Prime minister announcement at 12

[Hugglespuffed]

Is it going to be drastic changes? Or just 'work at home if you can'?

My kids school have still got an Easter skiing trip via coach to Austria. It's another 3 weeks before school breaks up here and 4 in next county.

I am sick of this dithering by this gov. Come on Boris, do something constructive.

I'm hoping they've thought carefully about the fact that very shortly University students will be expecting to head home for the Easter Hols.

This will involve potentially infected 18-21 year olds travelling back to their home addresses. Being young and fit they may only experience mild symptoms so not consider that they might be a spreader.

Massive potential for further spread of Covid 19 ?

I'd keep schools open until Easter break but implement measures such that Universities had to remain open over the Easter Break (talking about accommodation provision really here) and students would be obliged to stay at Uni. Government could pay compensation to Uni's for the additional provision of accommodation expenses.

Students going home for Easter is, to my mind, unnecessary travel. They'll all have exams coming up and could just spend the enforced additional time studying for forthcoming exams.

Boarders from overseas at one of the local private schools have been told that if they choose to travel home for the Easter Break, there's no guarantee they'll be permitted to return depending on how the pandemic plays out over the period.

@Cam77

I'm not a supporter of most forms of brexit.
But you have to admit that brexit has helped. Hoarding by individuals and hoarding by companies has reduced any supply chain shocks.
The reduction in tourism from overseas and the increase of home tourism will have also helped.
The general population have been preparing for a crisis of sorts, just not this one.
We have got an effective government. Maybe not everyone's choice, but at least they have a majority and can make decisions.
It's not hard to imagine us in a worse position. If this had hit us in Nov/Dec, god only knows how we would have coped.

I'm hoping they've thought carefully about the fact that very shortly University students will be expecting to head home for the Easter Hols

I posted this yesterday, but universities have been on strike (or many staff have) for nearly a month anyway, so it's not clear where the students are- at home, at uni accommodation or in some landlord house in town. I agree that those in uni accommodation, esp international students may have to stay around. But there's no reason for face to face teaching. I'm thinking of cancelling mine even though the uni have said nothing so far and they are usually pretty proactive. They are being heavily leaned on by government to do nothing this second, but frantically planning for when there are closures.

Unis should be set up for online teaching, most use online platforms for marking and course materials. Seminars- we don't use conference technology routinely but I'd be prepared to start!

Local news have been talking about school closures from a week tomorrow, and teachers preparing study at home kors.

*kits

@Jaichangecentfoisdenom if trump appears on news I always put him on silent - have you watched his daft hand movements - great for impersonators (Ah maybe he is washing his hands & drying them in the air!)

If they announce school closures from the end of next week I predict that every parent who can will be voting with their feet as of tomorrow. I certainly would.

Ireland shutting all schools

All schools in Ireland are closing from tomorrow. Irish PM currently making announcements.

I'm honestly considering just keeping my DS off school if BJ doesn't close them.

Thankfully I'm in Scotland and won't be fined.

All this pussyfooting about is starting to wear thin.

Wow Ireland has nowhere near as many cases as us either! Good on them.

All schools in Ireland are closing from tomorrow. Irish PM currently making announcements

Link please

@greysparkles It's all over bbc news as breaking news

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51850811

We are in France. Our school has cancelled the upcoming 3 trips to Germany, Spain and America. Macron is making an announcement tonight in which he is expected to close the schools.

Wonder what will happen to free school meal kids if schools close?

Not sure how you can have different measures either side of the border in Ireland. Some kids in NI go to school in the Republic and vice versa.

Not sure how accurate this is school closures to be announced

No, they will change happy birthday to head shoulders knees and toes as it is a longer song.

It'll be Bye Bye Miss American Pie, the extended version by the end of the week.

Same here Pogmella another uni worker. However we received communications Monday, to ask what we will need in order for the university to shut during summer months - i.e disruption to exams and students enrolling in September. It sounds like ours isn't preparing for anything to happen any time soon.

DC's school has said they will provide weekly food packages for FSM children if the school closes. I've no idea if this is an actual widespread policy though.

We have got an effective government. Maybe not everyone's choice, but at least they have a majority and can make decisions.It's not hard to imagine us in a worse position. If this had hit us in Nov/Dec, god only knows how we would have coped

Hahahahahaha - let's see how all this pans out first - before we say that we have an effective government. I'm really not convinced of that at the moment.

Ireland have apparently shut down all schools, colleges and nuseries until 29th March.