhatiwant

I just tried to book Ds2 in for covid vaccine. But it won't let me. It says he isn't eligible. His birthday is mid November. Ds1 has just headed to a walk in for his second. It's a little nearer than his gp in Norwich near his university, they text him this week to book. So he's trying the walk in instead. I suggested ds2 go with him to see if they'll do him but he said no. He's asleep still anyway. I still don't know whether to get ds3 vaccinated.

My mum had her pcr result this morn and is positive. She's not ill though, just a sore throat. She's on day 5 so perhaps she won't get ill now.

We're the same - front page says now eligible to book from 17yrs 9 months, so tried to book DS in and it says he isn't eligible...

ExtremelyDisorganised · 14/08/2021 12:20

All the walk-ins here still say 18 plus only but my friends DCs (Jan-Mar birthdays) are starting to get invitations from their GPs now.

icanbewhatiwant · 14/08/2021 12:22

Ds1 just drove to the walk in place 11 miles away. It says open today 9-3pm but it's all closed. No one there. He's not happy!

Volterra · 14/08/2021 12:30

We have just been able to book using main site about 3 days ago. Had given up trying then DH tried and it suddenly worked.

Monkey2001 · 14/08/2021 12:59

We tried a walk in which was on the same site as DS's UCAT yesterday, but they wouldn't take him. He is now saying he is fed up with being turned away and will wait until he can book. This website tells you what age they are doing near you. There is one a little further away we could go to, but I think we will just hope that something happens next week. www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-walk-in-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-site

UCAT went very well, now confident of interviews at the 2 places he can apply to for medicine, so just the EPQ, summer maths/physics and personal statement to do now! PS not a big deal as neither of his choices will use it for shortlisting, although I think the Manchester interviewers might have access to it. Feel that he has to produce something which reads well anyway.

Ican he is fully entitled to be cross!

Zandathepanda · 14/08/2021 13:03

icanbe fingers crossed for your mum - sounds promising.

My Uni Dd is travelling to clear her flat at Uni next week and would miss her 8week second appt - she’s at 7 weeks. She’ll be round loads of people moving, one friend still ‘hasn’t’ had covid despite being the biggest party animal. MNetters have been saying their DC have been getting the second earlier so we went to 3 walk-in places and even though they had some Pfizer’s left they were sticking to the 8 week rule. Finally, the ‘local’ hospital let us wait yesterday and said they would do it instead of wasting any. There was one shot left so UniDd got it! I admit I had a little tear in my eye - I know I am too emotional but our family appear to have unexplained weakness for viruses! At this point, listening to all the double jabbed people getting covid, I think uniDd has got to live her life up there and she’s now got the best chance of not getting it badly as she’ll have 7-10 days of 2nd jab in her.

I saw several 16 year olds getting their jabs yesterday at the hospital walk-in (no appointment) as we were waiting to see if there was any left. Maybe hospitals are happier doing younger ones as they have more drs there? And they just want to get everyone done ASAP as they pick up the pieces. They are ramping up their hours for all 16-18 year olds today. All the 16-18 vulnerable children were given their 2 jabs there several months ago.

Icanbe I remember you said your Ds had seizures when they were younger. The encephalitis and epilepsy society said to us (re Dd2) just get Pfizer/Az whatever they offer you ASAP. That was at the beginning of the year so I would phone as they are constantly updating their advice and say it as it is. At the point we got their advice, and apologies being so frank, young children with epilepsy had died of Covid but not those just with epilepsy (they had epilepsy with other conditions). We were told if Dd2 gets covid her epilepsy is likely to be worse for a time, but that’s the same with any bad illness. I know she’s worried about more damage and ending up in hospital for weeks again.

Personally, if I were in your situation, and after taking advice had decided yes for your 12 year old, I would take Ds2&3 to the nearest hospital walk-in and get them done both together. If Ds3 had a reaction you would be in the best place. Dd2(16 at the time) only had a bit of a headache fixed by paracetamol and arm ache after both jabs.

Zandathepanda · 14/08/2021 13:09

Monkey2001 just looked on the link you have provided above and our hospital says 16 years and above, all the others say 18 years except one that says 17 and 9 months!
So much variety.

NCTDN · 14/08/2021 13:18

It's frustrating that the vaccination sites say different things. So many by me are 16+ now.

ealingwestmum · 14/08/2021 13:21

Great news on the UCAT Monkey

God this vaccine access is such nonsense isn’t it?

EwwSprouts · 14/08/2021 14:07

Monkey Great news on the UCAT.

PS not a big deal as neither of his choices will use it for shortlisting or will they? This says with 1 in 10 getting 3 A*s they may become more widely used. I don't subscribe so no token.
twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1426241503446409216

I am uncharacteristically gloomy about next year. Whether it's full exams, change the grade system to numeric or a random tweak, I think there will be late and significant change for our DC and places will be tight from this year's deferrals/gap years.

icanbewhatiwant · 14/08/2021 14:13

I put something on our local Facebook page about the "closed" walk in centre. It is there today. It's just not at the health centre as it says online. The health centre is in front of the co op. The walk in centre is behind. Definitely open today. Ds wouldn't ask anyone so I guess that's his fault. I would have asked.

@Zandathepanda thanks for advice, yes ds3 was diagnosed as having epilepsy age 3 triggered by his pre school vaccines. He's been seizure free 8 years and off all medication, so was signed off from hospitals a few years ago. But he's obviously down as having it still in his medical records. That's why it's flagged up and he's eligible. I'm really worried having the vaccine will trigger his epilepsy again. That is why I'm not sure. Plus it hasn't been approved for under 16's unless they have a medical condition in which covid would make them worse. So I'm undecided. If I don't get him vaccinated and he was really ill I'd feel awful. But also if the vaccine triggered his epilepsy again I'd also feel bad. He's begging me not to make him a vaccine, only because he is scared of the needle though.

icanbewhatiwant · 14/08/2021 14:16

I have found a site that tells what ages are being vaccinated at which walk in sites. Some say 16 and 17 year olds. Some say 18 and over. So I'll take Ds2 to one of those. But Will wait until after his driving test now.

ProggyMat · 14/08/2021 14:24

@EwwSprouts

Monkey Great news on the UCAT.

PS not a big deal as neither of his choices will use it for shortlisting or will they? This says with 1 in 10 getting 3 A*s they may become more widely used. I don't subscribe so no token.
twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1426241503446409216

I am uncharacteristically gloomy about next year. Whether it's full exams, change the grade system to numeric or a random tweak, I think there will be late and significant change for our DC and places will be tight from this year's deferrals/gap years.

I don’t think 2022 will see a change to numeric grades. That said, I can see an A star star being introduced if the intent is to start to ‘peg back’ the ‘grade inflation’ at A star and A grades from 2019 levels- no matter how our Corona Cohort are to be assessed If so, as you say, whatever ‘tweaks’ are to be done needs to be announced before the next UCAS cycle otherwise our Corona Cohort will be facing an even bigger blood bath for an university place!