Re: Return To School

and some are still working from home, and will have to do so for the foreseeable. I know of three frinds who work in banking and engineering who have been told that their offices will be ghost staffed until January at the earliest.

Not really sure what your main point is??

If buildings are still being kept open, even for ghost staff and with maintenance teams largely remaining on furlough to mitigate the cost, but teaching still goes ahead (albeit online plus some possible 1-1 tutorials (as will be the case with my daughter when she starts in September)), then why should the cost be reduced?

Re: Return To School

Well, l didnt mention teachers at all Dex??
However l take your point !
But l do think that teacher and other unions are politicising what
should be a debate about public safety, partcularly where school
children are concerned as there is no evidence whatever that
young children are susceptable to cotracting the virus at all?
So who's safety are they talking about?

Donkeyman! 😁😁

Re: Return To School

There is more than enough evidence that even babes in arms are being infected by this awful plague.

Here's the very first Google return.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-53097646

Re: Return To School

Fair enough, and I apologise for assuming you were referring to teaching staff on this school based thread
Personally, I don't think the unions are making any political points whatsoever. However, since they are pointing out that government policy doesn't seem to have been thought through properly in terms of efficacy nor logistics, then they are bound to be accused of "politicising" things.

As for whether children are any differently inclined to contract the virus..it does seem to be the case that the healthier, fitter and indeed younger one is, the more likely one seems to be asymptomatic. AFAIK there has been no blanket testing for the purposes of research into the likelihood of different categories of peoples catching the virus, largely because we haven't had the time to do so, yet alone the spare capacity to finance such research. It may be the case that children have already caught the virus in far higher proportions compared to other age groups, but since they don't seem to have suffered any real ailments, nobody ever bothered to check...but I don't know and nor does anyone else!!

However, schools tend to also have adults in them. AFAIK there has never been a clause in their contracts which suggests that it is part of their job to put themselves in harms way as a part of their duties. They are not paid danger money. And yet, without any of the research indicated above, government policy is to do just that - in effect saying "we expect that some of you will contract the virus and will thus die, but you are expendable so tough titties and get on with it".

Finally, it seems likely that some children and adults will contract the virus within school, which will lead to death of either them or members of those groups they subsequently have contact with.

All melodramatic, to be sure. But these are the consequences of being told to adopt ill thought out government policies. Why shouldn't unions and other bodies question them?

Re: Return To School

Once again Todger you make broad assertions about this flu!!
You say the reducing death rates in developed countries is due to
improved treatments etc, possibly true in some cases ! But dont
you think that as statistics show 95% of deaths from covid occur
in over 70yr olds it is more likely that the decreasing death rate might
be more likely to be caused by a decreasing number of older
people being available?? ( how many deaths recorded now, 149,000?)
The big difference between the black death and the present
pandemic is that the black death was transmitted by live rats
travelling on slow sailing ships!
And the present covid infection was spread by live people travelling
on fast aircraft, and was imo totally avoidable!!

Doneyman! 🤔🤔🤔

Re: Return To School

A very inconclusive report Todger? None of the cases were
definitely tied to the deaths and the baby that dd have corona was
only 13 days old and it was unclear what the cause of death was??
I am sure that it s possible for younger persons to die from covid
but the evidence to date does not support that supposition?
What was the total for people under 19yrs dyig of covid?
Was it 16 deaths only??
Out of whatever the death toll is now?(149,000?)
Donkeyman! 🤔🤔🤔

Re: Return To School

Or the Unions?

Re: Return To School

Send them back to school ....

I'm gonna blame the unions for trying to delay the inevitable and presenting endless lists and clauses for the government to comply with.

They want the ideal safest environment for kids and teachers .. which is understandable
But ... right now, there is no such thing as 'safe' for anyone.
Until there's a vaccine everyone is , sooner or later, going to have to just get on with as best as they can.

If it's the teachers complaining .. they ought to get off their backsides, though apparently a lot of them claim they are scared to go back.
They've just had an inflation busting pay rise in recognition of frontline workers, including the bulk of them who were no where near the front line.

Edited to add: Scotland seem to have handled it better. Their kids are back at school today or tomorrow aren't they?

Re: Return To School

One baby .
Babies do die .

Every child now should be back at school .
In fact they should have been back at school this month they have lost enough school time.
My friend is a teacher and supports this .

Re: Return To School

My granddaughter a primary school teacher did. Even going into school to clean classrooms it being toodangerous For school cleaners
Letters and emails from parents of her class should their appreciation.