How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

eclipsechaser · 06-08-2020 1:26am

I went into school today to declutter and measure my classroom. I'm lucky to have the biggest classroom by far in a very modern building (post primary). It's probably 50% bigger than an average classroom in the school.

With a 1m gap between desks, I can get 18 pupils into the room. Clearly no regular post primary classroom will be able to do either a 1 or 2 metre gap with a full class.

Are the government supplying teachers with N95 masks?

WorriedTeacher · 06-08-2020 1:27am

Blondini wrote: »

Nice opening post from someone who actually understands how schools work.

Just be prepared to be shot down here at every opportunity by the usual suspects who have never worked in the education sector and know SFA about ... anything really.

Good luck my friend.

WorriedTeacher wrote: »

I’ve been following this degenerate thread since the beginning of lockdown.

I’ve thought long and hard about the worthiness of posting here.

I think both sides have lost the run of themselves, running down a rabbit hole of endless vitriolic point scoring comments. Mixed in with trolls that just want to stir sh1t. Honestly speaking, after reading some of the comments here, it has made me question why I should stay in my profession if this is the level of hatred that exists towards teachers, when I give so much of my own life to educate yours while I neglect my own.

I think in the heat of the arguments we have lost sight of the bigger picture.

I don’t know the credibility of this journalism but according to Reuters, one person is dying every 15 seconds in the world from Covid. I can’t post a link but just Google it.

I wish all sides would just take a single minute to really think of the the human cost involved before they continue in their ‘debates’. One person is dying every 15 seconds, due to Covid.

There are a myriad of programs on RTÉ, BBC and Channel 4 to name but a few to educate us about the actual hard hitting, utterly heart wrenching reality of the lonely and horrifying death our loved ones face with Covid.

I don’t know how many of you reading this tonight have unfortunately had to deal with the real cost of this virus. The cost of losing a loved one.

Fortunately , I have not, yet, lost someone I love to the virus. But I have stood by while close friends and neighbours bade farewell to their own Daddies and Mammies, brothers and sisters. Unable to say goodbye, unable to give them a reassuring hug. Unable to mourn in a way that gave them closure.

I love my job. I long for and crave my silly morning singing and dancing phonics routines with my first class. I love teaching Maths. I love hearing children laugh and have the craic. Do I love holidays cry the trolls? Yes, who doesn’t. But this isn’t a holiday. This isn’t a happy, joyous time.

Both I and my students, want, crave and need stability, structure and routine. We all, regardless of sides in this ‘debate’ want and need to get back to reality.

I am a parent but as a teacher, I understand the inner workings of schools. I have no belief in the roadmap. It gives absolutely no advice on the day to day practicalities of classroom life. Do what suits seems to be the attitude from the Department.

When September comes, I won’t be visiting my mother, in laws or my 98 year old grand mother. It breaks my heart but that is the reality of opening our schools.

Open our schools, get our children back to education, yes, they have missed a lot academically. No doubt.

Open our schools, get our children back to education, yes, they have missed a lot socially and emotionally. No doubt.

Open our schools, get our children back to education. Safely. Without repercussions to our loved ones.

Open our schools, our economy has suffered. A lot of our families have lost incomes.

Open our schools. But, What price are we willing to pay.....my family are everything to me... I don’t want to lose them unnecessarily.

Thanks Blondini for your advice. I think I’ve vented my point and I think I’m going to park it there. My twopence worth has been vented. Over and out :pac:

Purplewaters · 06-08-2020 1:30am

eclipsechaser wrote: »

I went into school today to declutter and measure my classroom. I'm lucky to have the biggest classroom by far in a very modern building (post primary). It's probably 50% bigger than an average classroom in the school.

With a 1m gap between desks, I can get 18 pupils into the room. Clearly no regular post primary classroom will be able to do either a 1 or 2 metre gap with a full class.

Are the government supplying teachers with N95 masks?

Thanks for pointing this out. The government are not supplying anything. The only mask suitable for the type of set up theyre suggesting would be an n95 but you'd not be able to teach in them. The alternative is half in half out or all masked which still isn't really enough as it's a long day in a small room. Its weird leo said specifically he never said full reopening jsur a week or two ago so this seems to be the new government's way to try to look good by doing a full reopening. Surely they will have to stop renting the area they are for the dail for 25000 a day and sit in the dail again if theyre going to be sending about a million of us off to this kind of set up.

glack · 06-08-2020 2:01am

kingbhome wrote: »

No one is allowed to go near .my kids without my permission. If they want to take there temputure randomly, they may phone me so I can be present. That goes for pulling them aside if they they there's any suspicion about anything.

Maybe you need to consider homeschooling your child. Have you any idea how schools work? Or any service that deals with children?

Any teacher with any kind of professionalism will deal with a suspected case in the same way they will deal with anything that may be wrong with a child - calm, as little fuss as possible, a "no big deal" type of situation. Children regularly go through all kinds of potentially embarrassing situations (vomiting, damaged trousers, toilet accidents - this one is a biggie in senior primary as the embarrassment of this can live with a child for a long time - etc) and 95% of these are managed by the teacher, with little fuss and to the point where the other students are unaware anything happened at all. Someone often pipes up an hour later wondering "Where did Pat go? Is he gone home?"

We assess children throughout the day - who looks upset, or lonely. Who might be hungry (no breakfast situations). Who looks like they haven't slept etc. And then we deal with them to make sure YOUR child is cared for and feels safe. So with a sick child you might have a teacher/staff member ask them if they are feeling ok, do they feel warm. Let's get you a drink of water and maybe we will check your temperature to make sure you're not coming down with a cold etc. Normal conversations parents have with their children as part of the whole caring for them thing. If you don't want other people caring for your child, keep them home!!

Murple · 06-08-2020 2:26am

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Thanks for the reply . Its just the thoughts of a young child be put in a storage closet scares the hell out of me . Some of them are 4 years old, I can’t wrap my head around it

There’s many a storage closet that’s been cleared (and sometimes left full) and being used as a support teaching room.
Despite a lot of what has been said, I still don’t think people have a proper grasp on how poor the facilities in a great many schools are.

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 7:09am

Purplewaters wrote: »

You don't have to explain yourself. You are entitled to work safely and see your family in a safe way without additional risk of knowing you have been in close contact with 30 to 40 kids instead of socially distant contact in a ventilated room spaced out and considered safe with everyone wearing masks. Really wonder about some of the posters on boards. Only joined and wondering why I ever did.

A lot of people are in the same position and have not had the luxury of working from home since March.

They have all had to make a call on whether to risk coming into contact with older or vulnerable members of their family while working.

This is not just an issue from September when teachers return and certainly isn't a decision that's exclusive to teachers.

All o the pupils families will also have to make that call once kids return to school, this is an everyday decision or sacrifice that a lot of the country has been dealing with for months.

Quantum Erasure · 06-08-2020 7:11am

Purplewaters wrote: »

I really think the spot a kid waits for their parents is not as much of an issue as the catastrophic spread it will have if the child does have covid. Given they will be in close contact with all 30 kids it will blow up the R number. So 30 times say 4 family members for each child is 120 cases for every child who gets this. And that's not allowing for the fact tbe siblings may also bring it into their classes.

It doesn't magically infect everyone that is in a room with an infected person, and then all their families as well....,

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 7:15am

Murple wrote: »

There’s many a storage closet that’s been cleared (and sometimes left full) and being used as a support teaching room.
Despite a lot of what has been said, I still don’t think people have a proper grasp on how poor the facilities in a great many schools are.

Well there's storage closets and there's storage rooms, we know theres a difference.

If I came to school to find my child in a "closet" it wouldn't be the last of it and the school would be in a world of trouble.

I went to school at a time when children were seen and not heard and corporal punishment was still happening (whether allowed or not). Thankfully times have changed, children deserve to be treated sensitively especially right now. They've been through a massive upheaval.

thomasdylan · 06-08-2020 7:20am

eclipsechaser wrote: »

Are the government supplying teachers with N95 masks?

Probably not.

You do understand what patients and procedures N95 masks are used for in the health service?

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 7:23am

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

It doesn't magically infect everyone that is in a room with an infected person, and then all their families as well....,

True, but it's still 30 kids as close contacts, doesn't matter if they split them into whatever amount of pods, with the classroom sizes they'll have to be all tested, if one infected kid is there. Pods are good idea on the paper, but reality will be different in most setups imo.

Minier81 · 06-08-2020 7:38am

For anyone worried about the isolation room, I wouldn't be. These have been set up on creches too, for ours the room was a previous shared play room. The name is awful but it is really just meant to be a safe place where a child can wait spaced out from others. For small children staff member will be with them, although the staff member would wear a mask for a sick child. There is no reason why a staff room couldn't be used if there was no other suitable room.

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 7:45am

Minier81 wrote: »

For anyone worried about the isolation room, I wouldn't be. These have been set up on creches too, for ours the room was a previous shared play room. The name is awful but it is really just meant to be a safe place where a child can wait spaced out from others. For small children staff member will be with them, although the staff member would wear a mask for a sick child. There is no reason why a staff room couldn't be used if there was no other suitable room.

In school with 400+ kids, there is a big chance you'll have a few a day with some symptoms, not just one.

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 7:48am

Different rules for third level? I'm seriously getting confused by now

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0806/1157594-third-level-guidance/

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:15am

xhomelezz wrote: »

Different rules for third level? I'm seriously getting confused by now

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0806/1157594-third-level-guidance/

Most of them will be having minimal time on campus anyway. One day every three weeks for mine, the rest online.

Plus they are adults.

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 8:21am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

Most of them will be having minimal time on campus anyway. One day every three weeks for mine, the rest online.

Plus they are adults.

That's why it is soooo confusing. Third level rules vs secondary full to the roof schools rules. Makes no sense.

Plus they are adults?? What kind of argument is that?

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:34am

xhomelezz wrote: »

That's why it is soooo confusing. Third level rules vs secondary full to the roof schools rules. Makes no sense.

Plus they are adults?? What kind of argument is that?

Difficulties with children managing masks v an adult, children wearing masks regularly for prolonged periods v adults wearing masks for few hours every few weeks.

Risks v benefits, don't understand why you can't see the difference between maybe a 13 year old boy and perhaps a 23 year old man.

Add to that the fact that there's a massive question over the efficacy of masks right now and speculation that they are actually causing more infections than they prevent through incorrect use.

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:37am

thomasdylan wrote: »

Probably not.

You do understand what patients and procedures N95 masks are used for in the health service?

Just a quick summary for anyone who doesn't know:

Surgical N95 (also referred as a medical respirator) is recommended only for use by healthcare personnel (HCP) who need protection from both airborne and fluid hazards (e.g., splashes, sprays).

These respirators are not used or needed outside of healthcare settings. In times of shortage, only HCP who are working in a sterile field or who may be exposed to high velocity splashes, sprays, or splatters of blood or body fluids should wear these respirators, such as in operative or procedural settings.

Murple · 06-08-2020 8:39am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

Add to that the fact that there's a massive question over the efficacy of masks right now and speculation that they are actually causing more infections than they prevent.

I’d be interested in reading more about this- studies, evidence, facts and figures etc.
Can you provide any links as I can’t find anything on it?

byhookorbycrook · 06-08-2020 8:39am

eclipsechaser wrote: »

I went into school today to declutter and measure my classroom. I'm lucky to have the biggest classroom by far in a very modern building (post primary). It's probably 50% bigger than an average classroom in the school.

With a 1m gap between desks, I can get 18 pupils into the room. Clearly no regular post primary classroom will be able to do either a 1 or 2 metre gap with a full class.

Are the government supplying teachers with N95 masks?

The guidelines say we don’t need to wear gloves dealing with a suspect case , so “ no” to the masks .

Re isolation- the DES says to keep suspect cases in the classroom if there’s nowhere for them to go , because the virus isn’t airborne 🙄🤬

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:43am

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The guidelines say we don’t need to wear gloves dealing with a suspect case , so “ no” to the masks .

Re isolation- the DES says to keep suspect cases in the classroom if there’s nowhere for them to go , because the virus isn’t airborne &#55357;&#56900;&#55358;&#56620;

Gloves are a haphazard for the same reason as some people wearing masks are. They are used in a clinical setting for brief periods during certain procedures and then removed or changed between patients.

I actually cringe when I see people wearing them out and about because they are wearing them for long periods and not sanitising or washing their hands. Again another example of how PPE is being used incorrectly and might cause more problems than it prevents.

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:47am

Murple wrote: »

I’d be interested in reading more about this- studies, evidence, facts and figures etc.
Can you provide any links as I can’t find anything on it?

Linked a few articles from scientists and infection specialists in a previous post.

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 8:48am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

Difficulties with children managing masks v an adult, children wearing masks regularly for prolonged periods v adults wearing masks for few hours every few weeks.

Risks v benefits, don't understand why you can't see the difference between maybe a 13 year old boy and perhaps a 23 year old man.

Add to that the fact that there's a massive question over the efficacy of masks right now and speculation that they are actually causing more infections than they prevent through incorrect use.

Some logic behind that, seriously. Beats me, so put more pressure and risk on secondary, while making safer rules for third level. Yup makes sense.

And please stop posting misinformation around masks, these arguments got beaten so many times.

byhookorbycrook · 06-08-2020 8:48am

I agree re gloves not being changed and used correctly. However , if I’m in close contact with a suspect case , I want to be able to use gloves when dealing with them .

iamwhoiam · 06-08-2020 8:49am

Murple wrote: »

There’s many a storage closet that’s been cleared (and sometimes left full) and being used as a support teaching room.
Despite a lot of what has been said, I still don’t think people have a proper grasp on how poor the facilities in a great many schools are.

I am not a teacher but from a family of teachers . I was the only one that wasn’t a teacher and they also married teachers !
I have three nieces and two nephews who are teachers and understand the difficulties
That said , in my opinion using a cupboard as an isolation room for young children must be an absolute last resort and every other alternative explored .

downthemiddle · 06-08-2020 8:49am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

Don't worry that won't happen, huge repercussions for a school even attempting something like that.

If there is no designated room they'll be brought to an area to wait (similar to what happens now anyway just with some extra precautions).

Isolation area needs to be accessible to staff and pupils with disabilities, plus contingency for the fact that there may be several students who require isolation on any given day.

A small storage closet would not be suitable for any of the isolation requirements never mind the fact that it's basically child abuse.

I find this post abhorrent. There was institutionalised child abuse in this country for far too long.As a child I witnessed some of my classmates being abused on a daily basis. Some of the people I grew up with are dead because they never recovered from the abuse they suffered.
To trivialise their suffering because of your need to attack teachers is something you should reflect upon.
Your tirade against teachers has never been about what’s best for children. You have no interest in the discrimination that children with additional needs will suffer when schools reopen. You view that as a price worth paying.
Thankfully the days of institutionalised abuse appear to be in the past. If you genuinely believed that schools are capable of institutionalised abuse why are you so keen to send your children back?
You crossed a line with this post. I genuinely feel sorry for you.

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:51am

xhomelezz wrote: »

Some logic behind that, seriously. Beats me, so put more pressure and risk on secondary, while making safer rules for third level. Yup makes sense.

And please stop posting misinformation around masks, these arguments got beaten so many times.

If face coverings aren’t used properly, they can have the effect of increasing the risk of transmission.

Go look it up.

khalessi · 06-08-2020 8:51am

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I agree re gloves not being changed and used correctly. However , if I’m in close contact with a suspect case , I want to be able to use gloves when dealing with them .

https://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/posters/glovesingleuse.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nncHYHZOKmA HSE removal of gloves

in case this helps

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 8:53am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

If face coverings aren’t used properly, they can have the effect of increasing the risk of transmission.

Go look it up.

Nah don't need to, you might jump in to Masks thread and get educated, plenty of studying there for you.

jimmytwotimes 2013 · 06-08-2020 8:54am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

If face coverings aren’t used properly, they can have the effect of increasing the risk of transmission.

Go look it up.

And if face coverings, with no SD for 7 hours a day, aren't used at all?

iamwhoiam · 06-08-2020 8:54am

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

My friend, if you can find me a tent and an appropriately vetted person to supervise kids in it, my principal will bite your hand off for it! :pac: Tent would probably be entertaining for them alright but the supervision is as much of a problem as the location.

As I feel asleep last night thinking about the tent and other possibilities I thought of a little caravan or a smal wooden kids house ! Of course its only musing and trying to find suitable alternatives to isolate a child in . Our own local school has loads of outside space bit of course not all do

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 8:55am

downthemiddle wrote: »

Thankfully the days of institutionalised abuse appear to be in the past. If you genuinely believed that schools are capable of institutionalised abuse why are you so keen to send your children back?
You crossed a line with this post. I genuinely feel sorry for you.

People are concerned about the closet being mentioned as an isolation area.

I said myself that thankfully those days were no more in another post, and if you read the first line of my post that you quoted I said don't worry it won't happen.

I am saying that kids need to be treated sensitively, that's not trivialising things that happened which never were and never will be acceptable, I genuinely apologise if you feel that I was trivialising those events it wasn't intended that way at all.

Boggles · 06-08-2020 8:56am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

Add to that the fact that there's a massive question over the efficacy of masks right now and speculation that they are actually causing more infections than they prevent through incorrect use.

How scientific.

:rolleyes:

alroley · 06-08-2020 9:04am

Alden Loose Squid wrote: »

If face coverings aren’t used properly, they can have the effect of increasing the risk of transmission.

Go look it up.

Is your job posting in this thread? Every time I check it there's so many posts from you.

am_zarathustra · 06-08-2020 9:19am

Masks are only effective at stopping others getting it not preventing you becoming infected. They point is if everyone wears one if dramatically decreases aerosolized particles in poorly ventilated rooms. This does decrease peoples risk. There are plenty of peer reviewed journal articles about this. It's also logically true if you think about it.

Gloves are a different game, they are sometimes a better surface than skim for comogenic transfer and are really one and done measures. As the previous poster said, I would wear them in the room with the student if I needed to touch them, I shouldn't but at primary I assume you might need to help them out a jumper on or something! The gloves should only be worn in the room, out on and taken off and disposed of all within the same space. It's like labcoats, they only work if the stay in the lab.

All PPE required a training, at least schools can provide good training. I have kids wear mask, full cover goggles, lab coats, gloves all the time, it's fine. They get used to it. Sometimes they do it wrong but they learn eventually.....almost like it my job to know how to help them!

wirelessdude01 · 06-08-2020 10:11am

Quite how my posting regarding how my school intends to use an emptied storage closet as one of our isolation rooms led to comparisons to historical abuse in schools shows the levels of certain posters on here. This is below contempt.

If we had any other option we would use it. We have identified three spaces for use as isolation areas, away from others. Comments along the lines of"they'll have to deal with me" inflame things in a hysterical way. People really need to grab a hold of themselves and cop the flip on and possibly step away from boards if they are getting triggered that much.

iamwhoiam · 06-08-2020 10:20am

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Quite how my posting regarding how my school intends to use an emptied storage closet as one of our isolation rooms led to comparisons to historical abuse in schools shows the levels of certain posters on here. This is below contempt.

If we had any other option we would use it. We have identified three spaces for use as isolation areas, away from others. Comments along the lines of"they'll have to deal with me" inflame things in a hysterical way. People really need to grab a hold of themselves and cop the flip on and possibly step away from boards if they are getting triggered that much.

People also must be aware of the anxiety and worry out there among parents and children .This is a public forum read by many who never post and wording should be careful and not cause more upset to people . I know how very important little sentences or words can be to a worried and anxious parent . I dont have a school going child but do have grandchildren and the very thought of a closet for a 5 year old makes me shudder . I am sure I am not alone in this to be honest .
Just as nurses and doctors and frontline staff, teachers have a huge roll to play in this hugely stressful time . Reassurance , calmness and working together for the good of the kids is vital at this moment in time.
This is not actually meant as a criticism but as a pointer that often we all can forget how important a roll that educators and carers of young children play .

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 06-08-2020 10:28am

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Quite how my posting regarding how my school intends to use an emptied storage closet as one of our isolation rooms led to comparisons to historical abuse in schools shows the levels of certain posters on here. This is below contempt.

If we had any other option we would use it. We have identified three spaces for use as isolation areas, away from others. Comments along the lines of"they'll have to deal with me" inflame things in a hysterical way. People really need to grab a hold of themselves and cop the flip on and possibly step away from boards if they are getting triggered that much.

I think putting a child in a closet is wrong, that's all that I meant. That has been twisted around into something it's not.

I have apologised to the poster who felt that I was trivialising historical abuse, that absolutely was not my intention at any point and I am really sorry if anyone took it that way.

I do think you're right about taking a break from here, I've been under a lot of pressure lately and I think this is probably unhealthy for me.

Best of luck with whatever September brings.

MickeyLeari · 06-08-2020 10:46am

The reality in the current climate is that there cannot be a full reopening of schools. Like other countries there will need to be 50% occupancy so that either means week on week off or a split week - a split week is probably better as all kids will go to school every week. The exception to this rule may need to be leaving cert but even then it may be better to keep things the same for everyone. Teachers will need to be protected (ie masks are needed) but they will be in the classroom every day (otherwise it will not work). Combine this with temperature checks and families being honest in terms of any illness and this is workable. Tell people now and families can plan.

ax530 · 06-08-2020 10:49am

my children are in a school identified many years ago as not fit for purpose however the process to a new building is very slow.
storage closets have for the past few years being used as resource teaching rooms there is not a space unused in the building and no more room for porta cabins outside either.
So to me the use of a traditional cleaning storage space as a classroom is not unusual and I think it would work fine as an isolation space, preume any parent who gets a call about child going into isolation will arrive asap.
The concept of teaching a child in a closet is not new to the department as I gather from the department view point any space (that includes corridors) can be to teach children in.
Classrooms always seem very cluttered teachers have lots of resources which will need to find a new 'home' to make space for SD.
I just hope schools are working to identify other available space close by to use come Sept community buildings, church buildings, function rooms, empty retail spaces ect these will not be required just to teach children in but also for storage of school suppiles possibly have admin and non teaching staff off site.

morebabies · 06-08-2020 10:56am

Do you remember how the schools' reopening was part of Phase 5, yet at the moment due to rising cases we can't proceed to Phase 4... So we're just leapfrogging Phase 4 basically to get the schools open?

Just wondering if cases keep increasing does anyone think they'll do a u-turn and postpone the opening?

wirelessdude01 · 06-08-2020 10:58am

morebabies wrote: »

Just wondering if cases keep increasing does anyone think they'll do a u-turn and postpone the opening?

Politically they can't be seen to row back on this. Schools will be fully opening is their mantra and come hell or high water they will be sticking to it.

Theboinkmaster · 06-08-2020 10:59am

morebabies wrote: »

Do you remember how the schools' reopening was part of Phase 5, yet at the moment due to rising cases we can't proceed to Phase 4... So we're just leapfrogging Phase 4 basically to get the schools open?

Just wondering if cases keep increasing does anyone think they'll do a u-turn and postpone the opening?

phase 4 - mainly pubs, concerts etc. not a requirement

phase 5 - schools re-opening absolutely a requirement

requirement being a fully functioning economy.

the only reason phase 4 is before phase 5 is timing of when schools usually go back anyway.

MickeyLeari · 06-08-2020 11:23am

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Politically they can't be seen to row back on this. Schools will be fully opening is their mantra and come hell or high water they will be sticking to it.

I see them having to look at a partial reopening perhaps up until October initially but likely until the end of the new school year. I have been on the relaxing restrictions side of things (and indeed thought the leaving should have gone ahead with a bit of creativity) but it has to be in all cases where there can be a safe environment - with schools you also need a level playing field so that means a partial reopening may be the most sustainable solution.

wirelessdude01 · 06-08-2020 11:32am

MickeyLeari wrote: »

I see them having to look at a partial reopening perhaps up until October initially but likely until the end of the new school year. I have been on the relaxing restrictions side of things (and indeed thought the leaving should have gone ahead with a bit of creativity) but it has to be in all cases where there can be a safe environment - with schools you also need a level playing field so that means a partial reopening may be the most sustainable solution.

Respectfully disagree that they will do that. They will reopen fully but the chances of them having to row back and go to partial opening are quite high.

vid36 · 06-08-2020 11:37am

MickeyLeari wrote: »

I see them having to look at a partial reopening perhaps up until October initially but likely until the end of the new school year. I have been on the relaxing restrictions side of things (and indeed thought the leaving should have gone ahead with a bit of creativity) but it has to be in all cases where there can be a safe environment - with schools you also need a level playing field so that means a partial reopening may be the most sustainable solution.

I agree. you get the primary school students in school as much as possible. Secondary school students can do blended learning, in schools on alternative days or weeks.That is what Professor Neil Ferguson suggests. He always states that reopening secondary school will rise the R number.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/05/neil-ferguson-predicts-r-number-rise-if-secondary-schools-fully-reopen

MickeyLeari · 06-08-2020 11:38am

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Respectfully disagree that they will do that. They will reopen fully but the chances of them having to row back and go to partial opening are quite high.

Indeed you are probably right that they have nailed themselves to that mast but let’s see the messaging over the next few weeks.

xhomelezz · 06-08-2020 11:44am

MickeyLeari wrote: »

Indeed you are probably right that they have nailed themselves to that mask but let’s see the messaging over the next few weeks.

Think they after digging a hole for themselves. Should've put two or three scenarios up depending on situation at the end of the month.

Lyle · 06-08-2020 11:44am

Covid-19 may spread more easily in schools than thought, US report warns (via @IrishTimes) https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/middle-east/covid-19-may-spread-more-easily-in-schools-than-thought-us-report-warns-1.4323634

Equally troubling, according to the report, was the fact that – contrary to earlier theories about the spread of the disease in children – younger children, as well as those who spent longer at the camp, appeared more likely to be infected.

The CDC report said: “The findings demonstrate that Sars-CoV-2 spreads efficiently in a youth-centric overnight setting, resulting in high attack rates among persons in all age groups, despite efforts by camp officials to implement most recommended strategies to prevent transmission.”

The report added: “Asymptomatic infection was common and potentially contributed to undetected transmission, as has been previously reported. This investigation adds to the body of evidence demonstrating that children of all ages are susceptible to Sars-CoV-2 infection and, contrary to early reports, might play an important role in transmission.”

A friend just sent me that, their child is in boarding school and they are now even more up in arms than they were up to this point. I hadn't even considered what happens to boarding schools in this environment. Presumably they simply can't operate?

As for everyone else; what have we, three and a bit weeks until opening? Examples like the above will have to enter the conversation... I know the government won't want to roll back on their full re-opening nonsense but as a parent you'd be sick with worry over this stuff, the joke that is the "plan", and now there's scenarios and evidence arising that shows that the virus does impact children, that it spreads from children and that there's a higher probability that it's airborne and that aerosol spread isn't just happening in aerosol-shedding medical procedures. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69286-3 / https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.03.20167395v1).

Who needs to acknowledge airborne/aerosol transmission for NPHET/Government to consider it? Does it have to be WHO/ECDC approved logic before it enters the conversation here? I'm getting more and more nervous about all this with every passing day.

wirelessdude01 · 06-08-2020 11:49am

Lyle wrote: »

Who needs to acknowledge airborne/aerosol transmission for NPHET/Government to consider it? Does it have to be WHO/ECDC approved logic before it enters the conversation here? I'm getting more and more nervous about all this with every passing day.

ECDC are due to be releasing something about school reopenings this week or early next week.

SusanC10 · 06-08-2020 12:16pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Respectfully disagree that they will do that. They will reopen fully but the chances of them having to row back and go to partial opening are quite high.

Agree with this.

Also Question - if my Primary School child wants to wear a Mask in the Classroom, will this be allowed ?