Schools & Covid

Schools, we are told, are more safe than other public places; however, take the following example. 

A kid in school shows symptoms of Covid. He's immediately sent home; however, he may have infected tens of other kids, who are asymptomatic (kids are more likely to be asymptomatic than adults). 

The year bubble is sent home to self-isolate. Statistically, there was one case in the school; however, the asymptomatic year bubble at home may have infected many parents, who then toddle off to work before showing any symptoms themselves. 

Any later work-related outbreak will be attributed to the workplace, not the school where it originated - although the word 'originated' is misleading, as it must have come from elsewhere. 

Because schools are more attuned to symptoms, they are able to curtail a spread through the school, but not outbreaks originating from the school. 

Many of the infected parents will be self-employed and will be less willing or financially able to self-isolate if they develop symptoms. If all the kids, even the first one, are asymptomatic, the school won't register even one kid, despite the surrounding area potentially being riddled with symptomatic parents and the town being put into lockdown. 

The more we tinker with letting schools and certain, non-critical businesses remain open, the longer we're all going to have to remain locked down. In the absence of a vaccine and given the transmission of Covid is human to human, a near-total lockdown for a short period is the most effective and least painful way to control the R number and get it down to a manageable level for the NHS to handle and minimise the impact on business.

For any future epidemic, and history has told us there will be another, plans need to be put in place. With hindsight - a ringfenced, government support package war chest; bolstering of NHS staff and beds; businesses being encouraged, or even forced, to put money aside so they can sustain a lockdown of 4 months as a cost of business; remote education of pupils with every student who can't afford a laptop being given one; free, basic broadband for all who want it (remember that election pledge?).

Anyone care to shoot down the logic or assumptions made?