Coronavirus Thread

[Facecloth]

1 minute ago, FoxesDeb said:

That wasn't the original point that I was replying to though.. 

Schools were safe enough to open yesterday, but suddenly aren't today. There can be no sound reasoning for that sudden and complete turn around. If they were staying open because kids don't suffer much with this, thats still the case today. If they are closing because kids pass the virus on, guess what, that was the case yesterday. 

 

He made two completely contradictory statements less than a day apart.

[Kopfkino]

11 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Starmer is using it as a pissing contest.... 

Don’t think he is tbh cos he keeps just agreeing with the government or getting his PR team to write a tweet. He’s had one policy in 9 months and that’s the firebreak lockdown that in hindsight and looking at Wales was crap, needed to be longer as per the November lockdown. Could have made far more out of this politically.

 

Plenty more that could have been a bigger thorn in the governments side

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

15 minutes ago, Nod.E said:

Which Tory tw@ is it that has their fingers in the garden centre pie? Honest to fvcking god.

 

Everything is shut, you can't even walk around a field with a set of golf clubs, but if you want to go in a shop to buy a fvcking plant? Be my guest, mate. 

Strangely enough it’s these places where a lot of the older generation converge.

[Dr The Singh]

52 minutes ago, StanSP said:

April for me! 

Beyonce for me, please

[Facecloth]

2 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I thought that schools had known for weeks that this was a possibility? I posted ages ago that I had been asked if my daughter could learn from home, and she was supplied with a laptop in November for just this eventuality? 

Of course they knew it was possible, but why leave it so late to confirm it? Again what suddenly changed since yesterday to force this decision?

[Guest Harrydc]

So restrictions until March. A year of this b*llocks. 

 

Happy New year. 

[Dr The Singh]

19 minutes ago, Nod.E said:

Which Tory tw@ is it that has their fingers in the garden centre pie? Honest to fvcking god.

 

Everything is shut, you can't even walk around a field with a set of golf clubs, but if you want to go in a shop to buy a fvcking plant? Be my guest, mate. 

Think about the plants, they will die....

[Pliskin]

14 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

Starmer has repeatedly and earnestly (I hope) offered to work with the government throughout this crisis only to be mocked at the despatch box by Johnson when he's done so. He's also voted with the government whenever they've brought in new legislation so not sure what more he could do? Hardly his fault he's across his brief and actually bothers to read the science when his opposite number can't be fvcked.

He has to be fair to him. I suppose the fact the tories have been that shit, it has made it easy for him, he certainly isn’t the damp lettuce leaf Corbyn is. He has more often than not come across well in the docks when he’s been cross examining Boris and his policies, but then again that in his DNA being previously of the CPS. 

[Pliskin]

4 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Think about the plants, they will die....

Can’t piss off Greta thornberry either, or she might shout at them. 

[StanSP]

24 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Starmer is using it as a pissing contest.... he’s just obviously agreeing with what scientific experts are saying. They should be working together, as a coalition government... actually coming together to overcome a national crisis.... it’s frankly embarrassing.

Hold on. Starmer has suggested several things early on and he's been laughed at, laughed off and been met with dismissive tone and attitude from government.

Then a few weeks later the government use his ideas anyway. This isn't the first case of Starmer calling for something, government saying no, and then government implementing it. Too late. 

 

What's wrong with agreeing with scientific experts, by the way?!

 

If anything, the Tories need to perhaps eat some humble pie, take a step back and maybe, just maybe realise the opposition/Starmer could be suggesting something decent or worthwhile and at least take it on board. Some of the responses he gets in parliament are quite frankly embarrassing.

[CosbehFox]

41 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I noted that Kier Starmer didn't disagree with anything either, so what exactly do people want now? A Government who won't make so called u turns, or one which recognises that the original decision was wrong, and needs to be changed? 

You mean the fella who called for the schools not open today? And introduce a lockdown quicker? 
 

Boris bought 3 million households at risk today by insisting on schools staying open

[CosbehFox]

14 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I thought that schools had known for weeks that this was a possibility? I posted ages ago that I had been asked if my daughter could learn from home, and she was supplied with a laptop in November for just this eventuality? 

They were asked pre holidays to prepare for wide scale testing administered and managed by school teachers 

[Benguin]

I think I knew when they extended furlough to April that this was going to happen. It seems mad that it will almost be a full year of restrictions soon. I’m getting married this year and am actually starting to worry now. Praying this vaccine is as effective and well rolled out as the government are suggesting it will be. 

[Tielemans63]

6 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I thought that schools had known for weeks that this was a possibility? I posted ages ago that I had been asked if my daughter could learn from home, and she was supplied with a laptop in November for just this eventuality? 

Nope. We've just got used to this government changing things late on so people are working their bollocks off trying to cover all bases. We're actively planning for a U-turn with every announcement which is exhausting and totally unsustainable.

 

I am a senior leader in a school and I spent the back end of my holiday and all of today organising the testing due to start this week for our sixth form because that's what we were told would happen last week. Hey presto, all that work down the drain and a total ****ing waste of my time and resources.

 

Knowing the government are probably going to move the goalposts is not helpful because you can't gamble on not doing all the prep, even when you know all the work you're putting in is likely to be in vain. It's an absolute piss-take.

 

Feel so sorry for NHS workers, the frustration and piss-taking we have to endure is a fraction of what they must be experiencing.

[FoxesDeb]

3 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

You mean the fella who called for the schools not open today? And introduce a lockdown quicker? 
 

Boris bought 3 million households at risk today by insisting on schools staying open

 

2 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

They were asked pre holidays to prepare for wide scale testing administered and managed by school teachers 

I can only comment on what I saw him say tonight, and he said he didn't disagree with anything. I don't understand your second point, as I said, the schools near my daughter have been preparing for this eventuality for ages, it's no real surprise, at least not where she is 

[fox_up_north]

2 minutes ago, Paddy. said:

Nope. We've just got used to this government changing things late on so people are working their bollocks off trying to cover all bases. We're actively planning for a U-turn with every announcement which is exhausting and totally unsustainable.

 

I am a senior leader in a school and I spent the back end of my holiday and all of today organising the testing due to start this week for our sixth form because that's what we were told would happen last week. Hey presto, all that work down the drain and a total ****ing waste of my time and resources.

 

Knowing the government are probably going to move the goalposts is not helpful because you can't gamble on not doing all the prep, even when you know all the work you're putting in is likely to be in vain. It's an absolute piss-take.

 

Feel so sorry for NHS workers, the frustration and piss-taking we have to endure is a fraction of what they must be experiencing.

I was due to start in another school this week. Contract until the end of the academic year. No contact from management today other than to tell me I won't be starting until next week at the earliest and may be online only for the foreseeable. 

 

They have spent 2 weeks prepping testing and now all the exams have been cancelled. So my work with year 11 catch up may have all just gone down the drain as well. 

 

Feel for you in management. 

[Voll Blau]

9 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

He has to be fair to him. I suppose the fact the tories have been that shit, it has made it easy for him, he certainly isn’t the damp lettuce leaf Corbyn is. He has more often than not come across well in the docks when he’s been cross examining Boris and his policies, but then again that in his DNA being previously of the CPS. 

Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I don't think him or Labour have managed things perfectly by any means - but I do genuinely think he's trying to reach out across the divide more often than not, when the easy points would be in saying nowt and just opposing everything the government does.

 

He may not be winning many brownie points with the public, but I don't think anyone could accuse the guy of not taking the situation seriously.

[Pliskin]

6 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Hold on. Starmer has suggested several things early on and he's been laughed at, laughed off and been met with dismissive tone and attitude from government.

Then a few weeks later the government use his ideas anyway. This isn't the first case of Starmer calling for something, government saying no, and then government implementing it. Too late. 

 

What's wrong with agreeing with scientific experts, by the way?!

 

If anything, the Tories need to perhaps eat some humble pie, take a step back and maybe, just maybe realise the opposition/Starmer could be suggesting something decent or worthwhile and at least take it on board. Some of the responses he gets in parliament are quite frankly embarrassing.

To be fair in being cynical I have probably done a disservice to him. It is very easy to say the right things when your opposition is under the cosh, but he has in his fairness always been quick to point out the shortcomings in the tories plans and offer reasonable suggestions. Like I mentioned on a previous reply, he has always been very good when addressing the house regarding the decisions made by his opponents, and often eloquently analyses them. His time with the CPS certainly means he will have that analytical and potentially logical approach to his responses. 
 

My comments were more tongue in cheek and flippant off the back of another U-turn in the “oops we’ve done it again” tour featuring the tories...  
 

But Bozz isn’t half making it easy for him. 

[AoWW]

1 hour ago, FoxesDeb said:

I'm assuming he's talking about what we have known for months. Schools are safe for the children within them, however they are vectors for transmission to the wider population. It's really not that difficult to understand is it? 

Schools haven't been very safe for the staff that have died or been seriously ill as a result of being in them. Don't kid yourself that children haven't contracted this virus from within schools, either. 

[CosbehFox]

12 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

 

I can only comment on what I saw him say tonight, and he said he didn't disagree with anything. I don't understand your second point, as I said, the schools near my daughter have been preparing for this eventuality for ages, it's no real surprise, at least not where she is 

 

 

As @Paddy. just laid out schools were being asked in December to be prepared to carry out mass testing on students in order to ensure in person teaching. 
 

Just to add - here’s the governments guidance for school staff - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/asymptomatic-testing-in-schools-and-colleges

 

Teachers spent that time as opposed to setting up lesson plans for distance learning. Which is a forever changing subject or topic. Teachers need an indication of when closures are going to happen with enough notice to ensure that what is being passed to students is on schedule with the curriculum. What’s prepared for in November is taught by end of November etc - there’s not time to prepare an entire year’s curriculum for distance learning in such short period of time. 
 

 

Edited 4 January 2021 by Cardiff_Fox

[Facecloth]

1 minute ago, AoWW said:

Schools haven't been very safe for the staff that have died or been seriously ill as a result of being in them. Don't kid yourself that children haven't contracted this virus from within schools, either. 

Don't expect her to concede Boris is even slightly wrong. The mental gymnastics to defend him are almost impressive.

[Charl91]

32 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I thought that schools had known for weeks that this was a possibility? I posted ages ago that I had been asked if my daughter could learn from home, and she was supplied with a laptop in November for just this eventuality? 

 I don't think any school has known that there was going to be a country-wide lockdown. Why would they expect one now, especially when...

 

1). When schools tried to close a week early to stop transmission, the Government threatened them with legal action

2). We've just had a 2 week holiday, which would have been the perfect time to announce that, and no announcement was forthcoming.

3). The Government announced on Sunday that schools would be open as normal.

 

As much as I agree a lockdown is needed, all the noises coming out the Government camp have been that there would absolutely be no lock-down and schools would not be closed. 

 

Schools have known that home learning is a possibility if their bubble goes down - I myself have taught two weeks at home, when my bubble was closed because of Covid cases - and are prepared for such cases. However, that's very different to "lock-down", because all of a sudden there are a lot more factors to consider, the most pressing one being Key Worker children.

 

Who qualifies as a key worker? How many are we going to have? How many bubbles do you put them in? Who looks after them if all the staff are teaching their class remotely? How do you do lunches for them, if lunch staff aren't coming in? What do we need to put on the new risk-assessment? All this stuff needs time (and communication with parents) to sort out. Going in tomorrow is going to be a nightmare, and we can't teach the children at home until we sort out a plan and system to accommodate key worker children at the same time.

 

Similarly, lots of teachers have prepared their classrooms and planned lessons for the week/fortnight/month which are now completely unusable, because teaching remotely (especially in primary) and teaching in a classroom are completely different. Preparing work for online teaching is much, much trickier. When I was e-teaching, I found I was spending at least 3-4 hours a night just preparing resources for the next day, because - and especially when you're teaching young kids - everything has to be very visual to keep them engaged while sat in front of a computer for hours each day. So these teachers are now going to be a little pissed that the work they've done over the holidays is all for waste, just because the Government weirdly decided they'd rather pretend that this situation was sprung on them suddenly and unexpectedly. 

 

6 weeks is a long time, so ideally we also need to be sending out work-books and other resources. With a little bit of notice - even a day or two - this could have gone a lot more smoothly. The whole thing is very bizarre.

 

 

Edited 4 January 2021 by Charl91

[Ric Flair]

4 minutes ago, AoWW said:

Schools haven't been very safe for the staff that have died or been seriously ill as a result of being in them. Don't kid yourself that children haven't contracted this virus from within schools, either. 

Any different to other sectors that stay open if allowed? The sad reality is that a very small percentage of people will be seriously ill and die from it and the majority of the people in close proximity to one another in at least primary schools are much, much less likely to catch it, spread it and suffer from it so the serious risk is the spread amongst teachers and staff or them catching it out of schools. 

 

 

 

 

[Tielemans63]

3 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

 I don't think any school has known that there was going to be a country-wide lockdown. Why would they expect one now, especially when...

 

1). When schools tried to close a week early to stop transmission, the Government threatened them with legal action

2). We've just had a 2 week holiday, which would have been the perfect time to announce that, and no announcement was forthcoming.

3). The Government announced on Sunday that schools would be open as normal.

 

As much as I agree a lockdown is needed, all the noises coming out the Government camp have been that there would absolutely be no lock-down and schools would not be closed. 

 

Schools have known that home learning is a possibility if their bubble goes down - I myself have taught two weeks at home, when my bubble was closed because of Covid cases - and are prepared for such cases. However, that's very different to "lock-down", because all of a sudden there are a lot more factors to consider, the most pressing one being Key Worker children.

 

Who qualifies as a key worker? How many are we going to have? How many bubbles do you put them in? Who looks after them if all the staff are teaching their class remotely? How do you do lunches for them, if lunch staff aren't coming in? What do we need to put on the new risk-assessment? All this stuff needs time (and communication with parents) to sort out. Going in tomorrow is going to be a nightmare, and we can't teach the children at home until we sort out a plan and system to accommodate key worker children at the same time.

 

Similarly, lots of teachers have prepared their classrooms and planned lessons for the week/fortnight/month which are now completely unusable, because teaching remotely (especially in primary) and teaching in a classroom are completely different. Preparing work for online teaching is much, much trickier. When I was e-teaching, I found I was spending at least 3-4 hours a night just preparing resources for the next day, because - and especially when you're teaching young kids - everything has to be very visual to keep them engaged while sat in front of a computer for hours each day. So these teachers are now going to be a little pissed that the work they've done over the holidays is all for waste, just because the Government weirdly decided they'd rather pretend that this situation was sprung on them suddenly and unexpectedly. 

 

6 weeks is a long time, so ideally we also need to be sending out work-books and other resources. With a little bit of notice - even a day or two - this could have gone a lot more smoothly. The whole thing is very bizarre.

 

 

You've explained this in a far calmer and more eloquent way than I did.

I'm just a ball of rage after today

 

[Pliskin]

I’ve been inspired by the constant u-turning of our government and I am now performing a u-turn on a decision myself. Dry January can get in the bin. 

Edited 4 January 2021 by Pliskin