Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) **Mod warning in OP 22/01**

I think the DOE should outline to school JC must be based on a written exam at least 70 per cent of it anyway,

firefish wrote: »

I am actually really glad that the Children’s Omsbudsman and these charities are beginning to speak out in the interests of children as it’s a perspective that has been sadly lacking (from this thread and the debate generally). No unions for children, particularly those who will be worst affected by this ie the disadvantaged.

I've worked in the area that the child khalessi mentioned comes from and it is considered disadvantaged ( and I know there are many children in that area that could really do with being in school) .

Does his mother and grandmother and the rest of his family think his life is more important than his education as a child who could be considered disadvantaged. Or do the other children who I mentioned value being in school or their lives more.

Ah go on out of that, we closed the schools to stop the spread so the hospitals weren't inundated and choices between who lived and dies didn't have to be made, choices none of us in a civilised society wanted. No one claimed it was to stop kids dying. But those kids like their grandparents and families. We also don't need a massive health load from long covid in our population long term. As said above, long covid does effect kids and teenagers

4 weeks ago none of the kids I taught wanted to be back, very few would have come in. They were scared. Now I think the numbers seem to be in the 3 digit figures and hopefully that stays stable, and there are a few large clusters as opposed to crazy community transmission we were seeing. I'm happy enough to go back now, as are most of the kids. I think, if trends continue, the 1st looks very doable for exam years.

Not everyone was mad to get kids back into schools, the UK varient is up to 90% penetrance here, we may not be able to get it much lower than low 100s with this new varients.

when are the cafes opening up .. schools opening all day long with thousands of kids .. why cant we pop in for 5 minutes for a coffee if schools are safe .....


Varadkar says next easing of Covid-19 restrictions will be ‘extremely limited’

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said the next easing of Covid-19 restrictions will be “extremely limited” and may only involve the phased return to schools and pre-school childcare.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/varadkar-says-next-easing-of-covid-19-restrictions-will-be-extremely-limited-1.4487812?mode=amp

khalessi wrote: »

No I mean the child who is in there are the minute fighting for his life.

Drives me nuts when people post stupid statements about flu when CMO says this year practically no flu cases and we are dealing with Covid which has affects nearly a million children in US and of the children in UK who have Covid 1 in 8 primary children have long term covid and 1 in 7 secondary school children have long term Covid and we havent even got into the rarer cases of MIS-C which is on the increase but work away

All of the “facts” you quote are false. Children clearly suffer mild illness from covid, all of the data tells us that. The stats on long covid in children are based on studies of hospitalised children, not the general population. A tiny fraction of Covid positive children get hospitalised.

There is a story on the indo about a child fighting for their life in Crumlin due to covid. The story states that the child has tested negative for covid. I assume you are referring to the same child.

firefish wrote: »

Khaleesi, I don’t know what your point is about there being no flu this year.
I agree that it drives me mad when people talk about closing schools because they’re worried about their children’s safety (unless of course there is a particular vulnerability). It just makes me think they’re a bit stupid. Now have I have teachers in my family who are vulnerable - worrying about them I understand. But worrying about your kids health to the extent of wanting them kept off school, when you would never look for the same for flu, meningitis etc. I know a baby who gets seizures any time he catches a viral illness, and the doctors say that’s not that uncommon. Yet no one has ever suggested closing childcare and schools for him and those like him.
Anyway, rant over. It’s just been one of pet hates during this. As I said, concerns about teacher or older family members health is a different matter.

Making a comment that flu is more dangerous than Covid when we haven't been dealing with Flu is daft

khalessi wrote: »

Merlin get over yourself. WHat I said is a quote this week By Dr Gabriel Scally so actually facts he stated in BBC radio interview I posted here in last two days.

ALso see Dr. Deepti Gurdsani Epidemiologist who was also on BBC being mansplained to similar to here sometimes.
Or Dr. Zoe Hyde or Dr Eric Feigl-Ding

Check your sources. All of those studies relate to hospitalised children.

combat14 wrote: »

will be very difficult for some teachers with kids to return to the class room if it is a phased return

https://m.independent.ie/news/junior-and-senior-infants-may-return-to-school-on-march-1-taoiseach-40103938.html

I teach 1st and 2nd so I wonder does that mean we'll be back on the 8th??

Dickie10 wrote: »

no way unions should have teachers back in classes unless numbers are less than 250/day. is there any real need to have full classes back before easter? school finshes march 28th for easter , maybe just LC and junior cert from march 8th, only if numbers are under 400

Junior Cert is cancelled so no rush getting them back

MerlinSouthDub wrote: »

Check your sources. All of those studies relate to hospitalised children.

THese studies came from US and UK where children are in schools. Where do you think they got it?

combat14 wrote: »

will be very difficult for some teachers with kids to return to the class room if it is a phased return

https://m.independent.ie/news/junior-and-senior-infants-may-return-to-school-on-march-1-taoiseach-40103938.html

Really? Are you completely oblivious to the fact that people have had to deal with this same issue on and off since last March? And not just for a week or two, rather months on end.

Teachers will have to sort something out for a week or a fortnight.

Locotastic wrote: »

Really? Are you completely oblivious to the fact that people have had to deal with this same issue on and off since last March? And not just for a week or two, rather months on end.

Teachers will have to sort something out for a week or a fortnight.

I fully agree with this. Childcare is not an issue that should be brought into it. Other workers are dealing with childcare issues for the last number of weeks and have had no choice but to get on with it.

Just seen online it'll be a 2 week gap between the next group that go back. So infants the 1st and then next class grouping the 15th!

khalessi wrote: »

THat is not false it is a quote fromDr. Scally, he said it. he said 1 in 8 primary aged children and 1 in 7 secondary school children who get Covid get Long Covid which he deifned as Symptoms longer then 5 weeks. and he did not say they were based on hospital stats he just said 1 in 8 who have Covid. He was on radio the other day. Sorry if he didnt inform you but he was busy doing an interview if you have an issue take it up with him

There are literally zero studies on children with long Covid other than studies based on hospitalised children. Gabriel Scally is an expert, but radio interviews don't lend themselves to including all the appropriate caveats and information.

ETA Christ it's a sorry state of affairs when knowledge about your job conditions is gleaned from internet forums and Twitter and you've stopped being surprised by this.[/quote]

Well used to it at this stage. The media or social media tells us what we need to know. It's crazy but the department would never be in touch with ordinary teachers.