To think this will largely be over in two months?!

[ChristmasIvy]

I’m home schooling at the moment and surprised by how many other parents seem to think that this lockdown could continue for the rest of the academic year. I’m expecting the worst of the lockdown to be over by Feb half term - I.e. when millions of the most vulnerable will have received the vaccine, winter is almost over, and the seasonal drain on the NHS is alleviated. What am I missing?! I also believe we will be able to go on “normal” holidays again by Easter...

“Normal holidays by Easter”

What do you mean by normal holidays???

I think we will be over the worst in 2 months and looking at when things can start to be reopened and a plan for doing so

I think it will be a phased opening starting with all nurseries, reception, Y1 and Y2 by Easter.

I remember back in March saying we'd be back to normal by the end of June. Honestly I don't hold out much hope of kids returning to school before April.

I think school will be back after Easter.

I think this summer will be very much like last summer with the eased restrictions and stronger sense of normality but some rules in place

Easter at earliest for more normal.

I also would go any time of day or night for vaccine as would my parents and friends

Things will never be normal again

I have made peace with the idea of being back to some semblance of normality by the autumn.
I would love to be pleasantly surprised

My feeling is that normality should be resumed by around September. Assuming that we don't get a variant that's immune to the vaccine...

I don’t think the vaccine is this silver bullet you expect! Boris has said he hopes kids back in some form before the summer holidays and Chris Whitty that we should have restrictions next winter. Covid will be with us a very long time it’s just what level of death is acceptable.

As for holidays abroad, dream on! Even if it’s in control in the U.K., no suggestion it will be elsewhere.

I think it's going to be after Easter too ( I think Easter Sunday is April 4th )

I don't have children in school , so can't comment on that , but I think travel and hospitality restrictions will carry on until then ( so no going away Feb half term , Easter , Mother's Day lunch out etc )

We live in Wales , they very carefully say those 60+ will have been offered a vaccine by the spring ( not given , offered )

@MrsMarrio

Things will never be normal again

Doom muppet!

@CSIblonde

I love your glass half full approach. But I predicted to a friend the vaccine roll out cockups back in Nov. Realistically, we are looking at Autumn as earliest normality . GP's are still reporting supply issues even now the army has taken over supply logistics. Especially/also, as Boris stated no one would take up 24/7 jabs if they offered them, as per Israels highly successful approach. I would go for a jab at 3am if offered, personally. To me it's the only way Spring targets will be met.

Yes, this is frustrating. Of course no 80+ year olds want 24 hour jabs but why not offer jabs overnight to eg key works so they’re not taking slots from priority groups but can speed up the general vaccination programme

Two months? No. Six months? Maybe.

People in the 80+ category are having their first vaccine doses around now. They don't get the 2nd one for 12 weeks so that takes us till the end of March at least.

@CSIblonde, where did Boris say people wouldn't go for 24 hour jabs?

I think you’re being very optimistic to think kids will be back Feb half term. Brilliant if they are but I can’t see it personally.

I think Easter is more realistic an that’s what I’m assuming

@Jangle33 that's not what they have said at all.

Whitty said we MIGHT need to bring BACK some restrictions^^ next winter

I went on a safe holiday abroad last summer, as did lots of people.

So sorry but 'dream on' cos restrictions won't last forever...

I wish I could hope for that. It’s so hard to see an end to this Groundhog Day when Saint Boris has been telling us “just twelve weeks” then “normal by September”, then “by Christmas”, then “by Easter”, and then “we need to squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze the brakes”.

I'm in the US and we've had to confirm to distance learn until the end of the school year. At this point I'm just hoping we will be back to in school full time by September.

The vaccine is going to take several months to filter through the communities at both doses.

It's possible if there is enough uptake we will be over the 'crisis' point we are getting to in many countries.

Then we've got to see how many take it up and how it affects the progress of the virus.

Are people still catching it but not as badly affected? Fewer people catching it? How long will the vaccine be effective? Long enough to establish a herd immunity to make the virus practically die out?

Things might start to open up again around Easter but we will still need to wear masks and practice some social distancing.

Summer might begin to feel normal but then people might start flying and travelling again more - to places where the virus is still active, unvaccinated people flying in. Virus spikes again potentially.

I'm not trying to be negative but realistic. It's going to be a while before normal.

I think kids back in school by the summer term hopefully.
Holidays at Easter a possibility but think it will be like last summer with places going on and off the travel restrictions list. And right now, who would want a Brit travelling there? Hopefully testing will help, a friend made it to Cuba in December and they just had to have tests on arrival.

I love this optimistic thread! i think I can get through till Easter fingers crossed (3 dc @home)

I don’t think the vaccine is this silver bullet you expect! Boris has said he hopes kids back in some form before the summer holidays and Chris Whitty that we should have restrictions next winter. Covid will be with us a very long time it’s just what level of death is acceptable.

Will it not be a similar situation to the flu once the vaccine is rolled out successfully? The flu unfortunately kills many every year despite a vaccine existing. As a society we pretty much see it as acceptable and get on with life normally.

Think they should have closed the borders in the summer then we might not be in the mess we are now!

You're missing that the teachers/their unions won't want to go back until they've been vaccinated themselves.

[quote Therealone]@CSIblonde, where did Boris say people wouldn't go for 24 hour jabs?[/quote]
there was some gov rambler on r4 yesterday sating oldies wouldn't want to go 4 the vax at 4am. can't remember if is was bj though