Coronavirus

[machin05]

We're one class group away from having 50% of our entire school intake isolating.

 

[AndyWolves]

The amount of schools having to send pupils home to isolate last week was 64% for secondary schools and 22% for primary schools up from 38% and 11% the week before. Pupils in schools fell from 89% to 86%. Its only going to get higher unless measures are taken to minimise the outbreaks, ie rota systems or shutdowns.

When do you re-open them? Vaccines won't be given to kids and we're likely to have this virus in circulation for months. If we shut schools I can't see a time when we open them again that isn't 6-12 months down the line

 

[machin05]

When do you re-open them? Vaccines won't be given to kids and we're likely to have this virus in circulation for months. If we shut schools I can't see a time when we open them again that isn't 6-12 months down the line

We need to properly invest in making them safe. Put the schools on a 2 weekly alternating timetable so that only half the cohort are in at a time, with the other half learning remotely. This would actually allow us to enforce some kind of effective social distancing of students and staff. The reason remote learning can't be enforced now is because there are too many students without access to sufficient IT resources at home. The Government's response to bridging the digital divide has been, to put it kindly, horribly inadequate. Any measures they have put in place have directly benefitted Tory donors, shock horror.

 

[lemonjelly]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-54976372

 

[Langers]

We need to properly invest in making them safe. Put the schools on a 2 weekly alternating timetable so that only half the cohort are in at a time, with the other half learning remotely. This would actually allow us to enforce some kind of effective social distancing of students and staff. The reason remote learning can't be enforced now is because there are too many students without access to sufficient IT resources at home. The Government's response to bridging the digital divide has been, to put it kindly, horribly inadequate. Any measures they have put in place have directly benefitted Tory donors, shock horror.

Spot on.

 

[AndyWolves]

We need to properly invest in making them safe. Put the schools on a 2 weekly alternating timetable so that only half the cohort are in at a time, with the other half learning remotely. This would actually allow us to enforce some kind of effective social distancing of students and staff. The reason remote learning can't be enforced now is because there are too many students without access to sufficient IT resources at home. The Government's response to bridging the digital divide has been, to put it kindly, horribly inadequate. Any measures they have put in place have directly benefitted Tory donors, shock horror.

That sounds ideal

 

[machin05]

If the Government hadn't been spending literally double what they should be on devices from Tory donor owned Conputacenter (again, a contract awarded with no tender) then maybe we would be in a better position to engage in remote learning. As it stands, hundreds of schools have had their allocation of devices for pupil premium students slashed as the DFE can't afford to buy anymore.

 

[machin05]

Might leave that typo in, actually

 

[Tony Towner]

I'm finding this obsession with xmas tedious. I don't have a particularly close wider family, so admit I'm not as bothered as others may be, but it's either safe or it isn't. I don't understand the sense between opening things up for a few days just because of an arbitrary date and then living with the consequences afterwards as is being pushed by some and rumoured to be considered by Johnson at al

 

[Dire Wolf]

Unsure what to do: I've had a good old regular cold the last 2 days, beginning with a sore throat and usual sneezing and runny nose, but now it has kind of left me with an irritating dry cough. Do I class this as just part of my cold or should I consider it a symptom and book a test?

 

[machin05]

Unsure what to do: I've had a good old regular cold the last 2 days, beginning with a sore throat and usual sneezing and runny nose, but now it has kind of left me with an irritating dry cough. Do I class this as just part of my cold or should I consider it a symptom and book a test?

A continous cough is a symptom, so you should book a test regardless of previous ailments.

We had our security guard at work shrug off a cough as he'd had a sore throat prior to it. He ended up testing positive.

 

[Tredman]

Not sure if this applies in West Mids too, but guidance had just changed in Staffordshire:

 

[Dire Wolf]

Thanks folks, I shall try and book a test then.

 

[PPB]

I'm finding this obsession with xmas tedious. I don't have a particularly close wider family, so admit I'm not as bothered as others may be, but it's either safe or it isn't. I don't understand the sense between opening things up for a few days just because of an arbitrary date and then living with the consequences afterwards as is being pushed by some and rumoured to be considered by Johnson at al

If they did open things up for Christmas like pubs, restaurants etc, me or my family wouldn't be going to any. We have been safe and sensible for the past 8 months so just because it's Christmas it wouldn't make me want to go to any.

 

[Sniffer]

I'm finding this obsession with xmas tedious. I don't have a particularly close wider family, so admit I'm not as bothered as others may be, but it's either safe or it isn't. I don't understand the sense between opening things up for a few days just because of an arbitrary date and then living with the consequences afterwards as is being pushed by some and rumoured to be considered by Johnson at al

Its bollocks.

University Students to be tested at the beginning of December and then isolating all the way through to Xmas day so that they are safe to be with their grandparents?
Secondary school pupils in lessons until the 18th December - The virus is in the majority of schools so who is to say that they won't be in in contact with somebody with the disease in the days prior to breaking up?
Shop workers, bar workers, teachers, nurses etc etc will all be at risk in the busy weeks leading up to the big day.

There'll be two choices - Allow families to mix in full knowledge of the dangers and the likelihood that January will see another spike.
Be sensible - protect the ones you care about by staying as safe as you can in your own households/bubbles etc.

As you say Tony, we'll all have to live with the consequences regardless of what choice you make.

 

[Tredman]

The frustration (and I do feel it) is that a good number of people are not following the guidelines - so those of us who are sticking to the rules will have to sit in on xmas day and see plenty of other people out and about and seeing their family.

A short change to discounting U12s from the rule of 6 (as is mooted today) would be a good way of allowing people to meet.

 

[Boozad]

Thanks folks, I shall try and book a test then.

I would. My daughter’s boyfriend had a test booked by his mom as he had a really bad sore throat and felt generally crap. No temperature, no cough, no loss of smell//taste. He tested positive. Then his mom and his sister did as well. His mom has been proper knocked about by it.

 

[machin05]

Not sure if this applies in West Mids too, but guidance had just changed in Staffordshire:
View attachment 3106

Ooh, interesting. Hadn't spotted that.
There's also a new quick turnaround test centre opening in Wolves for people without symptoms. Basically, if you've been alerted by the app to self isolate and want to make sure you haven't got it.

 

[Tredman]

Ooh, interesting. Hadn't spotted that.
There's also a new quick turnaround test centre opening in Wolves for people without symptoms. Basically, if you've been alerted by the app to self isolate and want to make sure you haven't got it.

Just came out today - I got it via the school.

 

[Kenny]

Pfizer now confirming they are applying to have the vaccine approved for use

Pfizer and BioNTech Conclude Phase 3 Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, Meeting All Primary Efficacy Endpoints | Pfizer

Primary efficacy analysis demonstrates BNT162b2 to be 95% effective against COVID-19 beginning 28 days after the first dose; 170 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were evaluated, with 162 observed in the placebo group versus 8 in the vaccine group Efficacy was consistent across age, gender, race and...

www.pfizer.com