Time to admit this virus affects some more than others.

MayBee70

Now, I was never a fan of Corbyn but his policy of wanting everyone in the country to have internet access doesn’t look so daft now, does it.

Corbyn's plan was to ensure that every area of the country had good broadband access. I must admit I'm sometimes surprised that some people don't. However, the plan wouldn't have supplied families with children with the equipment they need for online learning. Usually, it's not the unavailablity of broadband in the area which is the problem for these children. Many families don't have a computer with a decent sized screen and proper keyboard, which are essential for online tasks. Smartphones just aren't up to the job.

There is a lot to this beneath the surface. Living a life of stress affects physical health before we even start on diet or likelyhood of addiction etc etc.

The truth is that someone has to do the low wage jobs and those are many. Fair pay, less stress would obviously have an impact.

Equality matters.

Thanks growstuff. I did think he meant enabling everyone to have a computer.

The truth is that someone has to do the low wage jobs and those are many.

But why should so many jobs be so poorly paid? Why should some employers live in luxury while their employees are paid low or minimum wage?

Absolutely trisher the streets around the school are much busier with cars as those who can avoid the school buses. So those who cant afford the luxury of a car face even more disruption to their education. We need to think about what all this means for GCSE results etc and the fairness or not of having these exams this year.

nadateturbei

^The truth is that someone has to do the low wage jobs and those are many.^

But why should so many jobs be so poorly paid? Why should some employers live in luxury while their employees are paid low or minimum wage?

I don't think it is all to do with wages though. There was a time when we recognised that decent housing and proper healthcare needed to be properly provided for everyone. Council housing had certain standards on room sizes, occupancy numbers and even the age that siblings of the opposite sex could share a bedroom. There were school clinics which looked after the health of the most needy children. I remeber when I first started teaching sending children to the clinic for small health concerns, such as dressing wounds which hadn't been properly cared for. We seem to have lost the intention that everyone should be properly housed.

trisher

Galaxy I bet there are a few of the better off families taking their kids to school by car to keep them safe.

Better off families?
Something like 86% of all UK households have a car available.
In rural places it’s easier for children to get the school bus, because one has to be laid on for them by the authorities.

The minimum wage shouldn’t be looked down on.....it’s there to safeguard people from unscrupulous employers.

Yes lemongrove but in these circumstances those who can are avoiding those school buses.

Then that is a lot of people Galaxy and who can blame them? Leaves more space on the bus for those who really do need the transport.

lemongrove

trisher

Galaxy I bet there are a few of the better off families taking their kids to school by car to keep them safe.

Better off families?
Something like 86% of all UK households have a car available.
In rural places it’s easier for children to get the school bus, because one has to be laid on for them by the authorities.

Families need to have two cars (and drivers) if they're going to take their children to school by car because anybody with a job has priority use of the car.

It's been an issue since September in this area, where about half of all pupils use school buses. Children have to wear masks on school buses, but they're mixed age and school. The idea of bubbles is nonsense on school buses. Therefore, parents increasingly take their children to school by car, but that's only possible if there is a car available for a parent who either doesn't work or works hours other than school opening and closing times.

I dont blame them but it means those who cant have access to a car are more likely to have education disrupted. Therefore those sections of the population are at an even greater disadvantage in upcoming GCSE's etc.

Yes no bubbles or social distancing on school buses.

lemongrove

Then that is a lot of people Galaxy and who can blame them? Leaves more space on the bus for those who really do need the transport.

Yes, it does but those remaining are still from different "bubbles", so the government's assurances that schools and buses are Covid-safe are nonsense.

Antonia; type 1 diabetes is more often found in White (Caucasian) populations, type 2 is more often found in other ethnic groups. I think more work needs to be done to find out why but there are very clear differences.

They can ( should) be wearing masks.They are not facing each other on the bus either.

They are at higher risk lemon grove that's the point.

lemongrove

They can ( should) be wearing masks.They are not facing each other on the bus either.

Do you honestly think that children on a bus are all going to remain facing in the same direction for the whole trip? Or not touch each other? It doesn't matter anyway if the bus isn't well-ventilated because the air will be full of Covid droplets, if an infected child isn't wearing his/her mask properly.

Sorry, but school buses are an additional risk, which parents will avoid if at all possible.

Good OP trisher and a good discussion so far.
My local Labour facebook page printed a list of Clement Attlee's achievements this week. All the points made here about inequality, income, health, housing, education were covered by Attlee's work.
It's clear that some ethnicities are more likely to develop illnesses like diabetes 1 or 2, others less likely to develop, say breast cancer. Research will be continuing to understand links to DNA/diet. There can be no denying that wealth/housing/education/employment are significant issues where covid is concerned

Urmstongran, sorry to read about your daughter. We have a friend in mid 30's who is six weeks into illness/fatique from a 'mild' infection of covid.

How will we manage with all the proposes job losses? Less people paying taxes, people will hold fire on all but unnecessary purchases. The knock on effect will be awful. However, health has to come first I know.

Yes growstuff parents will avoid school or any buses if they can do for their children.....which is fine.
As I said, leaves more space on the bus for those who need it.
I can’t see much difference to being in the school, where they are more likely to touch/jostle etc.

lemongrove

Yes growstuff parents will avoid school or any buses if they can do for their children.....which is fine.
As I said, leaves more space on the bus for those who need it.
I can’t see much difference to being in the school, where they are more likely to touch/jostle etc.

There's a huge difference. Schools have completely re-organised the school day, so there is minimum movement in schools. Pupils from different year groups have staggered breaks and lunch times and are only allowed to use their year group toilets, etc. Schools cannot control what happens on buses. Buses are an additional risk, but avoiding them needs resources.

Doesn’t sound like what goes on at teenage DGS school ,and
With the best organised school in the world I think it won’t be any better than a sparsely used school bus.
We shall have to agree to disagree on this...otherwise it will bore the pants off other posters.?

All cases bar one have impacted on those travelling on buses at our local school. If you are in say year 7 and travelling on a bus you are more at risk of missing school for a fortnight than a year 7 who travels by car. Year 7 with a car only impacted by infections in year 7 bubble, year 7 on bus impacted by infections in year 7 bubble and infections on the bus (multiple years).

lemongrove

They can ( should) be wearing masks.They are not facing each other on the bus either.

This caused me to almost splutter tea all over my laptop with laughter. Have you ever seen a school bus lemon? It's a miracle if every chld is sitting down.
I was thinking (being a bit of a historian) about the cholera outbreaks in the 19th century and how we trace the districts in cities where deaths happened. The areas with poor sanitatation and polluted water supplies things we now recognise as totally unacceptable and I wondered what future generations will think when they look at this epidemic?