Close the schools!

How many people in the NHS, transport, food preparation, distribution or utilities industries have to work with 30 other people (150 in the case of secondary school staff) in a room 8 x 8 m2, often poorly ventilated, for six hours, without PPE? Can you answer that Retiredwell?

If you read all the latest research about Covid-19 transmission, the greatest risk is in indoor, poorly ventilated spaces with inadequate social distancing and without masks (ie most classrooms).

The government commissioned a report and teachers (and especially teaching assistants) are considered to be at the same level of risk as care workers and frontline social workers.

GrannyRose15

I love the elderly. And I don't want my elderly friends and relatives to die anymore than anyone else does. Nor do I want them to be imprisoned in care homes without visitors. Nor do I want the economy wrecked and millions of people unemployed. That will cause deaths too. I simply think there is a better way of tackling this situation.

Yes, there is a better way. Lock down hard NOW and get the situation under control.

Hard lockdown now!!! At least 10 days! Put the foot on the brakes!!!

GrannyRose15

The likeliest answer I can find to my question is 26. And none of them caught it from a child they were teaching. For this we are ruining the futures of 11 million children. Will someone please put some perspective into this issue!

We're ruining the lives of children who are scared about catching an infection, which might kill a member of their family. They can make up missed work, but they can't bring people back to life.

If you really want schools back to normal, they have to stay closed now, so they can continue without constant disruption in the future. The government needs to get its act together and provide the promised laptops and use the extra (alleged) funding for mentoring those who find it difficult to engage.

By the way, some children actually prefer to work at home and are achieving better than they would in school.

Well, it looks as though the start of term will be delayed for most pupils.

University students won't be back on campus until late January or February. My son spent the Christmas break in Newcastle rather than coming home, so I hope he's not climbing the walls by then and isn't fretting too much about how much it's costing him.

I've said all along, schools are hotbeds of infection for the simple reason that the kids aren't obeying the simple rules of space, face and hands. As soon as toddlers can understand they should start wearing masks and stop running around touching each other and strangers.
Unpopular, but if schools had stayed closed for longer we'd have been nearer re-opening them now.

“toddlers in masks” are you joking ExD

'By the way, some children actually prefer to work at home and are achieving better than they would in school.'
I agree growstuff. I found this with some of my students (some of course can't cope with it.)

'As soon as toddlers can understand they should start wearing masks and stop running around touching each other and strangers.'
But this is what toddlers do ExD. My grandson will wear a mask, but he is unusual. And I am not sure he would do it if it was hot weather. I think he thinks it is something to keep him warm, like a hat or a scarf.

Michael Rosen
@MichaelRosenYes
·
16m
Dear Dominic
We're going to keep some of the schools open some of the time,some of the schools not open some of the time,all the schools partially open and partially closed with some schools half-open and other schools half closed.Gove is handling it.
Scholasticus elasticus
Boris

GrannyGravy no I'm not joking.
My grandchildren age 2 & 3 (I suppose quite OLD toddlers) begged to try on (play with) my mask and I had to quickly remove it from them. I gave each of them a disposable one and their Mum and I watched them carefully but saw no danger of either of them suffocating.
They also ask for hugs which we have had to deny, though I do find it difficult to stay 6ft away from them, even in the garden, but they do partly understand the rules even if they don't understand how serious they are.
Anyway, now with the new stricter 'rules' we aren't going to be seeing them at all as we've been thrown from tier 2 to tier 4 (!)

ExD our 5 yr old GC will wear a mask but we have three under three and their parents wouldn’t dream of making them wear a mask.

If a tiny is in their buggy the all over see through plastic rain cover is used.

Sadly Retiredwell the govt hasn't got a clue about what state schools are like. And they certainly don't want to ask the people who actually have to work in confined spaces with little or no ventilation and 30 teenagers.

I can’t believe they are relying on a test that Birmingham uni has shown is completely unreliable (missed 97% of cases there!).

Chardy

Sadly Retiredwell the govt hasn't got a clue about what state schools are like. And they certainly don't want to ask the people who actually have to work in confined spaces with little or no ventilation and 30 teenagers.

Spot on.

* Heads of primary schools have just now had notification which ones can't go back on January 4th.

What is the obsession with lockdown? ? Do people want to be as miserable as humanly possible. We had a lockdown all through November, Wales has been locked down forever and infections are still so high! Some other idea needs to be used

Biscuitmuncher

What is the obsession with lockdown? ? Do people want to be as miserable as humanly possible. We had a lockdown all through November, Wales has been locked down forever and infections are still so high! Some other idea needs to be used

That's because people kept breaking the rules. From what I've seen/read, there hasn't been a properly enforced lockdown.

What a strange idea to think people want to be as miserable as humanly possible! They should get a grip. people have been in solitary confinement in far worse conditions and survived.

Biscuitmuncher, the hospitals are at breaking point. If things get any worse, we will have images like those from China last year, with patients on drips alongside bodies in hallways.

As a very wise friend of mine said today, 'Don't listen to politicians. Listen to nurses. Stay at home.'

Image is of Royal London Hospital yesterday.

I am very cynical about how much people actually care about those who work in the NHS, I think they say they do but actually putting themselves out to show that, not so much. Clapping on the doorsteps is no effort whatsoever so it's easy. Sorry if that's a bit bleak.

If the hospitals are at breaking point why did they close the Nightingales? Why didn't they take up the offer of retired nurses and doctors? As long as I've known every single bad flu year the hospitals have struggled

That's a scary image GagaJo. All those 17 or so ambulances stacked up aren't able to go out on further calls.

Did anyone see how rude Gavin Williamson was in parliament to Daisy Cooper when she asked about the possibility of vaccinating teachers. He accused her of not reading up on what he’d actually said. Then another (male) MP asked a similar question and he responded in a totally different way. The Speaker should, imo, have reprimanded him.

Biscuitmuncher

If the hospitals are at breaking point why did they close the Nightingales? Why didn't they take up the offer of retired nurses and doctors? As long as I've known every single bad flu year the hospitals have struggled

No staff for Nightingales.

Who knows why they didn't take up the offer of retired nurses and doctors. Chris Witty is working in hospital at the weekend. Things are dire.

As another nurse friend of mine said, 'It is like a war zone.' She works in a covid ward.

MayBee70

Did anyone see how rude Gavin Williamson was in parliament to Daisy Cooper when she asked about the possibility of vaccinating teachers. He accused her of not reading up on what he’d actually said. Then another (male) MP asked a similar question and he responded in a totally different way. The Speaker should, imo, have reprimanded him.

No, I didn't, but it doesn't surprise me. My opinion of him is that he's an over promoted, arrogant, clueless (rude word). I saw the results of a survey, in which he was the most unpopular cabinet minister - and there's some competition.

I’ve posted on Williamson’s (and Peston) Facebook pages telling them both how disgusting they are. That’ll show’em!