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."

And how many of those died from cuts? how many as a complication from chickenpox?

57k people have already died despite less than 10% of the country having been infected so far.

Attitudes to alcohol and speed have been established over a very long period and have been tweaked and changed based on solid data for years. Lots of safety measures and mitigation has been put in place for them.

Still pretty arrogant to be so dismissive of other people's caution based on some bullshit you literally made up.

No, just rational and not paranoid.

There is a gulf of difference between appropriate caution and hysteria. Kids wearing masks in schools is definitely the latter.

Lots of countries make their kids wear masks in school, some of the time at least. Including quite a few in Europe.

Nicola sturgeon had said she will keep the guidance under review based on evidence and transmission in communities and schools. Not sure how this qualifies as hysterical.

Are you even clear on what the word means?

Nicola Sturgeon has turned the Daily Briefing into a party political broadcast.
Are you even aware how rude you are? I've stated my opinion, you are entitled to yours. I won't be engaging with this thread any further.

I wasn't the one telling people they were hysterical or paranoid, or implying they were being irrational for taking covid seriously. My being rude is your opinion which you are entitled to. My opinion is that I called you out on your bullshit. You are entitled to your ( apparently rational ) opinion that covid is a fear mongering government conspiracy but I find that incredibly disrepectful to people that I know who have lost relatives / loved ones or in one case both parents to it

I won't be engaging with this thread any further
Thank heaven for small mercies as my DM would say. There was a point when I thought boyo was going to tip into Covid conspiracy theories. 🙄

At no point did I say it was a conspiracy or not real, just that the response has been extreme.

@Boyo7 seems eminently reasonable to me.

I respect that other people have views that can be different to mine. I don't assume that I am right and they are wrong or vice versa . Just of differing opinions.

There is so much science and data around that it is easy to find research to support your stance and to embrace it rejecting everything else. Because that is human nature.

This is how I view being reasonable accepting that we will seek out that facts that back up our opinions. Whatever they are.

I don't think using language like hysteria to describe people who don't think the same as you is reasonable. For me that word has profoundly negative connotations.

As do 'stupid' and 'ignorant'.

Which I would never use. Just don't think labelling people who disagree with me is reasonable.

I must admit I view 'hysteria' and 'paranoid' as red flags. They're not posting in good faith but are trying to derail into personal insults.

Yes that was me, not Lidl. I'm afraid I've lost all patience with the 'covid is the same as chickenpox etc' brigade.

Absolutely reasonable points @Boyo7

I thought this was interesting in The Guardian
Lessons from Scottish Schools

especially point 4 in light of posters suddenly popping up all over MN in the last two days to say the daily briefings should stop. I couldn't work out why now but maybe it's part of this push to limit information flow and transparency about school infections.

especially point 4 in light of posters suddenly popping up all over MN in the last two days to say the daily briefings should stop. I couldn't work out why now but maybe it's part of this push to limit information flow and transparency about school infections.

The names of the schools with cases have been broadcast in traditional news reports, which is the appropriate forum for that. No information is provided at the briefings that can’t be (and isn’t) provided in regular reporting. The daily briefings should stop because they are being misused by the Scottish government to promote all manner of policies and initiatives that have little to do with public health. It’s giving them political exposure over and above the opposition, and allowing them to make all kinds of assertions without challenge, which is unfair when there are elections next year.

And, whether you view it as hysteria or paranoia to ask young people to wear masks or not, that is the way the tide is turning in schools at present. More school leadership teams, the teaching unions and classroom teachers (now that the first full week has been completed) are coming round to the opinion that they want to wear face coverings and for their older pupils to do like wise.

We see the crowded corridors, packed communal spaces, cheek but howl poorly ventilated classrooms and increasing positive tests in school age children. That's not paranoia that's empirical observation.

The whole world is looking at Scottish schools to see what will happen. And before I am accused of hysteria my scientist cousin working on a vaccine in California told me this. I take no comfort in myself and my DD being society's lab rats.

I don't buy the political advantage argument. If it was about that, then people would be requesting a tightly ring-fenced briefing.
Instead they have jumped to no briefings at all. It's like the posts earlier on this thread calling for less transparency. It's not a reasonable request in a democracy imo.

It's also incorrect to say that the public health updates aren't needed as the news gives the same information.

Lidl I know what you're saying and I really hope the SG are putting the science first and not bowing to pressure from certain groups.

I check the SG briefings from my classroom during my breaks . Pupils have asked me if I can put them on (I don't I read the Twitter synopsis out) as they want to know the figures.

Clearly they are concerned too and I won't dismiss that.

Sorry, but with all due respect I don’t think it’s a teacher’s job to read out daily figures, even if requested by pupils. Particularly if that’s not all pupils asking for those.
Would you read out other ‘figures’ relating to public health?
Personally, I’d be complaining to the school senior management if I thought that was occurring in my DC class.

I think that rather than criticise the Scottish Government for having the five daily briefings (which are apparently to be reduced to 3 per week - one of which is FMQs anyway), it should be the Westminster Government that is criticised for having stopped their daily press briefings - especially with all the various outbreaks and lockdowns.

That's your view and you're entitled to it. As I said I don't dismiss my pupil's concerns. They were used to having constant access to information and suddenly they don't. I recommend you look at the Recovery Curriculum, teachers have to regain trust. Pupils want to know still no deaths, how many cases today. A brief reply and on we go. But if you'd rather they were stressed and trying to check on their phones that's your call.

I have had no complaints.

@Boyo7

There is a gulf of difference between appropriate caution and hysteria. Kids wearing masks in schools is definitely the latter.

I wonder, is people wearing masks in shops also hysteria, or is it just slightly smaller people in schools that make it hysterical?