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.

Ouch don't children tend to be super spreaders?

Well exactly. The economic risks of a big lock down are huge. Which imo is why the government are not doing it. Let a bunch of vulnerable people die rather than jeopardise the economy.

No, it’s not time to close the schools. They’ll just jet off on holiday anyway so what’s the point?

There must be a way. I can work from home. So those of us who can work from home should be able to also manage a couple of extra children for those who can't. (I appreciate my children are old enough to make this work). Yes the children are still interacting but on a much more limited basis - they'd be closing schools not telling people to self isolate.
I don't know where I sit on this. On the whole I go for the non alarmist approach. But if it did happen we could make it work.

Yes children are super spreaders especially with this as they tend to not get severe symptoms so it’s unlikely that you’d realise they had it unless they’d been in contact with someone who was diagnosed.

Very good point about holidays

If they close it will be part of a general lockdown so no holidays

I work with children, I get coughed on , sneezed on etc on a daily basis. They Are walking germs. I agree with closing schools and nurseries but the impact for working parents is huge. I really don't know what the answer is.

I think the government doesn’t want to contain it. Nice way to kill off the oldies costing the pension lots and needing social care...

The actions to date have been so hideously dumb, I can reach no other conclusion

I agree with you that the government seem reactive rather than proactive. A couple of weeks or so ago they were (Trump style) giving the impression the virus wouldn’t hit this hallowed soil. They are partly to blame for the panic buying tbh. Incompetent. Closing schools, nurseries etc can only work if travel is also restricted.

How has Italy managed the childcare issue

Can people really afford to jet off on holiday in droves the moment the schools are closed? We certainly couldn't.

Quite a lot will be thinking last minute bargain

People are panic buying because they don't trust the government to manage the supply chain, and they don't trust their communities to look after each other. 10+ years of Tory government and people are behaving in a selfish, individualistic way? What a ducking surprise.

If schools close then they need to close all places where large numbers of people congregate. I've said on another thread, if schools are closed all those kids are not going to be staying home in isolation, many will be off to the leisure centre or library or shops and just pass on anything they catch to all those people, people they wouldn't have come into contact with had they been at school.

As a teacher, I don't know how schools closing will affect my pay, but I certainly can't afford to have several weeks unpaid.

I have a few friends with children in Italy. From what I can gather, quite a few people are hosting large gatherings of classmates in their homes. Which surely completely defeats the onject

I think closing schools could have a big knock on effect on available health care staff so it’s really tricky. I wonder if I’m schools other measures can be put in place so kids in primary only really interact with their class for example.

Personally I think all offices who have staff who can wfh should encourage them to do so and also vary work times so the germ pit that is the London tube can be contained.

The irony of two NHS workers, one a well paid doctor, worrying about coping

Your high salaries, very hard to get sacked, generous annual leave, pensions, sick leave etc etc etc

How the heck do you think someone on minimum wage on a zero hours contract would cope if you claim you couldn't?!

You and your wife could still afford childcare if schools closed so you could go to work.

I suspect it will happen, but I think the government are trying to time it carefully to balance the economic effects. There is little benefit to doing it too early - but obviously doing it too late may be a huge problem.

How long for? Should we not do this every year? Make the summer holidays the flu holidays?

OK how about this
Instead of closing schools we do the opposite. All children stay in school full time until Easter. Parents use the money they'd have spent on the last minute break to pay teachers overtime. Yes kids get it but it's mild and the key is they don't spread it. Other parents, working in health or in emergency services get guaranteed, full time childcate for the next few weeks as they work shifts to contain the virus. Parents like me get three child-free weeks for a very reasonable cost to drink wine and watch box sets :)

@Namechangexyz1 presumably if schools are closed other forms of childcare would be too.

@maddy68, given your lack of concern, please consider volunteering for the NHS. I've read to say that ministers are making laws to allow people to do so for four weeks without losing their jobs. People like you, who are confident that it's not such a big deal, shouldn't have any qualms about putting yourselves forward.

Oh and the kids enjoy a huge sleepover with their friends. Those with exams can have extra revision time, supervised by qualified teacher.

@Namechangexyz1

Nice attack ad hominem. Very intelligent and considered.