Quote Originally Posted by Geoff Parkstone View Post
Sorry rA but why are teachers exempt from working in their front line roles on safety grounds due to contact with children (evidently low risk transmitters) whereas its OK for NHS, emergency services, shop workers, transport workers and many more to have to work when exposed to adults who seemingly are greater risk transmitters.

It wasn't long ago that you were saying that teachers were front line key workers. If that's so, they should step up to the plate and demonstrate that you were right in that assessment. You can't be a front line key worker sat at home iin front of a computer - although if you can then Im a front line key worker too.

I fully appreciate that it's easy for me to say as I can work from home and remain shielded, as a clinically vulnerable member of a group which has "contributed" 1 in 4 covid deaths. But we cannot just sit on our arses and wait for armageddon.

What if the armed forces had taken this view in previous conflicts and said they thought it was a bit risky to land on those Normandy beaches?

Finally suggesting the MPs go first is pathetic. Childshly daring a more vulnerable group to prove its safe for a less risky group is unworthy.

And to your other point about why shut the schools down in the first place then if its so safe? Simply because less was known about the nature of the virus 7 weeks ago I reckon.

I may be wrong, it may be a disaster to reopen, but the empirical evidence to hand now points to it being less risky, and two weeks more of the European experience may add more weight to that risk assessment - or may blow it out of the water.
GP, you do seem to be being truly obtuse on this one.

1) Where have I said teachers are ‘exempt’?
2) Teachers were in the ‘frontline’ when I said that because the schools were still open.
3) Some teachers have remained in the ‘frontline’ some of the time since taking responsibility for ‘vulnerable’ children and the children of key workers.
4) You make a fair point about your condition but you know full well that I was referring to your occupation not your underlying health condition. If you now seek to make debating ‘capital’ from it I suggest you stay away from that corner shop.
5) Comparing this situation with the armed forces or wartime is utter nonsense and you know it.
6) I haven’t suggested MP’s need to ‘go first’. I’ve suggested it’s very difficult to take advice about working in close proximity with others from a group of individuals who won’t work in close proximity to each other themselves.
7) Yes...seven weeks ago there hadn’t been 35,000 deaths in this country caused by a virus we appear to be receiving ever more contradictory advice about every day.
8) Indeed...you ‘may be wrong’...just as the government was about care homes...but it’ll be too bloody late then won’t it?

For the record.
1) Only a minority of pupils are going to be able to return for a limited period of time. That is just a fact.
2) Parents feel just as strongly about this as people who work in schools and many will not send their kids back to school yet.
3) You’re a mathematician...consider how much the risk of a second spike increases with each class of 15/17 going home each day to mix with other family members before returning to school the next day.
4) As I have said before, I am not suggesting teachers should not under any circumstances return to work, but...they do need effective PPE - as probably do the children - and as the return is inevitably going to be partial for the rest of this academic year...why not wait and learn from what happens in Germany and Holland?