Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[6Foot2]

We have just received notification from our son's college that he can return to campus from the 8^th of March.

 

However, he has a lot to take back and cannot do it on public transport.

 

We now need to find out where we stand after dropping him off (It's a 12-hour round trip, without stops)

 

Will we be allowed to stay over instead of heading straight back?

[Tefters]

So am I the only one confused by the governments new advertised face mask policy stance (or lack there of) to pull the wool over the public's eyes.

 

The newspapers first started reporting that face masks were mandatory but the government have now changed heel and are using the terms "should".

 

After a meeting yesterday and asking the question to the suits above "what happens when students dont wear masks or refuse to" because lets be honest we are going to see a lot of kids that dont want to or just want to flaunt the rules (even though its not a rule as its a "should"), we were advised that no action can be taken against the students as its not mandatory. Once some students start doing it others will follow... It happened in September so how will this be any different... Why are we not taking the mandatory stance?

 

Even this statement by the BBC about masks being "required", the wording on these is brilliant.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-56180121?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=60369168a18b7802e53a3af2%26%27Things%20have%20moved%20on%27%20over%20face%20coverings%262021-02-24T17%3A50%3A30.166Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:ca8e64ed-0041-43c7-b363-5ec0a2f4f04a&pinned_post_asset_id=60369168a18b7802e53a3af2&pinned_post_type=share

Edited February 24, 2021 by Tefters

[StevieM]

We have just received notification from our son's college that he can return to campus from the 8^th of March.

 

However, he has a lot to take back and cannot do it on public transport.

 

We now need to find out where we stand after dropping him off (It's a 12-hour round trip, without stops)

 

Will we be allowed to stay over instead of heading straight back?

 

I'm sure you will.

You are allowed to stay overnight away from your home if you:

 

• are visiting your support bubble
  
• are unable to return to your main residence
  
• need accommodation while moving house
  

Surely your situation can be considered as a combination of all three of those. Your son is in your bubble, you are unable to return to your main residence (at least safely!), and you are helping your son move house.

[jmak]

I have a relative who is expected back at uni on the 8th for resumption of practical aspects of their course.

 

They're required to have a Covid test before they travel - but no indication of where to obtain one.

 

They're required to have two more tests three days apart before they're allowed on campus - but are not supposed to be in their accommodation before the 8th. So at least a week at college but not able to do anything they can't do at home and then 10 days before they finish for Easter. Only seems to be half thought through - so about normal then. I wonder who's agenda it suits - not convinced it helps the students much.

Edited February 24, 2021 by jmak

[mikeprice]

I'm sure you will.

 

Surely your situation can be considered as a combination of all three of those. Your son is in your bubble, you are unable to return to your main residence (at least safely!), and you are helping your son move house.

 

Seems like you would be OK

 

but are there any hotels (etc) open???

 

there may be some for sales reps and such - maybe?????

 

and can you get something to eat - I suppose take aways are available - but "eating in your car" is a "picnic" and people have been moved-on or given tickets for it

 

the problem with making specific rules is always the borderlines

 

e.g. what do you do if you have a close relative with a new born baby stuck in hospital for many weeks and the parents need someone to look after the other kids so they can visit the hospital over half term????

 

 

sometimes common sense needs to apply and if they allow students back in March then someone needs to transport them (I know I couldn't get to University in the 70s/80s without a car - the speakers took up the whole boot!!!!!)

[Rob_D]

Have you been tested so far? Or have you been WFH? I've been tested ever week since start of term.

No to both. Been working on site throughout. This is the first week we've started testing (there was a test run with a handful of staff last week).

[elsiegee40]

.....

[stevejp]

[ATTACH]60956[/ATTACH]

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I can see just one problem with that - not sure that foreign holidays for the Johnson family ever stopped...?

[elsiegee40]

I went to the dentist today. Before I was let in I was questioned.

 

Had I been abroad in the last fortnight?

 

My response “I wish”

 

I’d settle for a weekend in a caravan in Maidstone right now. Anything that isn’t here!

[kennysarmy]

It's a school for 1400 people, I assume it's large. 6 areas of the school. Schools have long corridors.

 

Of course, but the school is still operating with all staff and over 120 students - as I say, logistically not easy.

[mikeprice]

We have been talking about maybe having a few days away down south before the school summer hols - assuming everything seems OK

 

But we won't actually book anything until just before!

 

 

There seems to be a lot of talk about schools opening over the summer for 'catch up classes'

 

seems reasonable until the teacher unions start asking questions. At the moment if I was a full time teacher I would book a 2 week holiday NOW so I have a reason to turn down any demands to work right though - I can see some school insisting (or trying to insist) that all staff need to be in school over the whole summer!

[Andrew_C]

There seems to be a lot of talk about schools opening over the summer for 'catch up classes'

 

I read schools are going to get £6k / £20k for extra teachers. Is that each?

[Steve21]

I read schools are going to get £6k / £20k for extra teachers. Is that each?

 

Each per school, not each per teacher depending on which each you were referring to

 

Steve

[Rob_D]

There seems to be a lot of talk about schools opening over the summer for 'catch up classes'

seems reasonable until the teacher unions start asking questions. At the moment if I was a full time teacher I would book a 2 week holiday NOW so I have a reason to turn down any demands to work right though - I can see some school insisting (or trying to insist) that all staff need to be in school over the whole summer!

 

Seems reasonable until I start asking "so when are we going to upgrade the SIMS server and replace the printer fleet then?" - both big projects planned for this summer.

[caffrey]

That's what I was thinking when they announced summer school, summer is traditionally when all big projects take place \ building refurbishments etc.

[Steve21]

Seems reasonable until I start asking "so when are we going to upgrade the SIMS server and replace the printer fleet then?" - both big projects planned for this summer.

 

Guessing we'll just have to force people to do things in advance (shocking idea ), paper registers/use printers in places not replaced yet etc

 

For example, we currently have a large amount of networking changes planned in for summer, so half the places won't have any network access/cables draping around etc. They'll just have to book into other buildings during that time as best they can I guess

 

At least in the ideal world

 

Steve

[6Foot2]

Guessing we'll just have to force people to do things in advance (shocking idea ), paper registers/use printers in places not replaced yet etc...

Good luck with that. I was trying to get our ageing MFDs replaced for AT LEAST 2¹/₂ years.

 

I finally sealed the deal a couple of months before handing in my notice.

Edited February 25, 2021 by 6Foot2
Correct a typo. :(

[Danp]

Guessing we'll just have to force people to do things in advance (shocking idea ), paper registers/use printers in places not replaced yet etc

 

For example, we currently have a large amount of networking changes planned in for summer, so half the places won't have any network access/cables draping around etc. They'll just have to book into other buildings during that time as best they can I guess

 

At least in the ideal world

 

Steve

 

Email to staff in June - w/c 9th August Block X will be out of action due to network upgrades, if you are in school please go to Block B

 

Monday 9th August - note left on Tech's desk, I'm in Block X and I've got no internet so can't email you and I've specifically come into school today to get this work done.

[Steve21]

Email to staff in June - w/c 9th August Block X will be out of action due to network upgrades, if you are in school please go to Block B

 

Monday 9th August - note left on Tech's desk, I'm in Block X and I've got no internet so can't email you and I've specifically come into school today to get this work done.

 

Yep it'll happen, but it won't stop our upgrades!

 

My point being as long as it's planned in, and everyone knows about it, whether or not XYZ teacher listens isn't really something that's your fault (Ignoring their opinion). Bearing in mind the summer schools aren't all pupils it's only sets/groups, so won't be whole school full (at least not in most places)

 

Steve

[mavhc]

Do you need to do upgrades, or do you want to do upgrades?

 

Of course it's not easy to test everyone, but hey, easier than going to war.

 

If people don't wear a mask then just ask them why they're trying to kill people and tell them they have to work outside.

[jthompson]

I do love a good @mavhc post It's like one of those cathartic scenes in a movie where somebody does something outrageous that they really want to do, but then it cuts to what actually happened.

[the_quick]

That would be a great moment for our school to open in summer hols for student. Especially our school building going to be demolished and over the summer we will be moving everything to a tempt accommodation. Maybe we can have summer school on a football pitch?

 

Apart from that, don't think many teachers will just agree to work more hours/days and £20k will not stretch far

[Ditto]

I wonder if we will see an increase in Covid-19 cases after March the 8th when all the schools go back and use LFTs. Presumably a number of asymptomatic cases that would otherwise be undetected will appear in the daily figures.

[Ditto]

Weekly average vaccinations (https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations) seemed to have dropped quite a bit in the last 1 or 2 weeks, even allowing for 2nd doses. Is this a reflection of the variation in supply or are there other factors?

[Steve21]

Weekly average vaccinations (https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations) seemed to have dropped quite a bit in the last 1 or 2 weeks, even allowing for 2nd doses. Is this a reflection of the variation in supply or are there other factors?

 

Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, England's deputy chief medical officer, acknowledged there were "supply fluctuations" for the vaccines and said it could take "a few months" for manufacturers to get into a steady routine for production

 

My phrase - We ran out!

 

Steve