Karam Bales Profile picture
Jun 19, 2021 14 tweets 5 min read Read on X
🧵DfE has released a new contingency framework for dealing with outbreaks and hotspots in education.
The last one was never used.

Link here
2/Whole principle seems that measures to cut transmission occur after the outbreak.

A reactionary rather than proactive approach to infection.
Takes a minimalist approach
3/To prioritise education they want the minimum number of measures for the minimum amount of time.

"Lift as soon as evidence supports"
What evidence? Whose evidence?

The evidence is saying we should already have these measures in place!
4/ So the plan is,

Wait for an outbreak

Introduce minimal measures
(To reassure parents to keep sending their kids in)

Lift as soon as possible

Rinse and repeat
5/ Talk of collaboration, I notice Heads get no input.
6/ Testing could be brought back on site, acknowledging testing done at home is less reliable.
But considering FDA view on these LFDs this is more like covid theatre than a serious measure.
7/ Masks can be brought back but any decision around this must balance education vs transmission.

Ignores the fact that if we don't manage transmission the students won't be in school
8/Shielding could be reintroduced, but only by national government.
9/If things get really bad then they might even limit residential trips..

All these things are currently recommended by DfE as a third wave sweeps through schools
10/ Attendence could be limited, however it specified that certain year groups in certain setting would still be expected in, however this is designed to be used after an outbreak when multiple year groups are already isolating.

I bet this is never used
11/ These measures in the previous containment framework were never used.
Not in December as Alpha ripped through London and South East and threats of court action were made by DfE
Not in Jan before primary staff walked out on the 1st day back
12/ Doesn't feel like a serious attempt at cutting transmission, window dressing they can point to claiming that measures are in place if necessary.
13/ We have been way to complacent about the long term risk to children from covid.
UK seems more concerned about talking about the harms of vaccines
14/ Also Delta can do something other Covid variants haven't.
It takes your cells and fuses them together into larger virus factories, makes it harder for antibodies to tackle

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More from @karamballes

Jul 3
🧵A thread of links on Reform's general election
2/ Worth noting this other UK based coordinated disinformation network includes Together Declaration

Image
3/ Casting doubt on validity of UK voting process
Read 21 tweets
Jun 26
🧵Oh what a suprise, Together Declaration are part of this network, and members of the Exec like UsForThem founder Kingsley accused anyone who said they were a hard right political project of smears and defamation
Image
2/ Founded as anti-lockdown but going straight into anti-vax talking points, Together then switched to anti Ulez, anti net zero heading towards climate change denial
3/ They have been one of the main groups peddling nonsense about the WHO pandemic treaty, starting two years ago with Farage then becoming the leading face of a new astroturf group
Read 6 tweets
May 24
🧵The Covid in Schools Scandal

While much of the media claims the inquiry is accomplishing nothing, its slowly revealed the gov knew transmission occurs in schools and causes harm to a not insignificant number of children
2/ The much delayed testimony of Simon Case reveals that covid in schools policy ignored the science and was designed without expert advice

Macnamara
"Genuine suggestion that we secretly do different things in schools in places to see what the impact is.. last straw for me" Image
3/ Sunaks appearance revealed that the senior scientific advisors had warned that schools were the most significant risk to transmission

Image
Read 205 tweets
Apr 24
1/ Contrary to its name, changes in the Data Protection and Information Bill further shifts the balance of power towards commercial interests
2/ The bill gives the Secretary of State the power to add to the list of interests that can access your childrens data through secondary legislation avoiding parliamentary scrutiny Image
3/ The Bill also permits 14-18 year olds to be targeted with political marketing Image
Read 7 tweets
Apr 24
1/ The thing is, the UK is institutionally not curious about identifying harms directly caused by covid

For instance it's been a year since they stopped collecting and publishing data on long covid
2/ Many families of children with long covid have faced gaslighting and struggled to access meaningful care
3/ More and more evidence emerges of the long term harms caused by covid, but the UK govs preferred paedatricians continue to peddle claims that with enough infections children will develop lasting immunity
Said this would occur after 1 infection, what is it now? 5? 7? 10?🤷‍♂️
Read 15 tweets
Apr 11
🧵Cass Review
Not had a chance to read the whole thing yet, but have had time to look through the main points

What positives can be taken from it? The time spent on waiting lists was identified as a major issue, all children's services are massively underfunded at the moment
2/ I would like to think that this will lead to an investment in all children's support services like CAHMS, more pastoral support in schools etc

That would be a positive outcome, regardless of what else is included in the review, unfortunately real terms cuts are the reality
3/ What matters is how government interprets the review and what it chooses to implement, additional funding for children isn't going to be prioritised over tax cuts to appease RW papers
Imagine if the billions from last round of tax cuts had instead been invested in children
Read 11 tweets

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