Grandchildren Bubble sent home

Ellianne Most applicants for the £500 grant are turned down anyway. There are very strict eligibility criteria and somebody who normally earns £500 a day wouldn't be eligible.

The JVCI isn't in agreement. They're still analysing all the data.

It's known that there's a shortage of the Pfizer vaccine, which is what would be given to 12-18 year olds. I only hope that they're not influenced by political decisions.

If 12-18 year olds aren't to be vaccinated, it's even more important that there are mitigations in schools. It's just not good enough to force unvaccinated people into cramped, poorly ventilated spaces with no obligation to wear masks.

Scientists on the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have sounded a note of caution over children aged 12 and over being given the jab, amid concerns that the risks of side effects could outweigh the benefits of being protected against a disease that barely affects them.

A senior member of the JCVI said that the panel will announce whether to recommend the jabs for secondary school age children within “weeks”.

inews.co.uk/news/politics/vaccinating-teenagers-before-school-term-pm-advisers-1082435

Greeneyedgirl

Some parents cannot afford to isolate. There are many single parents who, if they cannot work their children don’t eat. There are not enough safeguards in place to enable parents to do the correct, and safe thing. There was supposed to be £500 grant for those who were isolating and unable to work but proved almost impossible to access.

I gave some thought to the £500 grant you mention Greeneyedgirl and that would indeed be a start.
Some parents I know, however, who earn that amount in a day might not consider it much compensation. Childcare needs to be valued more highly.
But more importantly, money cannot buy the necessary face to face social contact so vital in the early years. Younger children do not engage so well in online learning; interaction with their peers is what they need to thrive.
I said on another thread that DG's school paid £8,000 for a professional video of sports day, but despite being enterprising, it just wasn't the same and will be of no lasting value. Money can't buy everything.

love0c

growstuff Sounds like the government are finally 'getting real'. Putting an end to healthy children having to isolate. Not before time!

Yes, they're deliberately making them ill. What's it like with your head in the sand?

I think the theme park visit was just plain wrong, but how is it different from the new plan of keeping those children who have been in contact in school when they would currently be sent home to isolate?
I’ve now had both vaccines and am fairly confident they’ll work, but my TAs are young and haven’t.
I don’t have a solution, and I really sympathise with both parents and children affected.

growstuff Sounds like the government are finally 'getting real'. Putting an end to healthy children having to isolate. Not before time!

Yes I agree. What happened to community responsibility?

Kali2

Well yes, I get that. But we are talking here about blatantly breaking isolation to go to busy, crowded 'amusement' park!

That's inexcusable.

Greeneyedgirl

Some parents cannot afford to isolate. There are many single parents who, if they cannot work their children don’t eat. There are not enough safeguards in place to enable parents to do the correct, and safe thing. There was supposed to be £500 grant for those who were isolating and unable to work but proved almost impossible to access.

this is true and £500 wont go very far but I don't see any movement towards better working conditions for people in gig ec/0 hours etc

Well yes, I get that. But we are talking here about blatantly breaking isolation to go to busy, crowded 'amusement' park!

Some parents cannot afford to isolate. There are many single parents who, if they cannot work their children don’t eat. There are not enough safeguards in place to enable parents to do the correct, and safe thing. There was supposed to be £500 grant for those who were isolating and unable to work but proved almost impossible to access.

MerylStreep

Spidergran
This might come as a shock to you but the are a lot of eminent scientists who know that we are never going to be free of the virus.
Maybe you should get used to the idea.

I accept that we shall never be free of this virus but that is no excuse to freely pass it around, particularly at this time with such a highly contagious variant. Perhaps thinking of others occasionally is something you should get used to.

Mollygo

Governors or even heads can do very little. The child was not in school. It was the parent’s decision and of course the child will not be allowed into school until she is clear. The parents will have been contacted by the head.
But if they hadn’t isolated the whole class because another child tested positive, she would have been in school sharing the virus with other children and staff.
The current concern is about children missing so much school because of class isolations.
Do gransnetters think whole class /bubble isolation should continue or should only the affected child be kept at home?
What if the staff are affected? Should they get supply teachers in to teach potentially infected children?

That is just not right- visitors to the UK from countries with low infection rates have to isolate and have many tests, and are threatened with £10.000 fines if they do not follow strict isolation! The child was sent to isolate- and this should be adhered to. So so selfish, so so wrong.

I don't think teachers are lazy. I think they are underpaid and undervalued fwiw!

Yes, I know you don't know much about secondary age children, especially in comprehensive schools.
Would you like me to explain this every time I post growstuff? I think most posters know that anyway, but you seem intent on banging on about it at every opportunity.

Ellianne

^Nobody knows whether some will be affected for life, but you appear to think that's a risk worth taking, on behalf of the young.^
I have said many times, only on behalf of *under 12s at primary school.*

Yes, I know you don't know much about secondary age children, especially in comprehensive schools. Over 25% of new cases are currently in this group.

JaneJudge

it is the information home from our schools as other classes have been sent home again I don't know why they don't just wind up now tbh, they do bugger all the last 2 weeks of school before summer anyway and everything else has been cancelled

Don't say that, you'll be accused of insinuating teachers are lazy!
I used to love the last few weeks of term - Activities Week, French trip, Sports Day, Speech Day, barbecues, treasure hunts, etc.
It was harder work than being in the classroom but lovely to have a different sort of fun with the children.

Nobody knows whether some will be affected for life, but you appear to think that's a risk worth taking, on behalf of the young.
I have said many times, only on behalf of under 12s at primary school.

it is the information home from our schools as other classes have been sent home again I don't know why they don't just wind up now tbh, they do bugger all the last 2 weeks of school before summer anyway and everything else has been cancelled

JaneJudge

err the household is supposed to isolate too until they have negative PCR tests
it should detail that in the information sent home from school

Yes. I've seen two children aged 13 ish out and about with parents at the garden centre today. Who knows?

It's estimated that 85% of the population needs to be immune before the country has "herd immunity". Currently, less than 50% of the population has full immunity (ie two doses) and an unknown number has acquired natural immunity, but it's nowhere near 85% in total. Until then, children will be at high risk of infection.

Nobody is disputing that a self-isolating child and family is hugely disruptive in so many ways, which is why it is absolutely essential that there is an attempt at mitigation, which there currently isn't. Either heads are being stuck in sand or there is a deliberate agenda to infect children like "chicken pox" parties.

The letters from school make it quite clear children should not be leaving their household and parents should not be going to work!

Thanks for getting back Ellianne. I am sure all of us, parents and grandparents hope for our children to come safely through this pandemic without long term damage, physical and emotional.
Interesting about your part in the NCDS during Covid study. A friend of mine is participating in the ONS Covid survey, and has the advantage of knowing her current antibody status because of testing.

err the household is supposed to isolate too until they have negative PCR tests
it should detail that in the information sent home from school