Schools back

Children may carry much more coronavirus in their system than previously thought, a new study suggests.

Infected children were shown to have a significantly higher level of virus in their airways than hospitalised adults in ICUs for Covid-19 treatment, researchers say.

As schools plan to reopen in England next month, understanding the potential role children play in the spread of the disease and the factors that drive severe illness in children is critical, experts say.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Mass General Hospital for Children (MGHfC) in the US, suggest their findings indicate children may play a larger role in the community spread of the virus than previously thought.

[New Mantra: Don't get sick until after we leave. Don't get sick until after we leave. Don't get sick until after....]

FIFY! 

Awww, thanks.     No, I don't want it. But I do assume we will probably eventually get it - and if one of us does, the other will.

But we might be lucky and make it until they have a vaccine. Not holding my breath on that one, though. 

Two more schools on the "hot" list here today.

Teachers are more likely to get Covid-19 on their coffee break than in a classroom, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said.

Dr Jenny Harries said that the risk for teachers in schools is probably highest “between staff”.

Dr Harries said: “The transmission from younger children – when teachers are perhaps more likely to be closer to them – is much lower.

“Actually in the studies that have been done so far, the risk probably of transmission between staff, rather than to or from children, is the one that teachers perhaps should be focusing on – so it’s going off for a coffee break, you know, dropping your guard down.”

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she added that the majority of cases in schools were from staff-to-staff interactions.

She added: “I think it’s really important to reassure teachers on that count, but also to encourage them. When it’s their coffee break and they get a well-earned rest in the day, to ensure that they maintain their social distancing, good hand-hygiene, all those sorts of things while they have their break because that does seem to be a risk factor.”

Teachers are more likely to get Covid-19 on their coffee break than in a classroom, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said.

Dr Jenny Harries said that the risk for teachers in schools is probably highest “between staff”.

Dr Harries said: “The transmission from younger children – when teachers are perhaps more likely to be closer to them – is much lower.

“Actually in the studies that have been done so far, the risk probably of transmission between staff, rather than to or from children, is the one that teachers perhaps should be focusing on – so it’s going off for a coffee break, you know, dropping your guard down.”

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she added that the majority of cases in schools were from staff-to-staff interactions.

She added: “I think it’s really important to reassure teachers on that count, but also to encourage them. When it’s their coffee break and they get a well-earned rest in the day, to ensure that they maintain their social distancing, good hand-hygiene, all those sorts of things while they have their break because that does seem to be a risk factor.”

  The thing I find striking about this is it is a rare case of the government actually admitting that work is where the real danger is.  All workers in the break room are no different than teachers, in fact even more at risk as they spend more time talking with other adults. 
It's funny how for a short time the government was saying "there's not enough leeway for both schools and pubs to opem, we may have to choose one".  However, they were ignoring  the biggest spreader of all, which is working in an office.  I really think they are so desperate to get people back to work in offices in London they will ignore anything. 

Truth. All about the benja..... Elizabeth's?

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This country is still living the myth that kids don't spread it. They do. And they can get very ill from it. I'm incredibly concerned.

I will go out on a limb and say i don't think it's this country specific....it sounds like a lot of countries have either perpetuated this thought process of down played it.


That being said, i do see honolulu'a point that we need to treat it like it'll never have a cure. Sending kids back to school is scary but also there can be safety precautiouns put in place. I think either scenario will seem like a lose-lose. All you can do is just hope they put in safety measures to the best of their ability.

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After one day open, one of our local school has closed again. Staff member with COVID. These poor kids.

We had a school in the town where i work that apparently called off reopening because it was too risky due to levels of infections couldnt make it safe enough so thankfully they didn't try.

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I will go out on a limb and say i don't think it's this country specific....it sounds like a lot of countries have either perpetuated this thought process of down played it.


That being said, i do see honolulu'a point that we need to treat it like it'll never have a cure. Sending kids back to school is scary but also there can be safety precautiouns put in place. I think either scenario will seem like a lose-lose. All you can do is just hope they put in safety measures to the best of their ability.

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There's a school in Bracknell that has said if children show up wearing masks they will be removed. That isn't pushing a health and safety narrative at all. That's what I'm worried about. We are getting better at treating it, there are fewer severe cases, but there's still so much unknown about the long term effects especially on children that I don't think it's a good move to have no remote/mixed learning planned from the get go. All of my friends in the US are doing remote learning with their kids or a mixed schedule where they are in class 2 days a week. That's a lot safer and their infection levels in those areas are lower than here.

There's a school in Bracknell that has said if children show up wearing masks they will be removed. That isn't pushing a health and safety narrative at all. That's what I'm worried about. We are getting better at treating it, there are fewer severe cases, but there's still so much unknown about the long term effects especially on children that I don't think it's a good move to have no remote/mixed learning planned from the get go. All of my friends in the US are doing remote learning with their kids or a mixed schedule where they are in class 2 days a week. That's a lot safer and their infection levels in those areas are lower than here.

In MA, they are allowing thr option (for the most part) of homeschooling or hybrid (which is doing both) - though some schools aren't giving the choice and there's no consistency between different cities/towns if how long inside/outside of classroom. Other states, however, from what i hear are carrying on like there's no problem. The US has also tried to drive the narrative that children are somehow immune. My point really was only that this idea that kids are immune isn't a narrative only existing in the UK and i agree that it's a dangerous narrative to drive. Just making the point that this extends beyond just the UK mentality. Look at some states and how they are operating at the moment. It's not great.

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There's a school in Bracknell that has said if children show up wearing masks they will be removed. That isn't pushing a health and safety narrative at all. That's what I'm worried about. We are getting better at treating it, there are fewer severe cases, but there's still so much unknown about the long term effects especially on children that I don't think it's a good move to have no remote/mixed learning planned from the get go. All of my friends in the US are doing remote learning with their kids or a mixed schedule where they are in class 2 days a week. That's a lot safer and their infection levels in those areas are lower than here.

  What's the point of that?  I'd imagine that if the school doesn't enforce mask  wearing and it's only the parents trying to get their kids to do it, the mask will come off on it's own after 15 minutes.   

  What's the point of that?  I'd imagine that if the school doesn't enforce mask  wearing and it's only the parents trying to get their kids to do it, the mask will come off on it's own after 15 minutes.

I have no idea, if a kid wants to wear them they should be allowed. I have seen many who are happy to. There isn't a provision for kids or their parents who are immune compromised, I've seen in a number of groups that parents are planning on being fined because being alive is more important than sending their kids to in person instruction. It's going to get bad quickly.

In MA, they are allowing thr option (for the most part) of homeschooling or hybrid (which is doing both) - though some schools aren't giving the choice and there's no consistency between different cities/towns if how long inside/outside of classroom.

In Mass, it seems like a lot of it depends on the HVAC systems in the school. At least this is what my oldest sister and BIL (both high school teachers and BIL is union rep), say is one of the requirements.  And also they Mass Teachers union have lobbied for less days in the classroom required for kids (170 days versus 180).
One sister is a paraprofessional at the elementary school in my hometown and that school is open full time for K-4. The school is only about 10 years old, so has good HVAC systems. Her son goes to the middle school and they're full time remote as the building HVAC is not good.  Her other children grade K and 6, and my youngest sister's girls , grade 1 and 2 all go to a charter school at a living history museum and their schooling is heavily outside based, so they're going full time.  My older sister and her husband are both high school teachers in a separate town and their school is a mixture of in person and remote learning. There is also a whole option for kids to do virtual high school fully.   My BIL is the coordinator for virtual high school, so he's working full time remote. My oldest sister is extremely immunocompromised, so she is working full time remote as well, and quite supported by her school to do so too. 
So it all depends. 

Hmm, meanwhile,  Florida not seeming too good!
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/513661-florida-confirmed-9000-new-covid-19-cases-among-children-within-15-days?fbclid=IwAR2_HxG3qTJIYysGnx96X_9oHxVlAGne4TY5Z5pWCPAXzOXjbj3AAo7wJMk


The rise in cases in Scotland don't seem school based and seem community based, but it is definitely finding its way into schools too, although at a low level. 

Coronavirus: Covid transmission within schools detected in Glasgow https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54005621

I came across an Oxford study today that put me back into the freak-out camp - I had been working on the assumption from other studies I've read about transmission and illness in children that were reassuring. But now I'm worried about everybody else who isn't under 10 - as well as my own kiddo.

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