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Coronavirus discussion thread

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larkim Jan 2021 1:46pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,350 posts	0 larkim 8th March announced by the PM as the earliest possible return. Creates a 2 week window during which mass testing of students can get up and running and take place.
EvilPixie Jan 2021 1:47pm, 27 Jan 2021 22,702 posts	0 EvilPixie oh yeah 15th would be 3! Doh can't count
fraggle Jan 2021 2:51pm, 27 Jan 2021 2,719 posts	0 fraggle I'd love to know how we're going do this mass testing of students - we're a school of 1500 and I can't see how we can physically do two tests on each student before they are allowed back in. we currently have a small team of staff volunteering to do their bit, but this would be a full time job on top of our own jobs
EvilPixie Jan 2021 2:57pm, 27 Jan 2021 22,709 posts	0 EvilPixie I can only see it being very staggered or exam years only
larkim Jan 2021 3:49pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,351 posts	0 larkim The mass testing was supposed to be (post Christmas) a "one off hit". Test all the students twice before face to face teaching resumed. I'm assuming that the same applies for the Easter(ish) return. The guidance suggests one "desk" of testing can handle about 10 tests per hour, so it's not rocket science to see that in a 5 hour working day (say) you'd need 10 desks to get through 500 students per day. You'd have to do that over 3 days for a 1500 cohort school, and then do a further 3 days to do the second tests. Obviously not every student will attend, so it will be inefficient, but then plenty of staff colleagues will want to know who did or didn't attend as some reassurance about their covid status (which will be completely flawed as a concept, but they'll want to know nonetheless). And that's before noting that it's hard enough for a competent 40-something to swab properly; teenagers will be attrocious at it, so most results will be negative by dint of not going anywhere near the tonsils or the right part of the nose. Teachers are supposed to be offered the chance to be tested twice weekly. Even that puts a fairly susbtantial logisitical operation in place, especially if that is supposed to continue throughout the term and beyond.
It’sBeginningToLookALotLikeFleecy Jan 2021 4:23pm, 27 Jan 2021 51,809 posts	0 It’sBeginningToLookALotLikeFleecy In my experience the kids are better at it than the teachers plus they are supervised and told how to do it, far more guidance than for a PCR test done in a car. Our school has trained lots of parent volunteers and will throw all of us at the mass testing. Quite what you do after the initial 2 tests is beyond me, testing all kids twice a week or even once a week is quite a task on an ongoing basis. As a one off it’s just a case of all hands on deck
larkim Jan 2021 4:24pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,353 posts	0 larkim I don't think you're supposed to test after the first hit, but the guidance isn't very clear!
It’sBeginningToLookALotLikeFleecy Jan 2021 4:29pm, 27 Jan 2021 51,810 posts	0 It’sBeginningToLookALotLikeFleecy They’ll probably announce the guidance the day before schools go back as per usual
larkim Jan 2021 4:35pm, 27 Jan 2021 13,354 posts	0 larkim True!
run free Jan 2021 5:19pm, 27 Jan 2021 4,662 posts	0 run free Seems if you want to travel, you will need to fill in a declaration why you need to travel & if you don't want to indicate why, then you will be sent home + if you return to the UK you will need to go into a quarantine hotel like in China first did (opps)..... like New Zealand & Australia