Lockdown (And Beyond) Hatchlings

[smalex]

So the solution to W's class cover is..... A supply teacher (so far only guaranteed for the first week, she'll continue after that 'if she can') with his regular pregnant teacher doing Maths and English via Teams, with the TA offering support 2 days a week. They've interviewed 'three times' (don't know if thats 3 people or 3 rounds of interviews) and can't find anyone. So, yeah. Its pretty much the worst of all worlds. I don't know whether to cut them some slack because I know its been a fucking nightmare all round or be, like, GUYS. You've known about this since October. They've only been disrupted for 22 school weeks of the last year, its no biggie .

[Luce]

I’ve just got back from the training at F’s school. Honestly, what schools have achieved here is nothing short of staggering. It’s like a military operation! Booths have been built, floors prepped, more PPE than you can shake a stick at, processors, meet and greeters, crowd control etc. 700 children per day with 6 minutes allocated per child. The SLT should get awards.

Happy last day (ish) everyone. Let’s hope we never have to go back!

[Pippedydeadeye]

Squeak’s LFT is Tuesday, back Wednesday, god willing. I’m running out of patience now, and while I’m happy to go into bat fur her against that shit show at school, the process they’ve outlined sounds ok. There’s a new Head of School and he sounds decent too.

[Luce]

That sounds more promising and I think she's returning sooner than the Year 8s at our school - they're Thursday, I think. Are other parents at the school pissed off too?

[smalex]

Are primary school kids meant to be LF testing or not? I'm thoroughly confused

[wendy james]

Tests are available for twice weekly tests, collected from site or delivered if there's none near you, for households with primary school children*. Tests aren't compulsory for primary school children though.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-later ... -and-staff

*ETA - and secondary/college aged, but you were asking about primary. And anybody in a bubble with school/college attending children.

P has to have twice-weekly tests for college anyway, so it will only be me using them in our household.

[smalex]

Which is what I thought but then my local authority sent a letter saying 'primary school children are not required to test regularly unless they have symptoms' but in the next paragraph said ' primary, secondary and college students are encouraged to test themselves regularly blah blah' so now everyone is reading it differently.

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[wendy james]

That sentence starts 'Familes and households with primary....', so read in conjunction with the previous bit about primary school children not being asked to test, I'd say it's aimed at the non-children members of those households/bubbles.

Clear as mud, as ever though!

[smalex]

I went to order some but it gives you the heavies about not doing it unless you really need them. And there's 3 rapid testing places and their booking info says only use them if you have a secondary or college student/or are a keyworker etc.

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[smalex]

If they want us to do it they're reeeeaaalllly not making it very clear or easy.

[wendy james]

Is that for booking a test though, rather than collecting two packs of 7 LF tests?

The central govt sites says to just go collect them (at listed times, as they may be performing tests outside that time). I think Cerise posted on FB that she'd collected some near her so hopefully she's online soon.

I ordered (you can only order one pack of 7) as we don't have anywhere to collect nearby.

ETA - are you in a community that's surge testing atm?

[smalex]

Well the s glos letter says order kits online (which then stresses not to order kits unless you've no way of getting to testing centre) or book in to a rapid testing centre by following this link....which then says only to use it if you have a secondary or college student.
I don't think I'm being thick here. It seems to contradict itself and also national advice.

We were in a surge test area but it ended, but there's another going on in the Bradley Stoke area. But this link is from the letter about LFtests.

[smalex]

Apparently Bristol CC are offering collection of tests at two.locations at specific times (only two locations is nuts but that's by the by!).
Maybe S Glos are setting up to do that or something. Everyone is reading the letter different ways.

[purple_dress]

Our letter specifically says they don't recommend testing primary age children (unless they have symptoms) and it's just for their families/carers/support bubble. And here you just turn up at a test site to collect the tests.

I found the letter very strangely worded though as well. It's just saying its available rather than asking or even encouraging us to do it.

[Cerise]

Hello! Yes, I collected some tests yesterday. I just turned up in the time slot and was given some. Primary school age children are not required to test but D has actually asked for a test before going back to school. Smal, you should definitely get them as you are totally allowed. If anything, surely it’s helpful for your work.

[Cerise]

I found my collection site here:

https://find-covid-19-rapid-test-sites. ... enter.html

[smalex]

I didn't even realise asymptomatic testing was available for people who work out of home until yesterday! my friend says she's been booking her husband in for months (although it says critical workers and he's an estate agent so I don't know if that covers him or me really). I'm just going to order some. It's all ridiculously poorly written and set up. If there's very low take up around here I wouldn't be surprised.
School haven't mentioned it at all either.

[Heebie Jeebie]

It's all kicking off on the class WhatsApp. So far one third of Beebie's class have either been told not to come in or sent home, due to runny noses. As some parents sent their children in with runny noses, I imagine the rest will now have the same cold At least it's only 48 hours.

[smalex]

Are they saying you can't go in even with a negative PCP test?

[Heebie Jeebie]

Yes, we have been asked not to send our children in "if they are unwell" even if they don't have Covid symptoms, specifically calling out sniffles. But children with a cold are not unwell, so it's a tough one. I understand their caution and am not upset myself though it's a pain. But I had to do a bit of wrangling the test booking site to book a covid test for someone with no symptoms. One mum did a PCR test but was told that wasn't adequate.