Scottish schools opening

[chocciechocface]

I was ready for schools opening, but this new research has given me pause for thought. I think this came out after Sturgeon's decision. What do you all think?

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/07/31/georgia-children-covid-outbreak/#click=t.co/Y9gSG9zENz

Quote from the article:

"A new report suggests that children of all ages are susceptible to coronavirus infection and may also spread it to others — a finding likely to intensify an already fraught discussion about the risks of sending children back to school this fall.

The analysis, released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, details an outbreak at a sleep-away camp in Georgia last month in which 260 children and staffers — more than three-quarters of the 344 tested — contracted the virus less than a week after spending time together in close quarters. The children had a median age of 12. The camp had required all 597 campers and staff members to provide documentation that they had tested negative for the virus before coming. Staff were required to wear masks, but children were not."

@Mistressiggi

But the ones without tests could only infect half as many of their non-party-going classmates.

Maybe wait and see how many they have infected first shall we?

I think Pt with face coverings would be the best in the interim. We don’t have it so just need to try and make the best out of what we have for as long as we can. Not much else we can do is there

But those teenagers weren't in school were they? I was referring to the impact of part time vs full time for future events.

Hmm in our school, public health told all family members of those with symptoms to go home until tested.
I'm sure they wouldn't have said to the family living with positive cases to keep going out to work or school.

That was in response to Dugheed's message which seems to have disappeared.

@Dugheed

The kids from positive cases class have been told to stay at home but all family members can attend (different) schools and workplaces.

I think this means contacts of the positive kids are staying at home, but their family members aren't.

Woke up to two more cases of primary school kids. This time Perth and Kinross.

news.stv.tv/north/further-two-primary-school-pupils-test-positive-for-covid-19?top

Raspberry - "There aren’t likely to be more cases now than there was on 20 March and everyone is now losing their shit over a handful of cases. It just doesn’t make sense."

It makes a lot of sense if you pause for a moment and really reflect on what it's like for families with vulnerable people in them to live with a possibility of severe ill health or death coming at them from an invisible source.

Just think about that for fucks sake. Why is this so hard for people to understand.

Nobody is "losing their shit". I am closely monitoring the situation so I can make an informed decision about my own children wrt DH. It matters to me to have an understanding of what happens when cases do occur at other schools.

I did the same in March and we took our kids out of school ahead of school closures.

dugheed - Are you feeling OK with the way it's being managed? I think I'd be unnerved to know that some of my DCs classmates could potentially have it (I assume that's why they're being tested).

I think most of us have or know people in vulnerable groups. I am myself. Regardless of that this half life and kids getting inadequate education can’t continue. If you don’t want yours to go to school take them out, let everyone else get on with their lives and quit moaning and doing nothing but looking for negatives.

@RaspberryRuff

I think most of us have or know people in vulnerable groups. I am myself. Regardless of that this half life and kids getting inadequate education can’t continue. If you don’t want yours to go to school take them out, let everyone else get on with their lives and quit moaning and doing nothing but looking for negatives.

Ah, the leper colony solution again. Isolate the sick so the healthy can live their lives without the irritation of worried people around them.

So sorry that the fact we are concerned for our family members causes annoying ripples in your life.

It isn't moaning to ask questions. It isn't moaning to compare information on how different schools are interpreting the government advice. And it definitely isn't moaning to share concerns about health issues and education on a site for supporting parents.

I wonder what steps have been put in place to 'educate' the DCs who are self-isolating. Does anyone know?

How adequate an education do you get when you're at home isolating? Or sick? Or when your teacher is at home isolating? Or they are sick - which might be a couple of weeks or might be much longer term.
The choice to remain open, just get on with it and have a "normal" educational experience may quite simply not be one of the options.

The choice to remain open, just get on with it and have a "normal" educational experience may quite simply not be one of the options
Yy exactly. The choice was between infrastructure and processes that recognised we were still living in a pandemic and tried to ensure continuity of education or ignoring those facts, putting everyone back into buildings with no social distancing or masks knowing that would result in regular unscheduled disruptions.
Some of the pupils in our school are currently quarantining after holidays abroad. I'll try to find out what, if any, education they are receiving at home.
I don't know if everyone has read this? It's the ScotGov Guidance on Returning to School

Looking at the cases so far, they seem to be doing their very best to contain it. Although, it is very early days. I am wondering if we might see an uptick in infections in those schools in a week's time from asymptomatic cases that slipped through the net?

The biggest issue is one of inequality or opportunity. My 1 year old had a temperature on Saturday afternoon - took him to a Covid testing site, using our car where DH (medically trained) successfully got a sample - negative - so we could go on with our lives. Anyone needing to rely on a postal test would probably only just have received it and would therefore be stuck in self isolation... Having a car suddenly makes a massive difference to educational opportunities! How is this fair? There are no walk in centres within walking distance of most places - Glasgow Airport is drive in only, other options were Motherwell and Stirling!

This adds to the inequality that families with cars are probably also more likely to have access to fast unlimited internet and multiple devices, or even paid online learning resources if nothing is forthcoming from school!

I don't know what the right answer is. I know my 5 year old needs to be in school, she is so much happier since she went back. Selfishly I would struggle to cope with much more home learning time, but at least my only real worry the psychological demands of constant proximity as we are financially comfortable without me working, so I can postpone my long awaited return to the world of work while there is so much uncertainty! I am worried for the families who need both incomes and are reliant on school to permit them to work - I struggle to see how any form of blended learning will not hurt families who can't work flexible hours from home, because there is not that much childcare capacity plus obviously spreads the risk of needing to isolate as a contact even further!

Threads like this and the media just fuel the fear. Not sure why they must name the individual schools- not fair on either the school or the pupils involved, when they might just be dealing with regular cold symptoms. Kids all mixing again will cause bugs to fly around, we’ve just got to get through winter without the alarmist reactions every time someone seems unwell. We should be working together as communities to keep our schools open, not fuelling the concern and fear.

I thought the news was reporting cases only that have positive tests, not just for symptoms?

@Timefor45, hear hear.
Obviously the non-disclosure applies only to the Nike conference and not to schools.
They might as well start talking about people being identified at restaurants, pubs, DIY shops, churches, cemeteries, etc. Why limit the naming and shaming at schools?

"We should be working together as communities to keep our schools open"

How do you suggest people do this?

Kids all mixing again will cause bugs to fly around, we’ve just got to get through winter without the alarmist reactions every time someone seems unwell.

@Timefor45 what does that mean? Only becoming alarmed after someone has tested positive? Staying in school while awaiting results?

Threads like this and the media just fuel the fear. Not sure why they must name the individual schools- not fair on either the school or the pupils involved, when they might just be dealing with regular cold symptoms.

That's a little totalitarian. Transparency is a key part of a democratic society.

Parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children's and their own safety.

If I am left completely in the dark about where cases are, how they are managed, whether cases outside schools are coming into schools etc, then I have no choice but to take my children out of school.

I don't trust 'The State' to make the rights choices for MY child. The state is balancing priorities. DH and I are the only people who will put our children ahead of all other priorities.

Presuming your own school informs you, why do you need to hear via the media of other schools? Schools remaining open should be (and will be) the priority and the current media narrative doesn’t support that by naming the schools.
To know there are people still bleach rinsing their shopping and fearful of walking the streets is more concerning as a mental health issue than a few mild, manageable covid cases in schools.

Home educate and self isolate through to next spring, at the earliest, if you want to completely protect your family and you’re fortunate enough to be in a position to do that🤷‍♀️

Home educate and self isolate through to next spring, at the earliest, if you want to completely protect your family and you’re fortunate enough to be in a position to do that🤷‍♀️

The leper colony solution again.

Children who are in a vulnerable category, or who have parents in a vulnerable category, have as much right to an education as the children of people who scoff at the 'feart'. It may suit you to tell people who have concerns to take their children out of school, but you do not have the right to decide who gets an education and who doesn't.

If there are vulnerable children in the school, the the state has a duty to protect them, irrespective of the opinions of other parents. And that requires gaining the confidence of their parents.

Interesting extract from today's briefing. I bolded the significant bit.

The First Minister spoke about the clusters of the virus across the country, saying: “We will inevitably I think see more cases which involve school pupils in the weeks and months ahead.

“In those cases, as has happened in the ones that I’ve mentioned today, contact tracers will identify if other students or staff at schools need to isolate and will let them and their parents know.”

Sturgeon added: “Though I don’t want to alarm anybody, I do want people to take notice – in fact I need people to take notice.

These clusters show us that these virus continue to pose a serious risk.”

Children showing symptoms in school get rapid testing- we had lots sent home Monday, results back negative and they 'll be in tomorrow.
Public health seem to be doing a good job in Scotland.