To think it's pointless children being off school if you're going to take them to the park

[CatherineOfAragonsPomegranate]

So many people were urging the government to shut schools due to fears of children transmitting Corona Virus, even though it was pointed out that this would be very hard for some families, put the elderly at possibly more risk due to child care, force some families to stop working, and place Key Worker's under greater strain. Then there is the disruption to the education of the children themselves and the knock on effect to exams.

However yesterday and today, I see the local parks are full of children socialising and playing together. School aged children are now playing together amongst toddlers and preschool children and are also playing with new children not formerly in their cohort. Add to this groups of teens congregating together.

I also notice that whilst they're not going to the gym many people are jogging in groups, and doing large group fitness in the open.

So what is the point of children being off school? In fact is anyone really taking this self isolation business seriously? It does not seem that way to me (London)

AIBU in thinking they may as well have continued going to school, and Boris's original plan regarding only the immuno-compromised and elderly isolating was a more realistic idea?

No idea, I'm not a scientist. Outdoors feels an awful lot better than indoors to me, intuitively?

@rattusrattus20 because a virus leaping from one body to another knows whether you’re indoors or not? Your intuition is entirely wrong I’m afraid. It survives on surfaces, you touch the play equipment, the next person touches the play equipment, it’s moved along.

no-one should be with 2 metres of anyone else unless they share the same house. Or unless work or care means that they have to get closer.

that's it. Keep your kids away from other kids. Whining is better than death.

We could do with a few weeks of rain keeping people indoors since people appear to be twats and a deadly worldwide pandemic isn't doing the trick.

Exactly @BuffaloCauliflower it makes no difference if they're inside or outside!

What is the point of restricting children in groups at school but not outside? The virus doesn't care.

I'll be taking mine to the park but avoiding other people, not going on the swing areas until told otherwise.

We’ve been over to the field this afternoon. Took a ball and the kids had a kick about. We were the only ones there. I’ll try to do this everyday if I can, they still need fresh air and exercise

What’s the point in people who are self isolating for 7/14 days? Won’t they just contact it when they’re out of isolation?
However, if people were taking it seriously, and staying indoors; then we’d stand a better chance.

In Dublin, most of the playgrounds are shut. I think there are concerns about how long it can live on metal/plastic surfaces.

I think there's a, difference between a park and playground. Open field, running about catching a ball, exercise class with people spread out, ok. Using play equipment not so much.

Open field, running about catching a ball, exercise class with people spread out, ok. Using play equipment not so much.

Yes

I will also be taking mine to the park. Wide open space, away from others. I think is fine

It’s very silly, I agree. However, it is still better than school, as I doubt they are hanging about with the same 1000 people, all breathing recycled air and roughing the same surfaces, like they would be in a secondary school.

The UK government are making a complete mess of this. They needed to announce social distancing rules at the same time as closing the schools, and they should be enforcing them. And they should have closed down pubs/restaurants/non-food shops/cafes/cinemas etc etc so that people actually take it seriously.
You're right. People mixing and meeting a park is probably worse than the DC being at school.
How do they enforce it? Here the police are going around with loud speakers and telling people to go home. If they don't, they are fined. The civil defense army are helping with this.

We live opposite a park. My kids are sad we are not going but not worth risk.

What’s the point in people who are self isolating for 7/14 days? Won’t they just contact it when they’re out of isolation?

Well think about that! Is it better that everyone gets sick at the same time and puts overwhelming pressure on the NHS, or would it be better to slow down the spread as much as possible to give our NHS workers a fighting chance?

Here the playgrounds are all shut.

People have been told they can walk in the park but they must adhere to social distancing.

I brought my young children to the park yesterday. Tbh I think it was the last time as joggers ran up behind us far too close to us and cyclists did the same. Parents allowed their toddlers to run up to us too instead of calling them back. I spent my whole time there jumping out of people’s way and cane back far more anxious than I had been before going out.

Closing down playgrounds is entirely sensible but I wouldn’t imagine it’s easily enforceable unless army/police guard them...

I don’t think the government have taken a clear enough stance. It has all been very wishy washy imo.

Yes I should have said playground! Although the playgrounds I've seen children playing in my area are inside parks. Children on the slides, in the sand pit, climbing frame and swings

Yet we shut schools to prevent this. Same with the group workouts. What is the difference with working out in close proximity the gym?

Yes agree avoid playgrounds

I have heard numerous experts on the news saying that outdoors is less of a risk in terms of airborne transmission due to droplets dispersing. So I agree a walk in the park with household members only is fine but meeting up with others and using play areas is not fine.

It's really hard to fill a whole day indoors. My child is used to walking we have a dog, but they are used to interaction and play. I had considered going to the park ( play area) but I guess it will be busy Monday onwards due to schools closing.

I don't want my child to get ill, but it is likely they will get Coronavirus at some point. I know this isolation is about managing the peak hospital admissions, but to me it's going to peak again once isolation stops. Or will we continue forever to be scared of interacting, just seems another step towards only using our devices. Very sad.

People just say to me ' we are not In lockdown ' I give up.

Hearing more people pleading people to stay inside and do social distancing on radio.

Or will we continue forever to be scared of interacting

The worst case is that we wait 12-18 months that's needed to develop the vaccine.
But they are hoping to also find effective treatments for the pneumonia that kills (trials already underway), and increase the number of ventilators and critical care beds available.
The current strategy should be buying the time needed to make that happen. It won't work unless they come down hard on the distancing - it is currently the only thing that has proven to work.