Time to close the schools

[PaddyF0dder]

I can’t believe I’m saying this. I’m a dad to 3 very young boys. Our eldest is nearly 6 and is on the spectrum. Our twins are nearly 3. They’re hard work when they’re stuck in the house. I also work as a doctor in the NHS. Closing the schools would be a nightmare for us.

I think we need to do it, and do it early.

Watching how this virus is spreading, seeing how harmful it’s been in other countries, reading the stats on transmission, burned on healthcare etc... closing schools and nurseries really seems to be the most logical step.

The UK is at a turning point. We’re entering the stage of sustained transmission. We may already be too late. But we might still have time to enact draconian measures early as opposed to late. Closing school and nurseries. Limiting travel around the country. It seems inevitable that these things will happen, but doing it early might save the lives of the sick and vulnerable.

I honestly don’t know how my family will cope with it. We have absolutely no family support re childcare. We both work hard jobs in the NHS. I wish there was a better option. But the more I look at the facts of this outbreak, the more obvious it gets.

We need to reduce viral transmission. There are many ways, and all must be done. One such way is to close schools and nurseries. We need to do it now.

No need. Children rarely catch it. The economic effect of parents not being able to go to work is huge.

Some children only get to eat at school with a free school meal (an alarming number actually).
.

Children do catch it. They just tend to not get particularly ill with it.

But that’s not the point or the reason. They catch it and transmit it. We all do. The more people catch it, the greater the chance of it spreading to those who are more vulnerable to it.

The economic effects of Coronavirus are inevitable, as are school closures. Doing it earlier will reduce overall population spread of the virus, slowing down the epidemic and thereby saving lives.

What about closing offices? I sit in a building with 3000 people! Surely it's got to be both offices and schools?

So you think you know better than the government, medical experts and the Workd Health Organisation?

People are so stupid. “Children don’t catch it”. That’s not the bloody point. It’s about them transmitting it to vulnerable people

• anyone over 65

-people with weakened immune systems

• people with underlying conditions

Schools are absolute hotbeds for contagion. Once the school kids get sick, that’s all the grannies and grandads sick, most of whom will fall into those categories above.

Aren't the WHO recommending much more stringent containment strategies than our government are currently implementing? And the CMO has expressed concern.
Honestly I think my cat knows better than this government, frankly.

But what happens if the parent who hasn't been off work looking after the children comes home with the virus 3 days before the school reopens?

Then the child will take Boris to school and the whole thing will have been pointless.

The virus! Not Boris! For gods sake, don't take Boris to school, that would be horrendous!

Pissing myself laughing at Bojo sheepishly accompanying the kids to school

Aren't the WHO recommending much more stringent containment strategies than our government are currently implementing?

Don’t think so

If you’re asking me if I think I’m better than the WHO? No. But the WHO are repeatedly asking countries to do more.

Better that the government? OUR government? That’s not much of a challenge.

I agree more should be done, other countries like Abu Dhabi are taking measures like closing schools and stopping people from re-entering the country if they’ve travelled abroad to places with Covid-19. Most people getting it here is inevitable now.

I agree with PP. children might not necessarily develop all the symptoms, or develop them as severely as adults do, but they could still be carrying the virus germs. That’s what’s so dangerous .... a child could be carrying it but be presenting with little more than a sniffle, so you don’t think they’ve got it, they see their grandparents, aunts, uncles etc... and that’s how it spreads.

😂😂😂 I'm sorry but taking boris to school 🤣🤣🤣

We should at least consider how the country would cope should we close the schools I'm unemployed so I'm ok but millions work in critical areas what do we do with them?

The Maldives have two cases. Two. And they are restricting travel between islands.
Trump isn't worried. So it's all ok.

These figures are for China but it looks like we need to focus on slowing spread in 40 to 70 year olds. Not closing schools.

www.statista.com/statistics/1095024/china-age-distribution-of-wuhan-coronavirus-covid-19-patients/

Just a thought if they close all schools and nurseries who will look after all these children Some parents have to work
I am concerned about my daughter who is type 1 diabetic but financially she needs to work
So the care will then fall on grandparents who may likely be elderly or have health problems themselves I adore my grandchildren but even a reasonably fit 60+ can get tired with a bouncing 2 year old
How long do you think we need to close them 6 months?
Perfectly prepared to help and pull together but there are many that do not have that help

I can't see it happening because I don't think our health service could function if it did. What happens to all the kids who have to stay home? Not everyone can make alternative childcare arrangements and it will push children into the care of ageing grandparents in many cases too which isn't ideal with CV.

But I do know that experts in Italy pushed for schools to close much much sooner than they did and say it would have helped massively so I don't know.....

thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/485532-who-coronavirus-containment-is-feasible-and-top

Spread could be stopped with "early, aggressive measures".
Says WHO.

But Mummy.....I don’t want to take Boris to school, he’s sooooo embarrassing.

Did anyone else notice in the ‘wash your hands properly peasants’ video that he washed the soap off immediately....

I agree OP, shut the schools, limit travel, stop social events, work from home and close offices. By the time the government issue that advice it will be too late.

End of this week or next week, closer to Easter, I think will be the start of UK lockdown. With fingers crossed that it dies down as the weather improves.

My understanding is that without such draconian measures we could well be looking at up to 80% population infected. And of that 80%, 20% will need medical intervention/hospitalisation. The numbers are mind blowing and enormously concerning.

Everyone needs to understand this situation right now and take whatever steps we can as individuals to delay person to person transmission until country is in a faintly better position to cope

Not sure how this would work for nurseries
If they cannot provide a service they cannot charge ? So without parental funding they will be unable to trade and the business may well go bust ?

Then the child will take Boris to school and the whole thing will have been pointless.

That gave me a good laugh