No, I think within communities the helpful spirit is alive and well. Social Media has always had its share of curtain twitching retards.

+1

Amazing around my way.

Regarding schools, couldn’t the current situation be used to rejig the school year? So instead of having school years that run Sept to Aug, instead they run Jan to Dec getting rid of the six weeks holiday at the same time? So for example end of term is three weeks long instead of the current two times two weeks and six week summer holiday. If schools were to re-open in say September then kids could finish their last term of this school year.

Could be the first good thing to come of this. Put the long holiday over Christmas. Stops the dangerous and miserable walking to/from school in the dark and rain in Dec/Jan, less chance of snow disruption, removes all the school traffic from rush hour at the busiest/worst/most polluting time of the year. Plus could get cricket back into state schools.

Caroline Criado Perez reports that according to Matt Hancock “four doctors have died and some nurses”. Are the nurses deaths being counted?

“The official UK government NHS COVID-19 data collection does not ask for sex. Sex-disaggregated data matters.”

My Wife became completely enraged at that, as if Nurse fatalities were acceptable and not worth recording, but DOCTORS my word, that’s terrible.

The RCN is recording Nurse infection and fatality rates I think, and in my opinion it’s being massively unrecorded. There was a Headline that “up to 30 Nurses” were off-sick with CV19 in Southend Hospital in Essex like this was remarkable. For context my Wife works with in a team of about 10 Nurses. 1 is self-isolating because she has a mild lung condition, 3 has tested Positive for it and are off, 1 of which is in a serious condition in Hospital. That’s a 30% infection rate. They’re not treating Covid cases specifically and they’re not working in hospital.

according to Matt Hancock “four doctors have died and some nurses”.

They have been counted, and named, since then. I was put out by that comment by Hancock at the time, but in retrospect it was probably more about keeping things quiet for the families so close to the timing of their losses than it was about treating doctors and nurses differently.

Regarding schools, couldn’t the current situation be used to rejig the school year? So instead of having school years that run Sept to Aug, instead they run Jan to Dec getting rid of the six weeks holiday at the same time? So for example end of term is three weeks long instead of the current two times two weeks and six week summer holiday. If schools were to re-open in say September then kids could finish their last term of this school year.

I mentioned this on FB. Rather than try to get kids to home-study at the moment (it’s not really happening apparently) start school again whenever is safe/practical to do so and run, as much as possible into the Summer Hols as weeks were lost. Yes it was cause some issue with holidays etc, but IMHO if a kid misses 2 weeks of school in August it’s a lot better than just writing off 6/8 or whatever weeks now.

My friends who work in Education didn’t like the idea with very many flaky excuses why it wouldn’t work…

Madame is currently correcting an audio blog, 100% of the kids contributed. 6/120 kids didn’t e-mail in the last exercise so Madame e-mailed the parents (which was also proof the kids had Net access) which got a rsponse from 5/6. The last recalcitrant kid/parents are being contacted by school admin. That’s as good a return as if the kids were in school.

Edit: the main problem I can see is that Madame is having to put in an unreasonable number of hours to make it all happen, same for her colleagues, they’ll be pleased when they can return to normal teaching.

Just browsing STW from our bedroom where I can see quite a few artics driving into the back of the council depot not more than a hundred yards from my front door. On the trailers are large refrigerated containers for the set-up of a temporary mortuary for Bristol. (In letter to residents, it was stated that it was hoped it wouldn’t be needed.) Quite sobering.

Yes it was cause some issue with holidays etc, but IMHO if a kid misses 2 weeks of school in August it’s a lot better than just writing off 6/8 or whatever weeks now.

Feel free to send your kids to school, I’ll be on holiday!

My friends who work in Education didn’t like the idea with very many flaky excuses why it wouldn’t work…

Yeah, bloody experts – I’ve had enough of ’em. Schools should run like the man in the streets thinks they should run.

DD – I’ve been wondering whether a lot of the temp morgues are as much to do with the inability to run funerals interfering with normal flow rather than massive spikes in normal death rates?

@deadlydarcy

Sobering maths:

Nightingale: 5000 beds – with av stay in ITU 10 days (ish). Every day that’s 500 people leaving, with 50/50 odds on which way, that could easily be 250 per day arriving in the morgue, it’s one every 6 minutes.

DD – I’ve been wondering whether a lot of the temp morgues are as much to do with the inability to run funerals interfering with normal flow rather than massive spikes in normal death rates?

I imagine so dude. We don’t speak much here of the toll at the back end of the crisis. Mrs dd’s step-grandfather died last week, not CV, was flu, but not even his widow able to attend funeral. Nor FiL who was v close to him. Both in highly vulnerable groups. A lot of anguish around which will take it’s fair toll too. 😔

Yes, my Gran died 3 weeks ago (non-CV) and similar situation.

Guardian article

Guardian article on Chinese trials using Convalescent Plasma on severely ill patients – early signs hopeful.

My auntie died due to a heart condition on Jan 27th. Her funeral is tomorrow.

Sadly we are not attending .

It’s not just the schools that need to change, it’s all the other educational establishments, support services, private schools etc. Changing the school year would take years of planning, not happening any time soon, as if we don’t have enough needless disruption this year. Plus if the kids aren’t back by September I think the country has bigger issues to worry about other than mucking about with the time tables.

On an unrelated note the scrotes next door seem to be having an outdoor family party, only mum actually lives at the address, all, young and old are heavy smokers.

Yep Pondo and anagallis_arvensis proving that even in a time of global crisis, asking Teachers to work in August is still, unthinkable ha ha.

Of course they’re all working really hard at the moment, on no, that’s right, they’re in the first of their 2 week Easter break 😉

Some teachers at my son’s school (Rec – Yr2) are in this week looking after keyworkers’ kids.

My Wife became completely enraged at that, as if Nurse fatalities were acceptable and not worth recording, but DOCTORS my word, that’s terrible.

P-Jay – am not surprised at your wife’s reaction, pretty demoralising too.

It’s good that infection and fatality rates for nursing staff are being recorded, it will hopefully give some context although a 30% infection rate is scary. Tough for your wife with each day bringing different challenges and knowing that she has to look after her own health too.

Of course they’re all working really hard at the moment, on no, that’s right, they’re in the first of their 2 week Easter break 😉

Apart form the ones that are covering the Easter break and both bank holidays while having to ignore all that government advice about social distancing.

Sobering maths:

Nightingale: 5000 beds – with av stay in ITU 10 days (ish). Every day that’s 500 people leaving, with 50/50 odds on which way, that could easily be 250 per day arriving in the morgue, it’s one every 6 minutes.

Is it really 50/50 odds on patients in ITU? Jeez.

Anyway, there are some reasons to be quietly optimistic, new cases show signs that they’re falling and the lock-down is working, Deaths will sadly continue to rise for a few days (if, indeed this is peak new cases) we may not need the Morgues or all of the Nightingale / Aneurin Bevan beds, I’m sure some pricks will bemoan the cost and how it was all blown out of proportion just because we didn’t hit the worst-case 50k deaths or whatever it is, but things could look a lot better in a week or two.

(Source Prof Karol Sikora Twitter).

Yep Pondo and anagallis_arvensis proving that even in a time of global crisis, asking Teachers to work in August is still, unthinkable ha ha.

Of course they’re all working really hard at the moment, on no, that’s right, they’re in the first of their 2 week Easter break 😉

Apart from my wife and many other teachers who are keeping schools open through the holidays for key worker’s children. Dickhead.

Yup our kids school has stayed open too. Pfft! Teachers ay fancy needing holidays, not like the rest of us who never have them.

Meanwhile.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-52180033

It’s like everything else isn’t it, there’s good teachers, bad teachers, self entitled teachers, generous teachers. My wife’s school is also open for key workers kids. My wife is part of the support staff and has volunteered to go in despite her also being on holiday (man the office, answer phones, run around to support the teachers who have gone in, none of which is her normal duties). However there is also a long list of teachers and support staff who have shown AA’s attitude, it has been noted.

Bit like saying everyone in the NHS is great, many are, many aren’t, you can’t generalise.

Some teachers at my son’s school (Rec – Yr2) are in this week looking after keyworkers’ kids.

Yeah I know, they offered us a space, we’re both Keyworkers, but I’m able to work from home with our 5 year old. I suppose I enjoy teasing Teachers about defending their 39 week working year. You don’t even have to try, the slightest remark and they jump straight on the hook. 😉

It’s not like I just came up with the idea after a couple of pints of ‘wife beater’ It’s been floated by a few people in authority and by and large the knee-jerk reaction from Teachers was to shoot it down. IMHO it was them who decided to ignore experts and the only excuse I’ve heard I believe is “I don’t want to, I want to go on Holiday” I still maintain that even a sketchy term with students and teachers taking a week or two off here and there is better than no term at all – the plan at the moment seems to be just start again in Sept (Virus willing) and just forget about the previous 6 months and assume everyone can just fill the gap themselves.

My friends who work in Education didn’t like the idea with very many flaky excuses why it wouldn’t work…

flaky as in they actually need the 6 weeks off because of the work load and stress?????

Yeah I know, they offered us a space, we’re both Keyworkers, but I’m able to work from home with our 5 year old.

Sound, and thank you for your key work, I bet you love it when people who only have the vaguest idea what you do chip in with how your work should be rearranged and you could do it better.

I wouldn’t even worry about mixing the kids in the school – all the fun will happen before they get to the door or come out at the end of the day. Mixing the parents up at the gate. Filling public transport, mixing up with key workers on public transport. Socialising and groups, coming home late. Not coming back. Opening schools just chucks a massive variable in the mix. Plenty of scope for free styling the rules. No school just removes a lot of these issues.

However there is also a long list of teachers and support staff who have shown AA’s attitude, it has been noted.

What attitude will that be then, I’m in work tomorrow and next week. TBH I’m usually in during Holidays.
I assume you know all the home issues of those teachers who cant volunteer to go in due to health issues or childcare arrangements or who are self isolating or who are actually ill. Its your attitude that needs reajusting.

It’s been floated by a few people in authority and by and large the knee-jerk reaction from Teachers was to shoot it down.

I wonder why and even if it was just due to teachers wanting to keep there terms and conditions when we have chronic shortages of teachers in many subjects thats a good enough reason imo.

I suppose I enjoy teasing Teachers

So you are just a moronic troll then? Fine crack on.

I bet you love it when people who only have the vaguest idea what you do chip in with how your work should be rearranged and you could do it better.

It happens almost daily. It shouldn’t be seen as outsides meddling, but people I work with discussing how I can work better in sync with others for the greater good.

This is the problem I find with discussing Teachers and education. What started as a light hearted discussion has gone completely nuclear because I dared to suggest that as the schools are closed now and lessons being missed, we could make up the time in Summer as a one-off and without a single practical reason why it can’t ( apart from I want to go on holiday) it’s become a shouting match.

So you are just a moronic troll then? Fine crack on

Second personal insult… I sure someone just called me a Dickhead.

Anyway Why not say why it can’t, or shouldn’t be done? Rather than just trying to shout me down? Why the massive over-reaction?

sure someone just called me a Dickhead.

Wasnt me but if the cap fits.

I know that is a very crude assertion but consider that ‘White Europeans’ are more susceptible to malaria and I also read something once about ethnicity and resistance to cholera.

Populations do evolve alongside the diseases so it is possible if a specific population has been exposed over a long period to a disease, or similar disease, some immunity may have crept in just by virtue of those who happened to have natural resistance being the ones to survive and have kids.
Malaria is a good example. One of the genes that helps protect against it if passed through both parents can result in various sickle cell diseases. So if the population doesnt get exposed to malaria then the genes are likely to be selected out since they have a reasonably high risk and no benefit. Put malaria in the mix though and it becomes a useful adaption.
Another example is the depopulation of the americas post contact. They had absolutely no level of immunity to the diseases and hence the deathrates were appalling high.

p – jay – its because your understanding is so lacking. firstly teachers do not have every school holiday week off – indeed they are often in for significant parts of it for in service training, induction of new teachers etc etc. Secondly if you try to run schools over summer the disruption from kids being taken out to go on holiday will make it unworkable

Thats just two real practical objections off the top of my head – and I am not a teacher

No point trying to reason TJ. He has his ideas and everyone else is wrong. He is also a self confessed troll to boot.

I’ll give you some reasons for your plan not working,P-Jay:

It’s non-contactual work – do you do that?

It’s counter-productive – when you are learning you need time for assimilation and recovery, it’s like anything else you do, doing it non-stop you get stale, lose motivation and get less productive

It’s provocative and discriminatory, I assume you expect every other profession to work non stop after the end of confinement too. No you don’t you want your holiday.

Teachers are as much front line key workers in this as the other front line workers whose kids they look after. Bus drivers, teachers, police… anyone with contact with the public is at risk and deserves your, my , our support as much as health workers.

Some specific advice for A-A: take your skills somewhere they’ll earn you more money for working less and with more respect from other members of society. I did, no regrets.

Thats just two real practical objections off the top of my head – and I am not a teacher

I know quite a few teachers. The main reason I’d put up for not doing it would be that I don’t want to spend the summer listening to them moaning about work. It’s bad enough during term time. 😀

I’ve seen various comparisons on fb tonight to the film The Death of Stalin. You can only imagine what’s going on behind the scenes with Raab, Gove and Hancock in charge.

Who do we need at a moment of crisis?

Some specif advice for A-A: take your skills somewhere they’ll earn you more money for working less and with more respect from other members of society. I did, no regrets.

I like my job tbh.