To think that Boris May also regret...

[hippohector]

Reopening schools too early.
He ‘deeply regrets’ the loss of life in care homes. If things had been handled differently at the start, then care homes may not have suffered so badly.
I really hope that we don’t find ourselves in the same situation in a couple of months time if they decide to reopen schools from June 1st.
Children may only suffer mild symptoms, or even be asymptotic, but the potential to spread the virus to their parents, school staff, etc, is a huge unknown still.

But at any rate, opening the schools, nurseries etc. hasn't been throwing the gates open to the apocalypse as some feared

That’s great, but you’ve had 500 deaths compared to our 30,000 and we are still seeing 5000 new cases a day. It’s like comparing apples and pears.

YANBU in what you say, OP, but, like others, I don't think he will regret it.

OneandTwenty you may find it depressing that parents need some time to themselves, but it is also important for their mental health to have at least some break from their children. Mine are 10 and 11, I am a single parent, and for the last few weeks like a great many parents I have not had a minute to myself, save a shower/toilet trip etc. It is literally 24/7, relentless, exhausting, and impacting on my own mental health. I am longing for them to go back to school just so I can have some time to myself to recharge. Despite that, I do not want them to go back to school too soon, and if it means that they go back in September, then so be it.

Children need to be educated

I actually suspect think they will be getting far more in the way of education if the schools stay shut, than the part time education they will get if schools reopen Next month. Teachers will be unable to teach full time and set work for those not in simultaneously.

It's a completely different thing. People in care homes are so vulnerable. Children at the most will be in school for a few weeks before the school holidays so I don't think it's a big deal if they go back. If families or staff are vulnerable then they should be able to teach at or from home.

The majority of children that catch covid will be fine, the opposite is true for care homes. Not only that but you can't keep a child away from the world for months or years, the impact on their development could be massive.

He is coming in for a lot of criticism from outside the Uk where people are astounded at his lack of action early enough
I'm not sure that a lot of that is not just journalists working from home desperately trying to find a story to fill the papers with, such as the piece in the Telegraph yesterday with dramatic silences after open questions and apocalypse style background music.
The fact is no-one will know until at least a year from now, possibly longer.

• get so annoyed with people criticising the government all the time as if any other political party could have done better.

The only fault may have been the NHS was slow to allow private companies to do tests*

Really?

So the PM telling us we would be glad to hear he had been shaking hands with Covid-19 patients when the WHO was advising social distancing .... is the best any political party could do?

More interested in proving that we do not need the EU than in actually getting PPE of the standard required?

If this is the best any government can do, why can other countries do so much better ? Could it be some cosmic karma for English exceptionalism ?

I actually suspect think they will be getting far more in the way of education if the schools stay shut, than the part time education they will get if schools reopen Next month.

I really don't agree with that. My youngest who is in Year 8 is able to get the work he has been set for the day done by lunchtime, which is being marked and he's told it's of a high standard.

That's not an acceptable level of education for someone starting GCSEs next year. I'd suggest he's having part time education now.

^*Why does everyone keep saying 'if you open schools social distancing is over and I may as well do what I like' - it's about allowing essential things to happen and accept that risk while minimising the risk by not doing non essential things. Children need to be educated. People need to work. You don't need days out or play dates or family round for a party - they're nice but not essential.

If schools don't open until September then there is unlikely to be any of the more enjoyable stuff over the summer either.*^

I'm so glad you e said this. So many people saying that if schools go back they can just do what they want.

School is essential. Before Covid19, how many times was it drummed into us about school attendance, no holidays in term time, you were lucky if you'd be allowed a day off to attend grannies funeral.

All of a sudden schools don't matter and someone's right to visit their mum or go to the pub is more important than children's education? Ffs

He hasn't reopened schools yet.

He hasn't reopened schools yet.

He hasn't reopened anything yet to be fair.

Scotland's has been extended for another 3 weeks.

The projections on worldometer for us staying in lockdown (even our version) till the end of the month look really good. Deaths could drop to double figures at most and an increase in testing and other measures would make this all so much more manageable.

I’m really nervous the government are going to bow to public pressure and ease things up too much too soon and this will all of been for nothing and we’ll have to do it all again. The length of our restrictions is directly related to our delay in taking decisive measures.

I’m as eager as anyone for a semblance of normality to return but not at the cost of having this spiral further out of control.

Short term pain, long term gain or just long term pain with no gain. I know which one I’d choose.

NO-ONE knew what the best course of action was back then. Twenty-twenty vision only exists in hindsight Britain was at least two weeks behind Italy - the point is that Boris did have a degree of hindsight. He just didn't bother to take advantage of it - he was too busy worrying about Big Ben Bongs, celebratory 50p and getting engaged to see what was happening elsewhere. This is an inconvenient crisis for him because he can't spin it - you only had to look at him at PMQs in an empty chamber yesterday. He had nowhere and nothing to hide behind. Led by Donkeys is not just an amusing poster campaign, it's a statement of fact.

I'd suggest he's having part time education now.

As I said, he may well be getting even less if schools reopen on a very part time basis.

Far too early and it will be highly unfair on the staff expected to risk themselves and families with no PPE etc.

Although there was a post recently that started with not caring about the staff and children so it’s not seen as anything major to some.

Boris May - aaaargh!!!!!

He will actually 'regret' nothing - he is a Narcissist.

But he will say it, yes, because it will be good optics, AFTER the damage is done, as per...

I’m as eager as anyone for a semblance of normality to return but not at the cost of having this spiral further out of control.

The problem Johnson has is that people are breaking the guidance anyway.

Neighbours around here are now having friends around where they weren't before. I'm on an estate and whilst typing this 11 cars have gone past my house, builders are back working on houses, decorators in. We've had the gardener around doing work. The level of traffic is completely back to normal.

The public are ending it anyway, he may well be realising this.

Cases higher now than when lockdown started? Assume the government must know for a fact than no one who works at, goes to or sends their kids to a school is one of those cases.

@Cornettoninja where in worldometer can I find those projections? Never seen that as a section. Thanks!

When do you suggest schools should open then ? Until we get a vaccine ?what if we never get a vaccine ? Until the virus miraculously disappears ?
Plenty of other European countries are slowly re starting schools , we may have to learn to live with this virus if we can't find a cure / or vaccine .

Also if schools go back it doesn't mean oh ok then holiday are ok as schooling is. A bit more necessary than a holiday isn't it ?
And like others have said you can se register and home school

New Zealand 5 million UK 66 million
Not comparable and also doesn't have one of the busiest airports in the world , you cannot remotely compare

@

Plenty of other European countries are slowly re starting schools

Plenty?! I’m not sure that’s true.

Denmark have reopened in a massively different way-v small classes spread across a large number of classrooms (which we don’t have) and lots of outside learning (which we don’t have the space for). Spain and Italy aren’t returning until September. France is talking about returning some children in May but many parents/staff aren’t happy-it isn’t compulsory. German states are doing different things but it sounds like many are offering children an opportunity to return before the summer-this could be just for a day or two.

@Scubasteven many are already working and more will have to go back
We can't lockdown forever , if there was a vaccine due in a month then you could wait but there isn't and we have to start slowly reintroducing things and getting back to work / school etc
We will have phases now doubt and figures will be watched and things tightened if they need to be but it's impossible to protect everyone from it unfortunately

Well cases will be higher won’t they? We’re testing more and our lockdown hasn’t actually been that strict. People have still be able to go to supermarkets pretty freely and work if open. Cases will still spread.

We’re now at the point we were approximately mid-March if you go by number of deaths per day (I’m using the NHS England adjusted figures that attributed deaths to the day they actually happened and the wales and Scotland announced figures). I don’t think being back at the point we were when lockdown started is the time to lift it completely. I also think there’s a lot more preparation needed - face masks, the tracking app, a real push to encourage employers to support 14 days isolation when needed etc.

@PhilCornwall1 I appreciate your points but I also know the government projected for 75% compliance and the vast majority are still complying plus there are the limitations of just not having anywhere particularly to gather.

I do think the government should be clearer about what numbers they’re aiming for and a proper plan of what will happen in what order. People cope a lot better with clear goals. The constant speculation and lack of concrete plan is what prompts people to start making their own rules up (myself included).