Covid in Schools

Mass testing in London schools has just been announced and adjoining boroughs. Looks like they are taking notice of the rise in secondary school children. Obviously has a knock on effect on the infection rate.

Schools and colleges in Wales are closing from Monday and moving to online learning. Excellent idea!

In Hampshire school cases have halved in the last four weeks.

I work in a college and it’s running rife through there, how I’ve not got it is anybody’s guess. For many weeks it was the Yr12 to age 24 age group where it was fastest growing, so the ages of our students really. But it seems to be accepted that educational establishments with their students and staff are fair game to face this virus.

Same for our older grandchildren. It seems they are isolating more than attending school. I had hoped schools would close two weeks before Christmas, because they aren’t we are very uncertain about being part of a small family group (5 people in total) on Christmas Day.

Yes, we are spending Christmas alone as it does seem rife in schools. One GC is taking GCSEs next year and it seems to me that their education is suffering more and more as time goes by. Plus if course the general disruption and current uncertainty to contend with.

The same is happening in Oxfordshire where my GCs attend and DD and GS1 work in schools. That is why I am spending Christmas alone! (I am immunosuppressed).

We are as sure as we can be that my 11 year old GS brought the virus home from school, infecting my daughter and his 13 year old sister. His friend's parents got the virus so it looks as though they both took it home at the same time. My GS just had minor symptoms but the others were quite poorly.

GS1 has just finished his mocks and done well. Smallish school that remains open.

GS2’s (old second year) is the only year still going in. Very large school.

At my DGS's school 90 six/seven year old children had to self-isolate for two weeks because one child had tested positive. Not good for working parents or a child stuck inside for two weeks with a parent trying to work from home.