Is it really likely the schools will close?

[sqirrelfriends]

I've seen a few comments on other threads about schools and other childcare settings closing indefinitely to prevent the spread of Covid 19. Do you really think it's likely to happen?

There's no evidence so far that closing schools helps. Doctors and nurses wouldn't be able to work. What about those with exams - GCSEs and A levels?

I don’t think they will close schools, other than specific ones with a large number of cases due to the impact onto the economy and community - hospital and emergency services employees then being off work to look after their DC’s.

You made a sweeping statement that WAS offensive. No two ways about it

There's no evidence so far that closing schools helps.

Actually there is:
www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-closing-schools-slow-spread-novel-coronavirus

GCSEs and a levels can take place a little later surely?I Can't see the harm in this sort of situation, in the government making people wait a month or two. Lives are worth more than exams for now.

Nothing to do with being "professionally offended" as you put it. Which seems to be an easy excuse to be rude, ignorant & obnoxious!

@lulufufu There is evidence from previous pandemics, and there is also evidence from the lockdown in China that lockdown/social distancing works and closing schools would be part of that.

Schools closing on their own would not be effective, but as part of a series of measures, it would slow down the spread and allow hospitals to cope with the most severe cases.

It would be possible to make plans for the children of health care workers- most of whom don't work school hours anyway.

Lots of other countries have closed schools and their doctors and nurses have children too.

I don’t think exams should be effected by this, if schools were to shut in the next 2 weeks for 4 weeks exams can still go ahead (they don’t start until the end of May).

My dc’s get FSM and we will survive, tbh dd1 gets £1.20 a day towards canteen food and all it buys is a drink and a apple so I have to send her with food anyway, dd2 gets a cooked meal at her school but always wants cooked when she gets home. I know for some kids FSM are important and we need to make sure people can access food banks still and we need to look out for people (drop food to people who are struggling).

GCSEs and a levels can take place a little later surely?
Not as simple as that because parents have booked holidays as they break up earlier. There's also a knock on with the marking so a knock on for results days meaning that coursing and uni start dates and things will all be later.

To get free school meals you need to be on a low income. You may not feel like your in poverty, perhaps statistics say otherwise. The point I was making earlier was that some people on free school meals don’t eat in the summer. Field kitchens are set up. Charity’s help. When loads if schools here closed down for months due to faulty workmanship food banks had to deliver to some who got free school meals and the council had to issue four vouchers. How you find any on that offensive is an absolute head scratcher.

SansaSnark
@Rebellenny sorry if I was a bit short in my reply. Obviously there is not much evidence, but I think the initial reports for children born to affected mothers are relatively positive.

Not a medical professional, but my concern would be that viruses like chicken pox and measles generally do most damage to a foetus during the very early stages of pregnancy (first trimester) and only when the parent doesn’t have immunity.

With that in mind, no one yet has immunity to Covid-19 and people giving birth within the last few months would likely have not caught Covid in their first trimester.

How do we honestly know what the effects will be? Genuinely asking if anyone does know.

I’m also very concerned for children with asthma and diseases like Cystic Fibrosis. Personally I think to brazen things out as a pp put it, would be insane.

There's 800 plus people dead in Italy but because parents have booked holidays we can't allow GCSEs dates to be changed?

So when there's 800 dead people here, will you change your mind?

That's what's coming. Only another couple of weeks to go... Some numbers for you....

Honestly I'm flapping.

Just wish the government would tell us to lock our doors for a month.

No flights in or out for 6 months.

Fucking no chance. Money is to powerful and economy no good

@DBML That is a really valid point, and as you say, we can't know what the effects of early trimester infections will be yet (and probably won't until about September). I do think if people aren't pregnant already, then using contraception would probably be a good idea.

Co-morbidities are a real problem for people of all ages. From what I have read, strangely asthma isn't as much of a problem as other, seemingly less related illnesses such as diabetes.

FWIW with GCSES/ A-levels, schools could open to those students only, spread them out between classrooms and hold exams that way. It would still avoid spreading the illness to younger children, and limit the spread in older ones.

Our DS said school is getting ready to sort out e-learning email coming out tomorrow, they are waiting for direction from PHE.

Also - Government is not going to tell anyone when they are safe or not safe. They have to let the infection take hold because they can only do social distancing measures once - because its going to have a horrendous affect on the economy. So no point them going to early as the virus would die out quickly, only to come back a month later. They need to make sure a lot of people actually do get it to create herd immunity which essentially means it won't come back on the same scale. That is why they are waiting to take measures.

BUT - that doesn't mean they are saying that it is 'safe' to carry on doing what we normally do, as it isn't. The risk is low but increasing exponentially. If you want to make a change to keep yourself safe, don't wait for the Government to tell you - they are not playing the same numbers game as you are.

DD’s school have emailed today setting out their study plans for all students if/when the school closes.
We have been asked to checked if the students can access their school account and if they have access to a computer during the day and to contact the school now if a problem with either.
They are expecting all children to study for at least 4 hours a day.

I believe in Japan, they’re providing basic income to parents during the closure of school.

A level exams cannot be taken later. University’s start in September, results come out mid August. It is already tight. My son needs his grades to get into the military. The schools cannot close,

They have, I believe, been talking about closing the schools, distance learning, and going back just for exams.

Or possibly closing the schools for all but yr 11 & 13 pupils.

My son takes A levels this summer as well - it's a worry. I guess it's about minimising risk with least possible upheaval.

My DS's school are putting online study groups together, stuff like that.

I think it’s highly likely the schools will close in the next week or so. I believe we are going to go from business as usual to lock down overnight. I hope the get the timing right and not fuck this up

Zero deaths in Denmark as yet but lockdown happening already...

metro.co.uk/2020/03/11/denmark-second-european-country-impose-lockdown-coronavirus-12384677/?ito=social&fbclid=IwAR0YwHhKgMgHcbOXvEX4-Zeepbyo7NkIzp5g5pHn7uxAE2IAub-yV67yxL0

Schools aren’t even remotely ready to lock down.

What is the obsession with shutting schools down? It will make things worse, it will hit the oldest carers hardest. It will hit the poorest badly.

Where is their ANY evidence that shutting schools make things better?