Tiering up the Covid elimination strategy

[dancemom]

Sadly the end was not as close as we thought so new thread required ....

I wouldn't want to see much eased in schools just now given the amount of cases I'm hearing about (local to me) - more than I remember at any other time.

@Mistressiggi

I wouldn't want to see much eased in schools just now given the amount of cases I'm hearing about (local to me) - more than I remember at any other time.

Outside end of term events could go ahead? Surely Pre schoolers visiting their P1 classroom could be happening- yet, it’s video calls🙈

There are currently p1s in that classroom though, it isn't empty. They would come up with nursery staff (more mixing).
My dc have had an outdoor sports days, a bit reduced I think and with no parents. I'm in secondary and if we can stagger over the finish line past all the SQA hurdles that's honestly all we're fit for. Hearing about the cases locally is concerning though.

Absolutely- so much respect for staff and families at secondary- just getting to the end of this year will be an achievement, great your dc could have a sports day of sorts.

Just feeling a bit sorry for the wee ones and families at the primary end of education. We were the last intake before all changed- visits to P1, sports day, school trips, the P7s had their outdoor centre trip and transition days etc. We saw a school show and Christmas singalong. Let’s hope August is a new start for all pupils and staff? Yep, I know, wishful thinking...

A lot more vaccinations under the bridge by the I would think. 🤞

I really think we should be back to normal now. Pubs and schools and shops

My P1 has sports day tomorrow (Parents not attending) We had a short visit outside at school too.

P7s had an adventure week before the holiday weekend as well - day trips to an adventure centre.

It's good to see that the army are helping out again with jabs in Scotland to speed it up in places!

I think they should offer more drop in sessions to really get numbers up! It worked really well up here!

Wouldbegood I know you aren't in the same area as me but surely you have the imagination to see what would happen if schools stopped all mitigations just now - or the empathy to understand what it's like to work in them.

@Mistressiggi I hope you have the empathy to see how these never ending restrictions are affecting people.

I’m neither selfish nor stupid.

Did you read the statistics? Positive tests are not resulting in hospital statistics nor deaths.

@randomsabreuse

My P1 has sports day tomorrow (Parents not attending) We had a short visit outside at school too.

P7s had an adventure week before the holiday weekend as well - day trips to an adventure centre.

That’s more than anything where we are. Why can’t parents attend, outside, even if it’s limited numbers? One rule for Football Fans with alcohol, another for a parent who’s had absolutely no school contact all year. No trips for P7s here either, but again, fine for football fans to fill a train carriage to travel to a game. Meh, no point moaning, nothing will change before now and end of term. I should be railing on the other thread.

@WouldBeGood

Posted this on railing but it’s good news on vaccines/cases/hospitalisations. English but relevant

Why do we never get these sort of helpful stats quoted in Scotland?
I bet the health sec has all of this at his fingertips. Feels like it's a conscious decision NOT to tell us this

And I'm sure the football is going ahead because it would reflect badly on our Govs handling of the pandemic if other countries are at a stage they can host it but we can't

The cynic in me says that tier 3 was extended in Glasgow just to have the football......

Wouldbegood I would accept you knowing more about what it's like in your own workplace, but you said we need an end to restrictions in mine - you cannot know what it is like and yet you want to make things harder. After the day I have had that is hard to read. Three weeks till I have the protection of the double vaccine too.

But it’s simply not a risk now

Anyway, I’ll go back to railing.

Don’t understand the ongoing panic

I think schools is really difficult!

Speaking to DN who is 15 in England he finds it a lot easier to concentrate in class now he doesn't have to wear his mask as he's not as hot or bothered, they give the kids the choice. He does still have to wear it in the corridors (not sure if this is a rule or just his school). There has already been a improvement in his work level.

I understand wanting to protect yourself as teachers. Many of my teacher friends use FFP2 masks for this very reason (in Scotland).

I think there is a balance to be found which helps pupils and keeps teachers happy as well. I hope SG keeps an eye on the data coming out of England and what that means for the next term and also communicates with teachers and parents on the options we'll in advance rather than giving a statement then leaving teachers to scrabble around which is what has happened so far!

Masks in schools are wrong.

Don't bother, I'm hiding the thread

I agree about masks in school. They are a way of trying to show compliance and make it look as if something is being done. The reality is kids are silenced by them and I can't teach for long using my voice.

And it is another sign that children are at the bottom of the heap. Football fans are much more important. Nothing about return to 8n person teaching at universities either. But big up the football.

Schools do have limited outbreaks. But they have continued to do so. And using masks when needed is very different from the current blanket requirement in secondary schools of all staff and pupils and in all areas and all schools.

I am totally unable to chat to classes. It is very hard to conduct discussions or teach. And when you can't tell if a child is telling you something clever about "Macbeth" or they want the loo, you are not teaching effectively.

@Cismyfatarse

I agree about masks in school. They are a way of trying to show compliance and make it look as if something is being done. The reality is kids are silenced by them and I can't teach for long using my voice.

And it is another sign that children are at the bottom of the heap. Football fans are much more important. Nothing about return to 8n person teaching at universities either. But big up the football.

Schools do have limited outbreaks. But they have continued to do so. And using masks when needed is very different from the current blanket requirement in secondary schools of all staff and pupils and in all areas and all schools.

I am totally unable to chat to classes. It is very hard to conduct discussions or teach. And when you can't tell if a child is telling you something clever about "Macbeth" or they want the loo, you are not teaching effectively.

Most teachers can hear their kids. If you aren't teaching effectively due to your hearing then I suggest getting that checked out.

I'm also not sure what you mean by limited cases. If that has been the case for your school then that's great and I'm sure the masks are contributing to that success! Our school certainly has not experienced limited cases and some children are still suffering from long covid that they first caught last year.

I get that masks are horrible but I dread to think what the situation would be in schools without them.

I'm not a teacher but I disagree with the sweeping statement that most people can hear based on my day to day experience. My hearing is fine but I have to ask people to repeat themselves regularly. I'm pretty sure I'm not in the minority.

Everywhere I go people struggle to hear with the masks, as do I. Young and old alike.

(I’m actually impressed that teachers can tell the children apart in them: they all look so alike anyway when I see them up the street at lunchtime, even without masks 😂 Must be a teacher skill, like knowing who’s talking even behind them)