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We have to get our schools open again. An extended hiatus is a tragedy for children, especially the most disadvantaged. It's also emotionally exhausting for families, and blocks parents returning to work.
Could we do better by focusing on *teachers* rather than *schools*?
Could we do better by focusing on *teachers* rather than *schools*?
Let's be clear about a couple of things from the outset. We know more about SARS-CoV-2 / Covid-19 than we did a few months ago, but the evidence is far from settled. And no strategy eliminates risk entirely. So as ever it's a question of getting the tradeoffs right.
It looks like the approach the UK is going for is socially distanced classrooms.
Pros:
- Something must be done; this is something
Cons:
- Not practical (have you met a child?)
- Logistical nightmare
- Teachers overloaded
- Playtime is miserable
- Kids still miss lots of school
Pros:
- Something must be done; this is something
Cons:
- Not practical (have you met a child?)
- Logistical nightmare
- Teachers overloaded
- Playtime is miserable
- Kids still miss lots of school
Prolonged disruption to schools comes at a massive cost. We know that early years education is hugely important, and the longer this goes on the harder it is to make up for lost time. Children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds / areas are suffering the most.
The evidence on children and the disease isn't conclusive. It seems likely that children - particularly the youngest - are less susceptible to the it, and if they do get it their symptoms tend to be milder. They may also be less likely to transmit the infection than adults.
We can't test every child. But testing teachers is achievable. You'd need c.500k tests to cover every nursery / primary teacher and teaching assistant. Daily testing would require up to 2.5M tests per week, or 10M per month. That's a lot, but not impossible.
Tests would be one part of a bigger strategy. No entry for parents. No entry for staff unless no symptoms, no temperature, and a negative on-the-spot test. Double down on PPE (masks, shields), hygiene (frequent hand washing, sanitiser, cleaning) and minimising physical contact.
At this point you'd be pretty confident that teachers on site were (a) unlikely to have the disease, and (b) protected from acquiring it. And if this were the case, there would be a much stronger argument for full classrooms with no social distancing between children.
I don't know whether what I've described above is right. But I do think we can do better than what's currently being offered. We moved heaven and earth to build the Nightingale hospitals. Surely we should be doing the same to protect our children's future?
