Since lockdown vulnerable people have had letters instructing them what they can and cannot do from the governement in terms of social distancing. So the last letter was up to the 16th August 2020 in regards to shielding and that after the 16th vulnerable people did not have to shield but still had to maintain social distancing.
So what has changed in regards of Covid-19 are we less likely to contract it now seeing lockdown has been relaxed, as the next bit is confusing??
According to the Welsh government we have to continue to maintain the 2 metre rule when out in public at all times but in the same breathe students that go to College can no longer have online lessons but must attend class and in the case of my daughter who is classed as vulnerable (with a chronic disease) will have to sit in close proximity in a small class room for an hour or more cramped up with 24 other students. It is impossible to be two metres away from the next person. (How can social distancing be maintained) and god forbid if my daughter was to contract the disease who would be held accountable?
Obviously the pen pushers that are assigned jobs to make press releases may not be advised properly and just churn out rubbish without thinking outside the box.
The college have said that the Government have advised them that it is madantory for all students, staff and visitors to wear face masks in the corridors or foyers but inside the classroom it is optional (I think it should be mandantory for all students to sit two metres apart and wear face masks the classrooms to be disinfected before every lesson or all students need to be tested on a daily basis).
Now this is where my OCD head is coming in, if you can contract the virus in the corridors you can contract the virus in the classroom aswell.
These people that write these mandates should know the consequences of having a classroom full of people huddling together for an hour or so and should be made accountable if someone becomes ill because of their bad advice.
Vulnerable people should continue to have online lessons. Whatever is taught in the classroom is uploaded to the Colleges database where students can get access.
So even though it is not the College’s fault as they are only going by the guidlines set out by the Welsh Government, my daughters life is being put in imminent danger and if she was to be kicked off the course for making a fuss or in the case of her tutor who stated once when my daughter compalined about her pain in her legs (my daughter has multiple sclerosis) the tutor said and I quote “you’re being too dramatic”, then either way the college would be discriminating against disabled people.
The Welsh Governement should take extra precautions for people who are living with chronic diseases and not be blasé.
Llandough Hospital on the outskirts of Cardiff is full of Coronavirus patients, so the virus exists and we are on the verge of a second way.
By having people intermingling together only spells trouble.
Picture the scenario you have been wearing your mask all day and you may have interacted with Covid-19 people but you are oblivious that the germs sitting on the surface of your clothes and the devices such as your mobile phone and your mask. Germs can linger and last for upto a day according to Amesh A. Adalja, MD infectious disease expert, who is quoted in saying “I suspect that you can find viability of the virus for several hours to maybe a day on clothes,”.
So you go home and you take your mask off, but do not change your clothes, you have then successfully cross contaminated everything you are in contact with.
According to experts who have commented in the England Journal of Medicine, COVID-19 can live on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard and porous fabrics for 24 hours and on stainless steel and plastic for up to to three days.
Other studies have shown the virus can remain on synthetic materials used in shoes like rubber for as long as five days.
So imagine you are in a classroom you have someone that is infected and they have spread their germs right around the room full of students. The droplets then land on your laptop, tablet or folder of your study notes and your pens, pencil case, nevermind your clothes.
More needs to be done about Germ Awareness and Cross Contamination.
Not everyone changes their clothes when they get in.
Not everyone disinfects their handbags, tablets or laptops or mobile phones.
Not everyone is aware of cross contamination and germ awareness www.germawareness.co.uk
……and my final thoughts are vulnerable people such as my daughter should still have online lessons. Furthermore today my daughter has been informed the lifts in her college will no longer be in use, there will be a one way system and she will have to climb 8 flights of stairs to get to her class (being disabled). Now considering her legs are bad as she suffers with MS I am afraid she could suffer a relapse not to mention the college is not disability friendly.
