Covid in Schools

shesty · 11-10-2020 4:59pm

To be honest, kids didn't matter all that much as this unfolded at the start other than to get them out of everyone's way, and I don't really think they matter all that much now either - we made our priorities fairly clear on that one as a country back in April, May and June.They barely entered the national conversation beside DIY shops and golf courses, let's be honest. And the behaviour of the Department of Ed through the summer was jaw-dropping.

If Tony Holohan decides schools need to close and indefinitely, I suspect it will happen.Excuse my cynicism, but that is how it appears so far.I would like to be wrong.

lulublue22 · 11-10-2020 6:07pm

Treppen wrote: »

Take photo of classroom whiteboard and set it as the background.

love it tks for the idea

Bobtheman · 12-10-2020 8:01am

A week is a long time with covid. If we go to level 4 it's more likely we go to level 5.
If we go to level 5 unions won't tolerate members going to
Work while everyone else is at home. Pure health and safety.
As to denials- I'd say they believe it (politicians) but they should have been less adamant and must know it's still a possibility.

Balagan1 · 12-10-2020 11:43am

The Minister for Education just told Claire Byrne that Covid is not an issue in schools.

Said it is not appropriate for the stats not to be shared with the public.

Asked about info being shared on social media about schools with Covid she replied "It is the nature of society to discuss issues as they arise ... but we should allow any determination to be made by the experts". Meaning health experts. The health experts wanted us to go onto Level 5 last week but the government refused. Claire Byrne did not raise that issue with her.

Minister did allow that should we ever go to Level 5 they will take advice about the closing of the schools then, an obvious change from before when they clearly stated schools and creches would remain open at Level 5.

Bobtheman · 12-10-2020 12:23pm

Balagan1 wrote: »

The Minister for Education just told Claire Byrne that Covid is not an issue in schools.

Said it is not appropriate for the stats not to be shared with the public.

Asked about info being shared on social media about schools with Covid she replied "It is the nature of society to discuss issues as they arise ... but we should allow any determination to be made by the experts". Meaning health experts. The health experts wanted us to go onto Level 5 last week but the government refused. Claire Byrne did not raise that issue with her.

Minister did allow that should we ever go to Level 5 they will take advice about the closing of the schools then, an obvious change from before when they clearly stated schools and creches would remain open at Level 5.

The lack of tranparency in figures is worryng. Thanks for the above. Unless we are at level 5-no point in closing schools. Seems to be a valid argument

LW2018 · 12-10-2020 11:41pm

How many positive cases in a year group would be deemed enough to send a full year group home? We had our first positive case early last week and now some of the close contacts have also tested positive. These close contacts had been in school prior to their testing. The initial student was absent while he awaited a test. Some other close contacts who tested negative have began to now show symptoms. So far the HSE has said that the school cohort are not at risk. Has anyone had any other experiences of this? I find it hard to believe that students who tested positive having been a close contact to a confirmed positive case couldn’t have spread the virus amongst their peers in the 3 days leading up to them getting the close contact notification and their subsequent positive test result

Balagan1 · 13-10-2020 10:04am

LW2018 wrote: »

How many positive cases in a year group would be deemed enough to send a full year group home? We had our first positive case early last week and now some of the close contacts have also tested positive. These close contacts had been in school prior to their testing. The initial student was absent while he awaited a test. Some other close contacts who tested negative have began to now show symptoms. So far the HSE has said that the school cohort are not at risk. Has anyone had any other experiences of this? I find it hard to believe that students who tested positive having been a close contact to a confirmed positive case couldn’t have spread the virus amongst their peers in the 3 days leading up to them getting the close contact notification and their subsequent positive test result

The following is relevant to your question but unfortunately does not answer your question of exactly how many cases it took to close the entire 6th year.

LIMERICKLEADER > NEWS > BREAKING NEWS
Limerick school sends sixth year students home after 'a number of positive Covid-19 cases' confirmed
Fintan WalshFintan Walsh12 Oct 2020
https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/580322/limerick-school-sends-sixth-year-students-home-after-a-number-of-positive-covid-19-cases-confirmed.html

r93kaey5p2izun · 13-10-2020 6:48pm

A number of schools locally now sending year groups home at short notice or texting parents late at night to say no school for year groups for following days. Too many teachers absent with Covid, as close contacts or awaiting Covid tests.

I am considering blocking certain school numbers because I am being phoned so frequently for subbing that I'm not interested in!

LW2018 · 14-10-2020 8:23pm

Now we can’t have visitors to our houses but it’s totally fine to have 29 “visitors” to our classrooms

jrosen · 14-10-2020 8:29pm

LW2018 wrote: »

Now we can’t have visitors to our houses but it’s totally fine to have 29 “visitors” to our classrooms

I believe the mantra is "reduce our non essential contacts in order to maintain and increase essential contacts.

The reality is education is essential. We are being asked to do all we can to limit our contacts across all parts of our lives in order to be able to maintain the contacts we need. Education, health, supports etc.

SligoBrewer · 14-10-2020 9:58pm

what happens if our essential contacts are still too much to spread the virus?

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40038119.html
nice article here from august 26th

khalessi · 14-10-2020 10:15pm

Just wondering if secondary got the letter from Dept of Education today, telling us all is well in schools, nothing to see, great success etc., accompanied by last weeks guide to remote learning. The two together sends a mixed message.

babybuilder · 14-10-2020 10:31pm

khalessi wrote: »

Just wondering if secondaey got the letter from Dept of Education today, telling us all is well in schools, nothing to see, great success etc., accompanied by last weeks guide to remote learning. The two together sends a mixed message.

Anyone thinking schools aren't a source of transmission is deluded and is ignoring basic science and epidemiology.
So student picks up virus in school, is one of the asymptomatic children, goes home and infects mammy and daddy etc. They're all tested and turn out positive. School contacted and by a process of elimination one other student ( not the index case) is close contact. Outbreak is considered outside of school. Nothing to see here.
However, the reality is there are scores of outbreaks not reported, I'd say over 300 schools at this stage.

amacca · 14-10-2020 10:47pm

babybuilder wrote: »

Anyone thinking schools aren't a source of transmission is deluded and is ignoring basic science and epidemiology.
So student picks up virus in school, is one of the asymptomatic children, goes home and infects mammy and daddy etc. They're all tested and turn out positive. School contacted and by a process of elimination one other student ( not the index case) is close contact. Outbreak is considered outside of school. Nothing to see here.
However, the reality is there are scores of outbreaks not reported, I'd say over 300 schools at this stage.

Yup

But some people are utter morons and believe the party line

Some want to believe it so there's an incentive there

Some dont believe it but dont give a toss as long as they get what they want

Some dont believe it but think the outcome is still the correct one as this isnt going away

I personally think its shameful and disrespectful to any decent citizens with an ounce of intelligence .....but I also think there are less of them around.

Bobtheman · 15-10-2020 12:47pm

amacca wrote: »

Yup

But some people are utter morons and believe the party line

Some want to believe it so there's an incentive there

Some dont believe it but dont give a toss as long as they get what they want

Some dont believe it but think the outcome is still the correct one as this isnt going away

I personally think its shameful and disrespectful to any decent citizens with an ounce of intelligence .....but I also think there are less of them around.

Remember Churchill said the biggest argument against democracy is to spend five minute with the avg voter.

15-10-2020 12:53pm

babybuilder wrote: »

Anyone thinking schools aren't a source of transmission is deluded and is ignoring basic science and epidemiology.
So student picks up virus in school, is one of the asymptomatic children, goes home and infects mammy and daddy etc. They're all tested and turn out positive. School contacted and by a process of elimination one other student ( not the index case) is close contact. Outbreak is considered outside of school. Nothing to see here.
However, the reality is there are scores of outbreaks not reported, I'd say over 300 schools at this stage.

They want to discuss schools as much as they want to discuss this. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/court-shuts-down-after-senior-member-of-an-garda-siochana-tested-positive-for-covid-19-39625051.html
Tell me it's all balanced when a 20+ potential Cluster in an Garda siochana, is not newsworthy..then I'll tell you about the schools!!

Shocking and worrying...

Bobtheman · 15-10-2020 7:48pm

It's shocking these guards will miss all the extra over time for the PR check points . My heart goes out to them

wirelessdude01 · 15-10-2020 7:54pm

https://twitter.com/dhubhda/status/1316767840016502787?s=19

deiseindublin · 15-10-2020 11:02pm

Where is that supposed to have happened? I don't disbelieve it but hard to give any credence to it without some facts.

Warbeastrior · 15-10-2020 11:27pm

What people outside school settings don't understand is that the guidelines are farcical.

When will this be better highlighted/put to government ministers in a sustained manner?

iguana · 16-10-2020 12:16am

jrosen wrote: »

The reality is education is essential.

Education is essential. But is it essential that it happens in exactly one way at this exact point in time? It isn't. Sometimes, we need to adapt how we achieve that which is essential and this is likely one of those times. By ignoring that, we just increase the likelihood of an awful lot of children ending up without an education when schools as they are can't be sustained.

khalessi · 16-10-2020 7:18am

It is lovely to see that the government are ignoring the WHO recommendation that when transmission is high in th ecomunity, schools should implement blended learning or go online. I think by their own definition of it being uncontrolled and they cant track it would mean high transmission.

wirelessdude01 · 16-10-2020 9:02am

khalessi wrote: »

It is lovely to see that the government are ignoring the WHO recommendation that when transmission is high in th ecomunity, schools should implement blended learning or go online. I think by their own definition of it being uncontrolled and they cant track it would mean high transmission.

No, no no they didn't say that.

That was Ronan and Tony who have both said it at the press briefings this week. But remember they aren't the govt. They only give recommendations that the govt don't listen to 🤣😂

Rosita · 16-10-2020 10:29am

All of this debate will be immaterial soon anyway. They are allowing the infection rate to escalate so much that everything will close soon, including schools.

Varadker's comment in the Dáil about "needing an army" to contact trace a thousand infections a day was incredibly tone-deaf. The whole point of having an extensive and effective contact-tracing regime in place ahead of the curve is to prevent it reaching that level in the first place.

Icyseanfitz · 16-10-2020 10:48am

They won't do a tap with schools, in my opinion they will prioritize keeping them as is before even the health care system.

TheValeyard · 16-10-2020 11:48am

Well, we're ****ed aren't we?

scrubs33 · 16-10-2020 12:08pm

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

They won't do a tap with schools, in my opinion they will prioritize keeping them as is before even the health care system.

Schools and GAA will get us through the winter:eek: And I say that as someone having a foot in both camps. Make a call and let us get on with it instead of the constant leaks

doc_17 · 16-10-2020 12:35pm

I'd say the Unions will have something to say about the continued presence of teachers at daily super spreader events.

Teach30 · 16-10-2020 6:15pm

Anyone else finding it difficult to stay on top of things? The increased workload that is.. trying to catchup on course with 6th year, check work on classroom, upload work for students onto classroom, correct copies, plan ahead for photocopying, stay behind and sanitise at end of day when possible, Give tests and correct Them quickly in case of another lockdown. I’m really feeling not able.

I’ve come home the last week and feel so behind on things. I know I’ll spend tomorrow and Sunday trying to prepare. I haven’t been for a walk in the evening in weeks and I’m constantly tired. My legs this evening gave up and I had to sit down to teach class. Sorry for rant.

If anyone had advice on coping with the additional work please fire away..

wirelessdude01 · 16-10-2020 6:28pm

Teach30 wrote: »

Anyone else finding it difficult to stay on top of things? The increased workload that is.. trying to catchup on course with 6th year, check work on classroom, upload work for students onto classroom, correct copies, plan ahead for photocopying, stay behind and sanitise at end of day when possible, Give tests and correct Them quickly in case of another lockdown. I’m really feeling not able.

I’ve come home the last week and feel so behind on things. I know I’ll spend tomorrow and Sunday trying to prepare. I haven’t been for a walk in the evening in weeks and I’m constantly tired. My legs this evening gave up and I had to sit down to teach class. Sorry for rant.

If anyone had advice on coping with the additional work please fire away..

Arra sure some on here will probably just appear and call you lazy for sitting down in school

Covid in Schools

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