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."

Two parents in the shop today talking about how their kids are off with colds but no Covid symptoms, but they're 'just gonna get them tested anyway' so they can tell the school they're negative and send them back.

If this is a common attitude then lots of kids are being subjected to unnecessary tests, and undue pressure is being put on the testing system. Not to mention their kids will be back spreading the cold around when they should probably still be off.

People are idiots. 🤨

I don't think people are necessarily worried, I think most will just be reluctantly following the rules.

Given the number of people I know testing with a cough or temperature, I think people are panicking, partly due to peer pressure though. I'm in a Facebook group which is the opposite of Usforthem but can be equally bonkers which advocates testing all children with cold symptoms and keeping them off school for the duration of said symptoms.

That should be without a cough or temperature.

There’s a nasty cold doing the rounds here and many of the kids seem to get a temperature and a Cough with it. Which has been causing some concern re whether to
Test or not test. I’ve opted not to test as DS always spikes fevers when he gets anything and his throat has been sore and snotty
Nose too. Probably just their immune systems taking a battering after so much social isolation.

My understanding is that if a child has one of the three main symptoms they have to either test or isolate for 14 days. Mine didn't have the three symptoms, so no test and back to school (after checking with the HT).

@Isadora2007

There’s a nasty cold doing the rounds here and many of the kids seem to get a temperature and a Cough with it. Which has been causing some concern re whether to Test or not test. I’ve opted not to test as DS always spikes fevers when he gets anything and his throat has been sore and snotty Nose too. Probably just their immune systems taking a battering after so much social isolation.

If your DS develops a temperature will you opt to isolate instead?

Posted on another thread -
Findings from Zoe symptom app, top symptoms they found in under 18s have been Headache, fatigue, fever, sore throat, skipping meals/ loss of appetite - in the under 18s

DD tested negative.

I think its "common sense" to rule Covid out, especially when the teachers send your child to the isolation room or phone their parents as soon as they hear a single cough (as was the case with my 7yo nephew who also has a cold and tested negative).

You don't want to be the parent who dismisses an actual covid case as just a cold. There's also been quite an increase in positive cases this week in our LA according to travelling tabby.

I don't think parents are being over cautious. I think schools are sending pupils home or parents are calling NHS24 and being advised to test. My relative's DD had a mild temp. Her DM didn't think she had Covid but NHS said they both needed to be tested.
There doesn't seem to be a capacity problem. I don't know anyone who wanted a test and didn't get one.

@Mistressiggi

Posted on another thread - Findings from Zoe symptom app, top symptoms they found in under 18s have been Headache, fatigue, fever, sore throat, skipping meals/ loss of appetite - in the under 18s

It would be good if this somehow makes it way into testing advice for children then. Those are the exact symptoms my daughter has but she can't get a test as she doesn't have any of the main three symptoms.

Fever is one of the main three.

Oh you're right, missed that fever was in there - she doesn't have one

My 5 year old has the snots, snotty cough and temp of 37.7. She is not at school today, but obviously not eligible for a test until the temp clicks over that line, which I suspect it will this evening if not before. DH is working from home, no temp but has a slight (productive) cough.

Don't think it is Covid, but still will get a test if she gets a temperature because the other option is 14 days' self isolation!

@randomsabreuse, I am sure you can book a test now. Nobody is going to ask you for a temperature chart.
Anyway he is coughing, so you are already in it.

YY I think if you call your GP or NHS24, you'll be able to get a test because of the temp. I don't think they're religiously sticking to over 38 before offering a test. In fact some of the guidance just says if hot to touch.(I can't remember where I read it - I have read so much that I can't keep track of sources sometimes!).

Not continuous cough but temp now at 38.1 so off to the test centre at 4.30pm...

Much less testing capacity than 2 weeks ago! About 200 slots open near Glasgow (ignoring Dunoon which is a very long way if you don't get a ferry!)

Her class is a small composite class, only 19 kids in total - they've been focusing really hard on hand washing and not touching.

I don't know if this suggests that halving class sizes would be totally pointless as I've not seen the classroom but would assume from the age of the school and it's theoretical capacity (very undersubscribed) that 36 wouldn't be an impossible capacity for the room they're in. Plus they spend loads of time outside...

Fewer children would probably reduce the colds, but I remember from our tiny nursery with 15 kids or fewer to a room that they were ill constantly in winter

Her class is a small composite class, only 19 kids in total - they've been focusing really hard on hand washing and not touching.

There is 14 in ds's class, could definitely get double that in there if needed and lots of outdoor play. Half of them have colds, no temperatures or coughs yet.

19 isn’t half a class really. Composites and P1s are capped at 25, P2s 30 (I think) and P3-7 33.

36 may be feasible with room size but it is not a good class size. We definitely don’t want to go down the route of being allowed to fit as many in as possible.

My new class’ attendance has been shocking and they’re all coughing and sneezing too. It was inevitable.

It was more an illustration of the level of space available - more modern schools tend to have smaller classrooms to reflect the lower permitted class sizes, rather than an ambition! So at around half the "designed" occupancy there is transmission of some form of respiratory virus despite use of stamps to prove hand washing and definitely using outdoor space for forest school purposes...

Yep. Schools are petri dishes! I actually shudder to think now that we very rarely made the children wash their hands... my immune system must have been made of steel.

I worked in one of the traditional red sandstone ones and the high ceilings and big windows made it look as though it was huge inside, but the classrooms were actually tiny. I had 33 P7s and they were a whiffy bunch.... let's leave it at that!

despite use of stamps to prove hand washing
I'm intrigued. Is a teacher stamping hands at the sink? They will look like a generation of mini festival goers 😃
DC are off ill. Non- Covid. Our friend's school has had a positive case.

They get their hands stamped before lunch (I assume) and they have to wash the stamp off. Certainly means they can't just splash their hands for 1 second...

Maybe I should use that method at home! DC seems to wash hands at lightning speed and always claims to be very thorough. Something doesn't add up!