COVID-19

https://www.boots.jobs/jobs/134158br-immuniser-huddersfield-king-street/?c=1

 

But everyone is already suffering because the constant rule changes, areas moving in and out of different tiers etc creates confusion that contributes to the unwitting spreading the virus and makes it easier for deliberate rule breakers to do so. So life remains restricted and anxiety-provoking for everyone.

I think you're wrong that everyone knows the rules. They keep changing and the messages from on high are so mixed that loopholes and inconsistencies abound. So lots of people bend the rules because they believe that their friends & family have been careful so it will be ok.
A firebreak, if nothing else, would definitely ease the pressure on hospitals over the worst of the winter, many of which are currently struggling.

It's obvious that schools are massive super spreaders. I have many friends who are teachers and they've been going down like flies with covid in recent weeks. The new variant is apparently more easily caught by kids than the original one, so schools returning will hugely compound the spread at the worst possible time. Schools are giant virus petri dishes. It's impossible to keep kids socially distanced so they get the virus in large numbers, usually without knowing it because they're symptomless, and then take it home to their parents. By the time the parents get symptoms they've already passed it on to goodness knows who. I know it's tough on the kids and their parents to be off but I'm convinced the numbers will skyrocket if we have schools back in January and February.

 

I don't understand the reasoning but I think you're massively overplaying the confusion. All of the information about what you can do is out there for each tier and its in very simple formats. If people are confused about the rules at this point its because they WANT to be confused by them to excuse any rules breaks. Changing between tiers makes no difference, even the simplest human brain can compute changing parameters of life once a month.

As for schools. Not sure about that either. Not seen any evidence that they are "super spreaders" certainly under the old strain, not sure about the new one. I would be interested to see any proper evidence on that front because the statistics seem to suggest that young children were not causing infection and households with school age children were no more likely to catch the disease that households with no kids. That doesn't indicate that they are driving it but I'm open to changing my mind if presented with evidence.

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/children-and-school-settings-covid-19-transmission

https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-chris-whitty-says-reopening-of-schools-will-put-pressure-on-the-r-number-12054491

 

Gonna have to disagree with this to some extent. I like to think i'm intelligent enough to understand instruction but i got to the stage some time ago of stopping listening to anything about the virus due to conflicting information coming out almost weekly. Now i just wear a mask pretty much every time i go out and keep as far away from people as realistically possible.

 

I'm genuinely interested as to why you felt confused.

All of the information on the tiers is here and you'd only have to read the page that applies to the tier you were in.....or going in. I Think its pretty straightforward?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know

Is the confusion because of how it is analysed over and over again in the media? I sometimes thinks their presentation doesn't help but since I always go to the above link for my info it might be missing out on the confusion that causes?

In general as long as your a business owner I don't think the stance you're taking is unreasonable. If you're sticking to the basic rules then all the closures, etc, are pretty much taken care for you.

 

Do you mean THIS Sandra.. ?

 

I've seen Sandra from the local bookies.... I'd certainly give her "a jab"....well, an injection anyway.

 

A little bit of sick just came up then.

 

Teaching unions in one breath calling for schools to be closed and then when Government agree unions complain about last minute changes.

Make your mind up, do you want them to change their mind or not

 

I really don't see the point in campaigning for change and then complaining when it occurs.

Really do feel sorry for the kids involved in this though. It can be good for either their social or educational development.

 

I'm trying to figure out if the teaching unions are playing political games. I bloody hope not.

Is there evidence that teachers are in any more danger than taxi drivers or supermarket workers? Are they going to enforce a de facto lockdown one industry at a time?

 

I haven’t seen any evidence that they are more at risk but they are using the fact that the government have closed some to say well it must be high risk.

 

I kinda get that but that's just another regional difference in high risk areas. Could say the same about non-essential retail between tiers 3 and 4, or pubs between 2 and 3.

It just seems wrong for a teaching union to be pushing for kids to be taught in a less effective way. Don't love it.

 

Bit of personal information.

I'm 49 years old, I have diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If I was to get coronavirus, I have a significantly above average chance of it having a serious impact on my health. Without being too dramatic, it is conceivable it may cost my life. That is the reality. At the least, I don't want to have to receive hospital treatment while they are under so much pressure.

In my classroom, I have to handle the kids books constantly (handing them out and collecting them). I have to touch their ipads constantly, as they forget their log ons or they lose connection and it cannot be fixed. Social Distancing does not exist between the children.

I also work in an area of high deprivation, where children that I teach need the structure of school. They are witnessing domestic violence, alcohol misuse, drug misuse and coping with adults who honestly are not fit to parent. I've had notifications of things that have happened over Christmas that make me want to cry. These children need to be in school.

I also work in an area where social distancing is negligible and the virus is rife.

I'm totally torn. We know that the new strain of the virus is affecting children more and its much more transmissible.

As a family, we also have caring responsibilities for elderly parents that makes any contraction of the disease very problematic.

Of course there are many other professions facing risks. But, not many are in the position of having to be close to potential virus carriers with no PPE. Wearing PPE in the classroom just isn't viable.

Look at your lounge. Double or triple in size. Would you want to spend seven hours in there, with no masks being worn, with 30 random strangers who you suspect have not been socially distancing?

That is my thinking and probably that of tens of thousands of primary school staff tonight. Especially those in Tier 4, as I am.

Personally, I want schools to close for all but key workers and vulnerable children. As I did before the summer, I'm happy to work with ten or so children in a much more controlled environment in school.

 

As you say @Hulmebantam the same could be said about other jobs as well. Think of people in retail who have to touch everything that people are buying, so that could be hundreds of different people a day, again with little/no PPE .

As for the new strain so far there has been no increase in cases in primary school age kids, which is why they weren't included in the original delayed reopening.

 

I do get your position but when the evidence of transmission from children to teachers is currently so low isn't it a little over the top? I get that the new strain is causing concern but which way do you go without any actual evidence?

All the things you say apply to every other profession that is working. All the way from manufacturing, to shopping to transport to medicine. Everyone that we consider as key workers. All of those workplaces will have people with the same unfortunate susceptibility as you have and I hope you get through this okay.

If they all took the same stance though where would we be?

Now, I'd get it if there had been an explosion in teachers being infected or that kids were being hospitalised but that doesn't seem to be the case. In the absence of completely clear evidence which way should we go?

Now this isn't to say that teachers don't deserve protection, they do, and I think that's what the unions should be pushing for. It just seems like a sledgehammer to crush a walnut and when kids educations are on the line it seems almost unfair.

 

All the things you say apply to every other profession that is working. All the way from manufacturing, to shopping to transport to medicine. Everyone that we consider as key workers. All of those workplaces will have people with the same unfortunate susceptibility as you have and I hope you get through this okay.

If they all took the same stance though where would we be?

Now, I'd get it if there had been an explosion in teachers being infected or that kids were being hospitalised but that doesn't seem to be the case. In the absence of completely clear evidence which way should we go?

Now this isn't to say that teachers don't deserve protection, they do, and I think that's what the unions should be pushing for. It just seems like a sledgehammer to crush a walnut and when kids educations are on the line it seems almost unfair.[/QUOTE]
I take your points and I understand it all from a rational perspective.

All I can say is that I know the local environment I am working in and instinctively I am not reassured at the moment.

 

Schools should be closed for 3 months, Children are carriers of this virus spreading it in to the adult population especially the elderly and vulnerable, Every day they will spread the virus and increase the transfer and death rate until we are vaccine protected.

 

If you are doing that then we need to go full
Lockdown. No point in shutting schools with current restrictions. People will just meet up elsewhere etc