Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[mikeprice]

My guess: "If the school's open to teachers and students then we need XYZ support." (catering, site team, ICT, etc)

 

Yes - but the guidance seems clear

 

work from home IF YOU CAN - not if the Head wants you to

 

if you have a team of 3 doing something and only 1 needs to be in while the other 2 work from home then that should be done

 

Good luck with that

[paulkerton]

My guess: "If the school's open to teachers and students then we need XYZ support." (catering, site team, ICT, etc)

That depends on the staff.

My job is almost entire desk based work, and where it isn't I am available on Google Meet to talk to people and guide them through any issues that they might have. Which considering where Plan B is anyway, I'd be using Meet for meetings in the room next door right now!

 

Today has been password resets, working on websites, working on people's issues with not knowing how to use spreadsheets, handling a sudden resignation and where that data for that person lives... all of it could be done remotely.

 

Data team, HR, some of the IT staff, Finance staff, most of the reception staff - all of them could work from home to reduce contact at this point - perhaps rotate people in and out if needs be.

Edited December 9, 2021 by paulkerton

[mikeprice]

If I was still working at my last job I bet they would want me in school

 

However, if I set up proper remote access - which I would have had to do for the first lockdown anyway

then a lot of my job could have been done from home

and as I live 5 minutes from the school it would actually be quicker to get hold of me at home and for me to come in than the systems 'some' of teh teachers used

i.e. send a kid to find me - who will probably dawdle and go to the loo on the way - then ask at the office about where I am then come and knock on the computer room door - which I won't hear because I would be in the server room

then they would go back to the class and be told to knock on the server room door

then they do that

 

 

or , of course, the teacher could have rung me - but if was at home that would still work, and if I was at home I would be there in 5 minutes anyway if necessary

 

 

wouldn't have happened though

[the_quick]

I guess. like in the most schools, we will be asked to be on site. I heard same argument as others - it is unfair to teachers. And I know the management's opinion: I can't see you, so you are probably skiving.

 

On another note, I supposed to go to Tenerife next Friday, I wonder if I will be able to....

[paulkerton]

If it is unfair to teachers, I'm looking forward to HLTAs being paid full time for 195 days a year on-site and having their pension benefits match those of teachers...

... oh wait.

[Andrew_C]

On another note, I supposed to go to Tenerife next Friday, I wonder if I will be able to....

I'll wave from Gran Canaria - equally, if nothing changes!

[paulkerton]

We've still no word from HR about what we are to do with half the day left... Looks like I may have to chase them!

 

UPDATE: Head is deciding on a case-by-case basis. As I worked offiste for 18 months very successfully previously let's see what he says.

Edited December 10, 2021 by paulkerton

[mikeprice]

We've still no word from HR about what we are to do with half the day left... Looks like I may have to chase them!

 

UPDATE: Head is deciding on a case-by-case basis. As I worked offiste for 18 months very successfully previously let's see what he says.

 

I would be tempted to send them an email saying

"As we have not heard anything I presume we will be follwoing government guidance and reverting to the WFH as we did previously"

 

probably wouldn't do it - but I would be tempted

[hardtailstar]

We havent heard anything from HR/Head about working from home but I probably wont as I can only do 5% of my job from home.

[paulkerton]

Got the clearance to WFH as previously, with the caveat that I've entered that I'm happy to come on site should there be an issue that needs me physically attending.

I think juggling the school's cloud services during the lockdowns entirely from off-site has probably helped with that.

 

Also now live 25 minutes away, rather than 90, so that helps

 

probably wouldn't do it - but I would be tempted

Sarcastic comments to point out any hypocrisy or logic gaps are something that the staff here have come to expect from me now, so I'd probably would've done that

Edited December 10, 2021 by paulkerton

[elsiegee40]

Daughter was supposed to go to Brussels by Eurostar to visit a close friend today. At the station she found out the rules were changed yesterday for non EU citizens.

 

Trip now moved to a date later next year.

[jmak]

Daughter was supposed to go to Brussels by Eurostar to visit a close friend today. At the station she found out the rules were changed yesterday for non EU citizens.

 

Trip now moved to a date later next year.

Interesting. I was about to book summer holiday in Italy traveling by train. I guess booking foreign travel is still risky. My decision had been that on a personal level we were at no more risk in Italy than here.

[hardtailstar]

Interesting. I was about to book summer holiday in Italy traveling by train. I guess booking foreign travel is still risky. My decision had been that on a personal level we were at no more risk in Italy than here.

 

It is still risky but people seem to be happy going.

[mavhc]

Travelling in a small box with 100s of people for hours is the risk. And spreading diseases around the planet.

[jmak]

Travelling in a small box with 100s of people for hours is the risk. And spreading diseases around the planet.

Yep, which is why I haven't booked. Reasons for going are beyond "I just fancy going" but definitely don't fall under essential travel. We've delayed for two years and missing this slot would add another whole year. My other posts should show I don't make light of the pandemic and have often supported risk reduction measures well beyond regulation, but I still want to get back to doing some of the things I've really missed.

 

I have looked at driving - it'd be an interesting exercise to compare the risks of coming to harm from driving 3,000 miles vs traveling by train whilst being triple vaccinated.

[kennysarmy]

We don't have a HR department and I prefer coming in to school to work

[Ditto]

Daughter was supposed to go to Brussels by Eurostar to visit a close friend today. At the station she found out the rules were changed yesterday for non EU citizens.

 

Trip now moved to a date later next year.

 

Could I ask in what way it's changed? I'm due to fly to France on the 27th Dec, but the 'Déclaration sur l'honneur' as best I can work it out requires you to sign that you've not had contact with someone known to be covid positive in the previous 14 days. I was identified as such starting from last Sunday 5th and end isolation (subject to no on-going symptoms) on 15th Dec midnight. 14 days would take us to 29th which would stymie the trip. If my family are regard as contacts (seems reasonable!), I would think they couldn't sign if the end of isolation counts as still a known covid +ve case. The nuance could be relevant to insurance covering forced cancellation.

As an aside, I wouldn't be at all surprised if other restrictions come in before then in which case it'll be a mute point.

 

*** Edit, I do realise Brussels is in Belgium, so France could be different ***

Edited December 10, 2021 by Ditto

[elsiegee40]

Could I ask in what way it's changed? I'm due to fly to France on the 27th Dec, but the 'Déclaration sur l'honneur' as best I can work it out requires you to sign that you've not had contact with someone known to be covid positive in the previous 14 days. I was identified as such starting from last Sunday 5th and end isolation (subject to no on-going symptoms) on 15th Dec midnight. 14 days would take us to 29th which would stymie the trip. If my family are regard as contacts (seems reasonable!), I would think they couldn't sign if the end of isolation counts as still a known covid +ve case. The nuance could be relevant to insurance covering forced cancellation.

As an aside, I wouldn't be at all surprised if other restrictions come in before then in which case it'll be a mute point.

 

*** Edit, I do realise Brussels is in Belgium, so France could be different ***

 

The Belgians red listed us yesterday

If you do not have Belgian residency you must:

 

- complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF), unless you fall under a very limited list of exemptions listed on the Belgian government website (under the Transport and International section)

 

- do a PCR test no more than 72 hours before you arrive in Belgium, or a RAT test either the day before arrival or the day of arrival. This test must be negative

 

- take a PCR test on day 1 after arrival and quarantine until you receive a negative result

 

It’s the last one that wrecked the trip. She was only staying 48 hours.

[Davit2005]

Work wise we are jus going to carry on as we have done from the first lockdown, I don't think any of us in our team have had a 5 day week on site since. Management are happy that we are in one day a week regularly but if anything comes up one of us at least will go in.

 

Personally, hoping to go up North to stay with friends and their youngster which was meant to do last year. If I'm stuck at home I have 4 bottles of Baileys and will jus go running every morning, well plan to anyway.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Davit2005

[elsiegee40]

@Ditto you will need to be tested BEFORE travelling to France as things stand

 

From 00:00 CET 4 December (23:00 GMT 3 December), fully vaccinated travellers (aged 12 years or over) travelling from outside of the European Union to France must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result from either a PCR or antigen test. Tests must be taken no more than 48 hours before travel for vaccinated travellers and no more than 24 hours before travel for those who are not fully vaccinated. Self-administered tests are not accepted.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

[elsiegee40]

Interesting. I was about to book summer holiday in Italy traveling by train. I guess booking foreign travel is still risky. My decision had been that on a personal level we were at no more risk in Italy than here.

 

An acquaintance of mine seems to own a house out there and has been going back and forth pretty regularly by car. They’re back out there for Christmas.

 

We went to France last summer having decided that we were no more at risk than in the UK. We were travelling by car and staying in a holiday house that we have stayed in before though.

[Ditto]

@Ditto you will need to be tested BEFORE travelling to France as things stand

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

 

And back! Even though the 48 hours going out would be two bank holiday's, we think we have a local private option to get tested that would meet that requirement.

What I suspect might scupper us from the link is

 

 

• a completed ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight, and that they will self-isolate for seven days after arrival.
  

As I'm not out of isolation until the 15th, the rest of the family presumably are contacts of mine and they couldn't make that declaration. From a personal point of view I can accept that, but the rest of the household will be bitterly disappointed, but that's been an experience for many of us have had since this virus came along.

[elsiegee40]

And back! Even though the 48 hours going out would be two bank holiday's, we think we have a local private option to get tested that would meet that requirement.

What I suspect might scupper us from the link is

 

 

• a completed ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form self-certifying they are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight, and that they will self-isolate for seven days after arrival.
  

As I'm not out of isolation until the 15th, the rest of the family presumably are contacts of mine and they couldn't make that declaration. From a personal point of view I can accept that, but the rest of the household will be bitterly disappointed, but that's been an experience for many of us have had since this virus came along.

 

Yeah, I took the before you come back thing for granted. That’s unchanged. We had to do it in the summer. The local pharmacy was great; it was easy to get done. Testing before you go is new.

 

The whole declaration thing is a minefield. Your family is going to be disappointed

[elsiegee40]

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXTmGgcsq9E/?utm_medium=copy_link

[Steve21]

Seems the under 40s boosters have been opened too, despite it saying it’s not live lots have booked them

 

Steve