Page 11 | To think we are heading for a full 2 week national half term lockdown

clopper · 04/10/2020 17:05

Lockdowns are pointless you are only kicking the can down the road. Spain had a strict lockdown and now they are back in the same place as us. We cant live like this forever with all these arbitrary restrictions. Humans are social animals.I say this as someone with several underlying conditions.

LearnedResponse · 04/10/2020 17:05

Kicking the can down the road works pretty well with a disease which is spreading exponentially. You bring the numbers down which gives you breathing space. And bear in mind that every week brings more understanding of the disease and treatment strategies. A significant number of people died (or suffered significant harm from unnecessary ventilation) in April who’d be alive today if treated using current best practice.

But I think that two weeks isn’t quite long enough - if you go into it with thousands of people who’ve just contracted the disease then by the time two weeks are up they’ll just have had time to spread it all the way through their households and the numbers could be even higher than they were when you started - even if you could get community transmission to zero, which you can’t. You’d need at least three weeks to make enough of an impact.

And there’s no case for going harder than the original UK lockdown. I defy you to show me documented cases of people infected by passing joggers or bookshop browsers. We do have clusters in care homes and food processing plants, which we can’t close down, in pubs and bars which we could close (or police more strictly), and in university halls, which is a whole other story.

CeibaTree · 04/10/2020 17:08

@Deedee9

Although I can’t go into details as it could mean serious repercussions for someone I know, I have it on pretty good authority that there will definitely be a two week “circuit breaker” for the last two weeks of October. According to this person the government have been planning it for some time, but don’t intend on announcing it yet for fear of a panic. I’ll hold my hands up and apologise if this person has been given false information but I can usually trust what they say.

I would be very sceptical of this - unless your contact is a loose lipped member of Boris' cabinet.

Aragog · 04/10/2020 17:11

@Midlifelights

DS’s school ramping up the preparation to teach on MS teams & making sure they can all use it & have the tech in place.

Teachers indicating that it’s going to be half term plus another couple of weeks after.

Given the rising numbers, it’s seems more likely that’s what’s coming - and maybe even a full lockdown this time & not the half arsed one we had before.

Aibu? I am worried as my kids really hated it last time but with so many new cases, it just seems the likely path

Schools have NOT been told about any proposed lockdown, let alone individual teachers. They are simply reacting to the rumours - and tbh most of them have only read of in recent times on MN. If it did happen, schools would find out at the same time as everyone else, and the guidance will probably turn up a day or two after it has started.

Schools have been briefed right from the start of term to be prepared for local lockdowns, bubble closures and whole school closures. So they should be teaching the children how to use the systems, especially those who didn't use the same system before the summer, and ensuring teaching staff are up to speed on its use. Policies should have been prepared incase of partial and whole school closures.

I dot the Government will do this tbh. I think they know that compliance wouldn't be high enough. They said right from the start they only had one chance at lockdown, They may be many things but they aren't totally daft when it comes to knowing this. They will do everything they can to prevent schools from closing, especially primary schools and nurseries.

And if it was truly about risen numbers it would have needed to be now, or earlier - half term in another 3 weeks would be too late if we based it on the figures being quotes earlier last week or before.

NotAKaren · 04/10/2020 17:13

I cannot see how this will actually work, all it does is increase spread in households by forcing them to spend more time indoors together which will then spill over into schools as soon as they return after half term.

Mumofsend · 04/10/2020 17:13

I hope not. I can't cope with two weeks locked down with my two.

TacosTuesday · 04/10/2020 17:16

It's not really 'all they need to do is teach remotely for a week' as doing this has far wider impacts. Key workers needing schools open anyway, retail workers and others that have to be physically present without childcare. If everyone WFH then simplistically this might be true but it's not the case. It's a big impact for a week. Also would the country be in lockdown or 'just' kids at home? What would the rules be? Not saying it couldn't happen if needed but it's a lot of work and communication needed for 5/7 days.

backaftera2yearbreak · 04/10/2020 17:17

@ midnightstar66 some schools are already off in Scotland for 2 weeks

Aesopfable · 04/10/2020 17:18

Whose half term?

Emmie12345 · 04/10/2020 17:39

What about all the people planning to staycation in October ? How could they cancel those if did uk lockdown ? I just can’t see how they can without screwing economy even more and then we really won’t hVe an NHS ( or anything else )

Dorigen · 04/10/2020 17:40

Lockdown was a complete catastrophe for my family, so I can't bear to think about another one.

On the bright side, all the communications from my DC's (independent) schools are very strongly suggestive of there not being a further lockdown.

Craiglang · 04/10/2020 17:42

I don't think another lockdown will happen. People are bored of Covid, they just want their lives back to normal. The death rate is so low, most won't know anyone directly effected so it's an abstract concept for them. If no one you know is seriously unwell or dead, from your perspective it's not a dangerous virus. It's human nature. The numbers don't actually mean anything until it's your mum or your neighbour. Another lockdown will be met with uproar I fear.

Lockdown would be fine for us. We're securely employed, we have a house with a garden, resources to see us through. I worry for those not as fortunate, the children who will go unfed, the women in abusive relationships, the already isolated become even more isolated.

celan · 04/10/2020 17:47

Another lockdown will be met with uproar I fear

I sincerely hope so.

ListeningQuietly · 04/10/2020 17:48

As per the ONS
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/weeklyprovisionalfiguresondeathsregisteredinenglandandwales

9,523 people died in England and Wales in the week ending 18th September 2020
of which 139 were due to COVID
1.5%
so 98.5% of people died of other causes

Perspective time ..........

Disconnect · 04/10/2020 17:53

@Emmie12345

What about all the people planning to staycation in October ? How could they cancel those if did uk lockdown ? I just can’t see how they can without screwing economy even more and then we really won’t hVe an NHS ( or anything else )

Yes, there is a huge discrepancy as regards holidays - both those within the UK and those abroad. It really isn't fair to lockdown people who haven't booked a holiday but allow those who have booked a holiday to travel freely within the UK/abroad. All or nothing really. In the first national lockdown, people could still travel abroad freely (without even needing to quarantine when they returned) but we couldn't drive 8 miles to do a walk in the countryside!

Gwenhwyfar · 04/10/2020 17:53

"@Okaro yes, it would need to be supper strict I suspect to have any impact"

Why? Based on what?
Caerphilly county just had a partial lockdown - no mixing of households but pubs and shops still open and they came out of the danger zone.

OverTheRainbow88 · 04/10/2020 17:55

The school I teach in doesn’t seem to be planning For a 2 week half term.

ListeningQuietly · 04/10/2020 17:56

In the first national lockdown, people could still travel abroad freely (without even needing to quarantine when they returned) but we couldn't drive 8 miles to do a walk in the countryside!
Hogwash.
Flights and trains and ferries were cancelled
and people were turned back if they could not prove why they were travelling

Gwenhwyfar · 04/10/2020 17:58

"Another lockdown will be met with uproar I fear"

Plenty of areas are in lockdown now and there is no uproar.

CrappleUmble · 04/10/2020 17:58

Schools have NOT been told about any proposed lockdown, let alone individual teachers. They are simply reacting to the rumours - and tbh most of them have only read of in recent times on MN. If it did happen, schools would find out at the same time as everyone else, and the guidance will probably turn up a day or two after it has started.

Agreed.

ListeningQuietly · 04/10/2020 18:02

Plenty of areas are in lockdown now and there is no uproar.
But its a lockdown with everything open

you can meet your mum and auntie in the pub, just not go to their house

so nothing like the spring where everything was closed

SoUtterlyGroundDown · 04/10/2020 18:03

In the first national lockdown, people could still travel abroad freely (without even needing to quarantine when they returned) but we couldn't drive 8 miles to do a walk in the countryside!

Around 98% of international flights were cancelled.

StCharlotte · 04/10/2020 18:03

A school I know now has access to all lessons on Teams. Not so much preparing for another lockdown (although preparation for that would be no bad thing) it's more for any pupils/bubbles who are self-isolating so they don't miss out .

islockdownoveryet · 04/10/2020 18:06

Sigh if it happens it happens but I don't think the last one was half arsed at all .
Not seeing family or friends only going out once a day .
The going out once a day was the only thing keeping me sane so I'm not stopping that .
The police can't and won't enforce it , I know someone will say they will I remember last time someone saying they will and will shoot anyone who takes the dog out more than once a day .
I'm in lockdown lockdown and the figures are still going up possibly due to some not following the rules so I doing very much that enforced lockdown will happen .
Also the thing is last time most were prepared to do for a short time but now almost 7 months on I doubt it .
Also if the government insists on closing place like pubs then he will need to pay them .
I think what's likely possible schools may shut for a couple of weeks maybe a longer Christmas holiday too but that's it .
Perhaps pubs to shut in the evening and just restaurants open I don't know .
Just drive through open for McDonald's but not to close completely unless the government will pay which I doubt very much .

myrtilles · 04/10/2020 18:09

@ListeningQuietly

It would mean people could enjoy half term as planned

doing WHAT exactly ? Not going on holiday Not going to the cinema Not going to theme parks and museums and galleries and millions of parents have no income

By enjoying half term I meant exactly that. Normal activities including holidays and no lockdown.

I am not in favour of any further lockdowns.

What I suggested was that schools could teach remotely the week after half term which would give students two weeks away from physical school stopping the spread of winter bugs plus covid so that people would go back to physical school in good health.

I can see that this is harder for primary age (due to childcare issues) but could work for secondary.