How will schools be able to go back in September?

SusanC10

Just reading there about the proposed "Pods" in Creches and After-School etc.

How on earth is that feasible?

Sammy2012

It's okay! It's just been announced schools will reopen in September.

Boggles

Sammy2012 wrote: »

It's okay! It's just been announced schools will reopen in September.

Leo "by hook or by crook" Varadkar?

KrustyUCC

Schools won't reopen under 2 metre rule so Varadkar will need to row back on that

Sammy2012

Boggles wrote: »

Leo "by hook or by crook" Varadkar?

Yes by that fellow! As a teacher I am fully expecting to be going to work the end of August or September. Jesus why wouldn't I be?!?

As a parent I'm hoping my child who is starting will be starting in a normal environment and my older child will be also be in a normal environment. Hoping social distancing wont have to be applied in schools by then.

Altho at least itll stop all the talk of reopening schools now for a week or two.

is_that_so

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Yes by that fellow! As a teacher I am fully expecting to be going to work the end of August or September. Jesus why wouldn't I be?!?

As a parent I'm hoping my child who is starting will be starting in a normal environment and my older child will be also be in a normal environment. Hoping social distancing wont have to be applied in schools by then.

Altho at least itll stop all the talk of reopening schools now for a week or two.

It's over to the DoE now they've got past their attack of vapours on the LC. Good to see it on the table so early.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

Well it's a start, planning for August reopening.

https://www.thejournal.ie/schools-august-reopening-5111191-May2020/

"a low risk scenario" "reopen as close to normal as possible”.

iamwhoiam

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0529/1143334-covid-19-school-hse-The public health experts examined all known cases of the disease where those involved had been in a school environment in this country.

There were six cases - three children and three adults - including one teacher.

An examination of more than 1,000 contacts of these cases in the school settings, showed there were no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the following 14 days.

Sammy2012

is_that_so wrote: »

It's over to the DoE now they've got past their attack of vapours on the LC. Good to see it on the table so early.

They have made a massive error in cancelling the leaving. But the department are well known for not using joined up thinking.

uli84

Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: »

Well it's a start, planning for August reopening.

https://www.thejournal.ie/schools-august-reopening-5111191-May2020/

"a low risk scenario" "reopen as close to normal as possible”.

I think by August he means 31st but sure better late than never

SusanC10

Both our Primary and Secondary normally open last week in August so imagine that it what he means.

marilynrr

Boggles wrote: »

Well then, tell me, when have we achieved herd immunity from a coronavirus?

We haven't as far as I know. That doesn't mean that science disagrees with herd immunity.

Boggles wrote: »

Now you are getting it.

I already got it :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Countries might achieve herd immunity, they might not.
Immunity might last for a long time. It might not.
A vaccine may be found. It might not.

Either way the world has to start moving again and going back to normality.

Treppen wrote: »

Why wasnt there a need to find a vaccine for older coronavirus strains anyway? Cos it wasn't a pandemic

They still tried. There might not have been an urgent need to find one with so much at stake like there is now...but they still tried to develop them.

uli84

SusanC10 wrote: »

Both our Primary and Secondary normally open last week in August so imagine that it what he means.

Lucky you, my sons primary 1st week of Sep

seamus

SusanC10 wrote: »

Just reading there about the proposed "Pods" in Creches and After-School etc.

How on earth is that feasible?

Reducing numbers of kids.

We might be surprised that an easy balance is found. Lots of people finding themselves doing very well working from home without creche fees, and might be eager to continue that arrangement one way or another.

This will reduce pressure on creche lists.

munsterlegend

seamus wrote: »

Reducing numbers of kids.

We might be surprised that an easy balance is found. Lots of people finding themselves doing very well working from home without creche fees, and might be eager to continue that arrangement one way or another.

This will reduce pressure on creche lists.

I think a lot of employers are particularly understanding given the current crèche closures. That might not always be the case when crèches reopen and expect more of their employees.

FishOnABike

iamwhoiam wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0529/1143334-covid-19-school-hse-The public health experts examined all known cases of the disease where those involved had been in a school environment in this country.

There were six cases - three children and three adults - including one teacher.

An examination of more than 1,000 contacts of these cases in the school settings, showed there were no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the following 14 days.

I wouldn't extrapolate too much from that. In the week and a bit before schools closed a small number of people who were quarantined as soon as they had symptoms / tested positive were not shown to have passed CoViD-19 onto another symptomatic person.

It's a big jump from that to suggesting that schools in general, operating as they did pre March, pose a low risk environment for transmission of CoViD-19.

Crowded enclosed spaces where people spend a significant period of time have been shown to be among the high risk areas for transmitting / contracting CoViD-19. Ensuring the prevalence in the general population is as low as possible before schools reopen will ensure the risk is as low as possible as people can't transmit what they don't have.

It does seem to be putting the cart before the horse to announce when schools will be reopening before plans of how they will be reopening appear to be made. Let's hope it's not a repeat of the leaving certificate scenario where it was definitely going ahead until they decided it wasn't, I suspect due in part to realising all the potential issues couldn't be adequately addressed.

iamwhoiam

FishOnABike wrote: »

I wouldn't extrapolate too much from that. In the week and a bit before schools closed a small number of people who were quarantined as soon as they had symptoms / tested positive were not shown to have passed CoViD-19 onto another symptomatic person.

It's a big jump from that to suggesting that schools in general, operating as they did pre March, pose a low risk environment for transmission of CoViD-19.

Crowded enclosed spaces where people spend a significant period of time have been shown to be among the high risk areas for transmitting / contracting CoViD-19. Ensuring the prevalence in the general population is as low as possible before schools reopen will ensure the risk is as low as possible as people can't transmit what they don't have.

It does seem to be putting the cart before the horse to announce when schools will be reopening before plans of how they will be reopening appear to be made. Let's hope it's not a repeat of the leaving certificate scenario where it was definitely going ahead until they decided it wasn't, I suspect due too realising all the potential issues couldn't be adequately addressed.

Well Leo seems to be taking into consideration as are the HSE .
The children effected were in contact with 1000 other people including sports , music lessons and choirs

ldy4mxonucwsq6

Good to see the numbers are still holding steady nearly two weeks into Phase 1.

Known clusters are responsible for virtually all of the cases being reported now. Seeing very low numbers of new cases and a downward trend continuing.

Hopefully it stays that way as we move on through the phases and maybe they might decide to speed things up a bit.

Boggles

iamwhoiam wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0529/1143334-covid-19-school-hse-The public health experts examined all known cases of the disease where those involved had been in a school environment in this country.

There were six cases - three children and three adults - including one teacher.

An examination of more than 1,000 contacts of these cases in the school settings, showed there were no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the following 14 days.

It's not worth the paper it's written on

The study also notes that only symptomatic contacts were tested.

Almost three-quarters of close contacts of Covid-19 patients show no symptoms

The HSE has said that seven in 10 close contacts of confirmed cases of the coronavirus, who had in turn tested positive themselves, showed no symptoms of the disease.

If we are forming policy on absolute junk studies, we are fúcked!

trapp

khalessi wrote: »

Just in relation to this as a former HCW, yes the risks were there, but I also knew that proper guidelines were in place for my protection and the patient, so the risk was mimimilised.

I was trained in how to deal with different situations and also aware of the safety gear available to me, and how to put it on. Protocols and comprehensive guidelines were available and updated regularly. Prevention of cross infection and contamination was drilled into us.

Teachers have not been given reassurances yet that potential issues will be dealt with and relevent safety measures will be put in place. Meanwhile the public basically are saying get on with it, just wash your hands. Hopefully it will be that simple, despite the fact that this virus is here to stay but I for one will be happy to be the weirdo teaching in the mask whenever we go back.

It's not the front line of the Covid ward that teachers will be going into.

It will be a classroom so less of the drama about infection control.

The evidence shows that children are not super spreaders and are much less impacted.

The evidence is growing that schools are lower risk.

With new cases falling rapidly the risk throughout the country is dropping in all settings.

From reading your posts you seem to want a certainty that you won't catch the coronavirus.

That's like asking for a certainty that you won't crash the car or be involved in an accident every time you drive.

Not possible to give you that certainty.

Just as many other sectors who have gone back to work can't have that certainty.

You are implying constantly that supermarket workers are protected. Yes they are but there is plenty of work done where they are not behind a screen, stacking shelves and so on and are freely mixing with the customers.

Supermarket workers encounter a much greater amount of people each day than a teacher would and they are not doing anywhere near as much bleating as you about safety.

Funny enough the positive cases for supermarket workers is extremely low.

I appreciate that you are doing a lot of work online and so on but I need to burst your bubble hear my poor friend.

No matter how much effort you make online learning is not real learning for children and is no substitute for face to face teaching.

In many disadvantaged schools most children are not even engaging so are missing out on education.

To be blunt I suspect you are not representative of the vast majority of teachers who would love to return to work.

Schools will open once it is safe to do so as the children deserve the opportunity to go to school.

If you believe that it is too dangerous then you are welcome to stay at home but perhaps it is time to stop insisting everyone else does too.

WAW

Opening end of August Leo confirmed.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

trapp wrote: »

If you believe that it is too dangerous then you are welcome to stay at home but perhaps it is time to stop insisting everyone else does too.

That's the coronaphobia and seems to be more rampant than the actual virus these days

trapp

Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: »

That's the coronaphobia and seems to be more rampant than the actual virus these days

And it is fine for some aspects of socity.

If they want to hide in their bunker for the next few years baking banana bread and watching netflix while their life flits away that is their choice.

But for things like school reopening is it a very dangerous attitude.

Generally it is those who shout loudest that get heard and will spread fear among other teachers, parents and children.

Resulting in children missing out on going to school.

The children of this country will have been out of school for 6 months, 6 months to repeat for emphasis by the time September rolls around.

Yet some still despite the virus being so reduced are taking every opportunity to spread fear and a sense of danger.

It is simply a dangerous and selfish attitude.

Schools will open when it is safe but a minority of teachers seem determined to delay this as long and as much as possible.

Why don't they ever propose the situation that those who feel it is too dangerous stay at home while everyone else can go back.

Instead it is the selfish attitude of I'm not going in and I'll make sure no one else does.

Dayo93

Are the days of 5 hr school days over , surely if classes are going to be split so half the class only attend certain days the school day will need to be extended.
How are curriculums going to be completed if this goes on long term.

catrat12

I’m a pe teacher (pe only) no idea if I will have a job come September or how my area will work
I have been doing a good few lesson plans to keep kids a 2m distance but don’t know if going to work

trapp

catrat12 wrote: »

I’m a pe teacher (pe only) no idea if I will have a job come September or how my area will work
I have been doing a good few lesson plans to keep kids a 2m distance but don’t know if going to work

According to the roadmap the kids will be playing gaa and soccer by September so not sure how this will be necessary?

jrosen

seamus wrote: »

Reducing numbers of kids.

We might be surprised that an easy balance is found. Lots of people finding themselves doing very well working from home without creche fees, and might be eager to continue that arrangement one way or another.

This will reduce pressure on creche lists.

Doubtful. Companies are already fine tuning their work from home policies and minding your kids while being paid full time wont be part of it.

jrosen

jrosen wrote: »

Doubtful. Companies are already fine tuning their work from home policies and minding your kids while being paid full time wont be part of it.

It’s always been part of the HR policy in my company that if the reason for working from home is to facilitate childcare then it won’t be permitted long term. I don’t see that changing after there has been a widespread office reopening, even with the additional WFH flexibility that we’re going to see. The minister can’t rely on the parents WFH to enable a partial school reopening

WAW

It's obvious now that Leo and co. has copped that the public opinion has seriously turned. So, Dr Tony will be sliding into the background we expect. Doomsayers RTÉ will hopefully cop that too and feature other news besides Covid-19. I'd say the reopening of society will now happen much quieter than the powers that be would like because people will no longer comply as their common sense thankfully has returned to show that this virus thankfully is not Ebola level.
Lovely to see all the kiddies out today playing water fights and older folks out eating ice cream, chatting and taking the sun.

khalessi

trapp wrote: »

It's not the front line of the Covid ward that teachers will be going into.

It will be a classroom so less of the drama about infection control.

The evidence shows that children are not super spreaders and are much less impacted.

The evidence is growing that schools are lower risk.

With new cases falling rapidly the risk throughout the country is dropping in all settings.

From reading your posts you seem to want a certainty that you won't catch the coronavirus.

That's like asking for a certainty that you won't crash the car or be involved in an accident every time you drive.

Not possible to give you that certainty.

Just as many other sectors who have gone back to work can't have that certainty.

You are implying constantly that supermarket workers are protected. Yes they are but there is plenty of work done where they are not behind a screen, stacking shelves and so on and are freely mixing with the customers.

Supermarket workers encounter a much greater amount of people each day than a teacher would and they are not doing anywhere near as much bleating as you about safety.

Funny enough the positive cases for supermarket workers is extremely low.

I appreciate that you are doing a lot of work online and so on but I need to burst your bubble hear my poor friend.

No matter how much effort you make online learning is not real learning for children and is no substitute for face to face teaching.

In many disadvantaged schools most children are not even engaging so are missing out on education.

To be blunt I suspect you are not representative of the vast majority of teachers who would love to return to work.

Schools will open once it is safe to do so as the children deserve the opportunity to go to school.

If you believe that it is too dangerous then you are welcome to stay at home but perhaps it is time to stop insisting everyone else does too.

To be blunt your post comes as very condescending.

I am entitled to my views as you are yours. Get off your high horse. Come talk to me when you have 20+ years working in a hospital and also over 10 years in a school.

I know certainties cannot be given, having worked in contagious environments for 20 years teaches you that. It also teaches you how to take precautions. Hence I am less concerned than the teachers I work with as I know what precautions I can take. My colleagues are worried and I can understand that.

It is amazing the exception people/parents take when all a teacher asks for is better cleaning and hygiene to protect students and staff and it might not be necessary but if it is it should be implemented.


Thank you for the invitation to stay at home but I want to be back teaching however I have seen how classrooms are cleaned and do think a better job could be done. I dont expect hospital levels as its a school but I do expect they take the health and safety of their staff as seriously as the shops I go to. I will be delighted to go back as seeing the kids in person is better than what I have at present but I have worked damn hard to make it as personal as possible given the situation.

The reason I mention shopworkers is because if you bother to read the thread people erroneously constantly say oh shopworkers can do it why can't teachers.

Thank you for your post it is highly enlightening