Coronavirus

[AstroDan]

Sorry to ask but I'm just interested. Do you work in primary or secondary as they seem to have completely different ways of dealing with it at the moment? Some schools are doing rapid tests in class, some aren't. Do you think bubbles would make more sense again? Do you think they should be reintroduced for winter? How many people are wearing masks (anywhere in schools, not necessarily in classrooms as I imagine its difficult to teach a class full of masks)?
From my experiences at college so far they seem so relaxed and to be honest it does concern me slightly. I seem like the only one wearing my mask.

Primary. We never had masks, and with young children it's just not feasible. The majority of measures have been removed over summer, which is what the national guidance said. Of course, we've maintained some measures. With cases though, we have had to re-introduce them.

I have no stress over the virus.

The stress is the workload caused by the virus to myself and colleagues. I need a third arm to somehow teach 20 kids at home and 10 kids at school at the very same time. Thankfully I have a great team and we don't place too much pressure on, but you just want to do your best and basically - you can't.

Education professionals killing themselves is already a reality due to the stress - I know of 3 headteachers who have quit in the last 6 months directly due to the impact of the pandemic on their workload and subsequent stress.

 

[JAperson]

Primary. We never had masks, and with young children it's just not feasible. The majority of measures have been removed over summer, which is what the national guidance said. Of course, we've maintained some measures. With cases though, we have had to re-introduce them.

Completely understandable.

I have no stress over the virus.

The stress is the workload caused by the virus to myself and colleagues. I need a third arm to somehow teach 20 kids at home and 10 kids at school at the very same time. Thankfully I have a great team and we don't place too much pressure on, but you just want to do your best and basically - you can't.

Education professionals killing themselves is already a reality due to the stress - I know of 3 headteachers who have quit in the last 6 months directly due to the impact of the pandemic on their workload and subsequent stress.

This is concerning, especially as there was already a teacher shortage before the virus. Also with it being primary I imagine it's really hard to do remote learning. The kids are just too young to be able to get along on there own with work set and be able to join meetings in teams or zoom on their own. Teachers have worked hard during the pandemic and deserve praise however I believe they need to re-intrude as many measures at schools as possible as it seems that they are the main breeding ground for the virus at the moment. With it being primary as well I presume it causes real problems with the parents having to be there when the kid is off, i presume it means schools are under pressure to keep kids in even if they have been near someone with the virus to make life easier for the parents. It seems there needs to be some sort of system in place for when this happens. I would understand if this didn't exist at the start of the pandemic but the government should have sorted something by now.

I salute you and all the other teachers of the country for your hard work during the pandemic. All the teachers I now have worked very hard during the pandemic. You have done your country proud.

 

[Matt.GC]

Education professionals killing themselves is already a reality due to the stress - I know of 3 headteachers who have quit in the last 6 months directly due to the impact of the pandemic on their workload and subsequent stress.

That's very sad to hear actually. I despised almost every second I was at school as a young 'un, when our schools were little more than over crowded, underfunded exam factories. My children however love going every day and I can see why.

I have a year 3, year 6 and year 8 child and I can't believe the dedication, care and compassion that's gone in to my kids schooling. I'm not just on about the acedmemics, the way the teachers at my kids primary in particular have nurtured and cared for my children is absolutely outstanding. They've made a genuine permanent postive impact on my children's lives. The deputy head their primary school used to spend some of his own time with my eldest after school and managed to bring a side out of him we've never seen before and even took the time to visit his secondary school and spoke to his new teachers there to help him with the transition to year 7. Nothing in it for him other than care for my son.

I feel that if people like him ended up leaving the profession, it would be a disaster that this country simply cannot afford with our most precious resource - those kids who are going to sort out the mess we've left behind for them.

There seems like there's complete ignorance/arrogance from the government regarding this. I'm sure most people on here will know someone working in the medical profession who can tell you just what's happening in hospitals at the moment. They can shout about as many death and vaccine figures as much as they want, but just because Dave from accounts is back in the office and the pubs are open, things are certainly NOT back to normal.

I don't do a role that is essential like teaching, policing or working in the NHS (all of which are grossly underpaid), but even from the private sector I can see the government looking the other way and pretending there's no problems. It must be hell in the public sector having to work directly for them right now.

 

[AstroDan]

I am wondering if the UK is going to grow a pair and actually start insisting on vaccinations like most countries? People have a right to choose not to be vaccinated, but unless they are exempt on health grounds from having it, they should not be able to enjoy the same priviledges as everyone else. After all, if it wasn't for people getting jabbed - they wouldn't be able to enjoy freedoms now.

I am generally a liberal, and vote left of centre, but on this I really feel that a hard line needs to be taken - it's no joke now as we have seen by the way the pandemic has rolled on and on. In recent months, my position on this has hardened - possibly as I went abroad in summer and showed my vaccination certificate at many places and saw how it worked.

At Europa-Park, if you were unwilling to wear a mask - you couldn't ride. Everyone wore one. Sunflower lanyards? What are those?

 

[JAperson]

I am wondering if the UK is going to grow a pair and actually start insisting on vaccinations like most countries? People have a right to choose not to be vaccinated, but unless they are exempt on health grounds from having it, they should not be able to enjoy the same priviledges as everyone else. After all, if it wasn't for people getting jabbed - they wouldn't be able to enjoy freedoms now.

I am generally a liberal, and vote left of centre, but on this I really feel that a hard line needs to be taken - it's no joke now as we have seen by the way the pandemic has rolled on and on. In recent months, my position on this has hardened - possibly as I went abroad in summer and showed my vaccination certificate at many places and saw how it worked.

The trouble is vaccine passports or whatever you want to call them really aren't popular, not for domestic use anyway. I've spoken to quite a few people and most agree that people should have the vaccine and most are having it or have had it but people don't think places really need to bother with that. Most people think it should be a full choice not one you are pressured into by not being able to do things because you haven't had it. Most people believe for travel that they should be used but for entering the pub it's a different story.

I think there's a good chance some rules like this maybe introduced for certain jobs and has been for some. Jobs that haven't been included but might be in the future are teachers, firefighters, police and maybe military personnel (don't want your soldiers catching COVID and spreading it to the whole army). I also think employers should have the ability to refuse someone who isn't vaccinated from a position.

I pretty sure maks will make a return for the winter at some point however it'll be too late again probably. Whether the introduce some things like this I wouldn't be surprised. Someone like gigs and other highly crowded spaces might require vaccines. I'd be interested to know where you had to show your vaccine certificate just to see how France, Germany and The Netherlands are handling vaccine privileges.

Personally, I think there should be small limitation for not having the vaccine. You should be barred from going to gigs, festivals and nightclub. Venues should also have the legal right to insist on vaccine proof to enter at there own discretion.

 

[AstroDan]

The trouble is vaccine passports or whatever you want to call them really aren't popular, not for domestic use anyway. I've spoken to quite a few people and most agree that people should have the vaccine and most are having it or have had it but people don't think places really need to bother with that. Most people think it should be a full choice not one you are pressured into by not being able to do things because you haven't had it. Most people believe for travel that they should be used but for entering the pub it's a different story.

I want to agree with you - I really do. But those folk who choose not to have the jab are only free to do the very things which you speak because the rest of us have had it...! If we hadn't all done our civic duty and took the jab - theme parks, pubs, you name it - they wouldn't all be open now because the hospitals would be on their knees.

These individuals won't be able to go on holiday abroad anymore, will they? Maybe when they realise they are confined to the UK they will get it.

And, to be clear, I do believe it should be a choice - but individuals making the choice not to have it should come to expect limits to their freedoms.

 

[JAperson]

I want to agree with you - I really do. But those folk who choose not to have the jab are only free to do the very things which you speak because the rest of us have had it...!

I didn't say I believed that. That's what people have been saying I said that:

Personally, I think there should be small limitation for not having the vaccine. You should be barred from going to gigs, festivals and nightclub. Venues should also have the legal right to insist on vaccine proof to enter at there own discretion.

which basically means I agree with you @AstroDan just to a lesser extreme.
I would much rather significant restrictions are placed on people who have not been vaccinated, apart from those who medically can't have it, but I think it's just not feasible in this country.

 

[AstroDan]

Yes - people who are medically unable to have the jab should, of course, be able to have all the freedoms of someone who is vaccinated.

Sorry for not fully understanding your post. Long day.

 

[JAperson]

Yes - people who are medically unable to have the jab should, of course, be able to have all the freedoms of someone who is vaccinated.

100%

I do wonder about vaccinating the under 16's though. I'm not really sure that A) the take-up will be that high as lots of parents are quite happy to have it themselves but are not very keen for their kids to have it. B) I'm not sure it would make much difference apart from the positive effects on schools I just think it'd be better to help poorer countries and to make sure everyone over 16 is double jabbed and the really old are double vaccinated. I know you teach primary but do you think it'd have enough influence in schools that it would make sense to do it before booster jabs and helping other countries.

 

[NuttySquirrel]

I want to agree with you - I really do. But those folk who choose not to have the jab are only free to do the very things which you speak because the rest of us have had it...! If we hadn't all done our civic duty and took the jab - theme parks, pubs, you name it - they wouldn't all be open now because the hospitals would be on their knees.

These individuals won't be able to go on holiday abroad anymore, will they? Maybe when they realise they are confined to the UK they will get it.

And, to be clear, I do believe it should be a choice - but individuals making the choice not to have it should come to expect limits to their freedoms.

Couldn't agree more with regard to vaccination - if you don't want the jab then that's your choice but don't expect the same rights and privileges as everyone else. However there needs to be a method by which medically exempt individuals can obtain those same rights as they obviously have no choice one way or the other.

With regard to sunflower lanyards though, I don't think it's fair to insist that everyone wears a mask regardless of their disability status. For a lot of ppl they're a mild inconvenience, but some people genuinely can't wear them due to anxiety or sensory issues and I respect that. (Tbh I can only wear mine for up to an hour, I'd avoid any activity that meant having to wear one all day.)

 

[AstroDan]

I agree that there are probably some folk who can't, but this entire time we've seen some folk just self declare they can't.

Abroad that just doesn't wash. Maybe we're further ahead with people's rights, who knows.

 

[NuttySquirrel]

I agree that there are probably some folk who can't, but this entire time we've seen some folk just self declare they can't.

Abroad that just doesn't wash. Maybe we're further ahead with people's rights, who knows.

I think the symbolism of the sunflower lanyards is part of the problem: they have become synonymous with circumventing Covid restrictions, legitimately or not, when their original intention was to make others aware of hidden disabilities. Unfortunately this means that some genuine wearers are now being ostracised.

 

[AstroDan]

I think the symbolism of the sunflower lanyards is part of the problem: they have become synonymous with circumventing Covid restrictions, legitimately or not, when their original intention was to make others aware of hidden disabilities. Unfortunately this means that some genuine wearers are now being ostracised.

Anyone would think it's like RAP.

 

[JAperson]

I think the symbolism of the sunflower lanyards is part of the problem: they have become synonymous with circumventing Covid restrictions, legitimately or not, when their original intention was to make others aware of hidden disabilities. Unfortunately this means that some genuine wearers are now being ostracised.

This has become a problem and I have witnessed this happening to someone I know. They should have made something that shows you are exempt and not used a system already in place for something completely different.

 

[Alsty]

I think Astro's point is there are less exemptions on the continent. In this country there's a percentage of people that just don't want to comply with regulations or things that are in place for the greater good, not because of any genuine health condition but rather one of self-entitledness.

In Europe it seems like time of day isn't given to such people.

 

[Islander]

^I think this is the point.

There’s a tonne of people who don’t want to wear masks, so just wear a sunflower lanyard. But then there’s also a number of people who believe they have legitimate reason not to - anxiety, asthma, autistic spectrum - whatever. They’re definitely not trying to game the system, not trying to dodge the requirements - they genuinely feel exempt.

But in the continent they wouldn’t be… so why are we different here?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Matt.GC]

I didn't want my jabs. In fact I was dead against them. Not only do I disagree with being put in group 6 and skipping ahead of people in far more need than me, someone like me who is young with no underlying health conditions and does not do a job that's essential - I should not have had government money wasted on me. If I were to have it, I think someone like me should probably have been made to pay for it too somehow.

I did it however, because I've been told it would help protect others. I did it because I wanted the economy to get moving again. I did it so I could have my freedoms back. I did it so that my grandmother could see her grandson and great grandchildren in what could be her final year alive.

I get the whole freedom thing, but let's face it no one actually has the freedom of entry to another country and they never have. You're always there with permission. And we've always lived in a land of laws that have taken away certain freedoms to do certain things for the greater good (such as, unlike America, someone's right to have a gun is not as important as someone else's right the not be shot). The basis of the Covid legislation was from the Control of Disease Act 1984, passed by a landslide democratically elected government and its also worth noting that, contrary to popular belief, no one else has rights of entry to private property such as shops, restaurants cinemas etc and they never have.

So is this really about freedoms or is it about people's misperceptions of what freedoms actually are? If people don't want to be jabbed, fine by me I understand the invasiveness of such a thing. It's their bodies. But should they find that their invitations to do things the rest of us are allowed to do withdrawn, that's their problem.

 

[BarryZola]

Regarding the masks issue. The government shouldn't have allowed any exemptions at all. It not only caused fights, arguments etc etc but also to some degree allowed more spread of the virus. If someone genuinely couldn't go into Tesco because they were unable to put a thin piece of fabric over their mouth/nose for 10 minutes then there were the options of getting friends or family to get their essentials or failing that they could wear a visor. As usual though, our government were too softly softly on the usual di**heads who have no consideration for the rest of society.

 

[rob666]

I'm pleased to have had two jabs.
According to the charming Nicki Minaj, I should get bigger balls.

 

[Rob]

I am wondering if the UK is going to grow a pair and actually start insisting on vaccinations like most countries? People have a right to choose not to be vaccinated, but unless they are exempt on health grounds from having it, they should not be able to enjoy the same priviledges as everyone else. After all, if it wasn't for people getting jabbed - they wouldn't be able to enjoy freedoms now.

I am generally a liberal, and vote left of centre, but on this I really feel that a hard line needs to be taken - it's no joke now as we have seen by the way the pandemic has rolled on and on. In recent months, my position on this has hardened - possibly as I went abroad in summer and showed my vaccination certificate at many places and saw how it worked.

At Europa-Park, if you were unwilling to wear a mask - you couldn't ride. Everyone wore one. Sunflower lanyards? What are those?

100% agree with this, and I genuinely thought that it was something we were going to do. I'm guessing the main reasons we are not is because it would upset a few back bench MPs and a few newspaper editors.

In other news, this past few days I have once again learnt that other viruses other than covid exist! Got a right stinking cold (confirmed as cold thanks to negative PCR test). Definitely have not missed being ill!