Perhaps there's a middle ground to shutting all schools?

[ChristmasFlint]

Why couldn't we shut secondaries because those kids can stay home alone and are most likely to be able to cope with some form of distance learning. Shut down lessons in primary school and encourage those parents that can have their children home to do so. Run school more like a holiday camp so you can mix ages in together. That would give NHS staff somewhere to send their kids if they have no other option.

Hmm yes we’ll close the schools but still keep hospitals, NHS 111 (and all those people driving round with test kits) running. They don’t have kids or childcare issues and will keep working.

Also bins will still be emptied and someone will still ensure we have gas, electricity, water and Wi-fi.
And our online orders will still be processed, packed and delivered.
None of those people are impacted by school closures.

We both work the same shifts, it’s not as easy as just change the shifts- it doesn’t work like that! We both work m-f roles. When they are poorly we swap between us but thankfully they haven’t been poorly children.

It will the same for most workers out there with children!

I think they have to just close. We have to accept that the movement and mixing of children is causing spread. I don’t like the way the U.K are just bucking the trend to close. No I don’t want the economy to tank but it will if all key workers get this because of their kids continuing to go in. I have no idea how to make it work. At all. No clue. It’s shit.

it's not as easy as just change shifts

It may have to be, as more and more people start getting sick. Or are you suggesting that your child's nursery staff come in whilst they are sick, or their children are sick so you can go to work?

Do ppl not realize that this situation is an excel the normal rules, ppl and employers will have to change things up to help others manage!! Schools are closing to help limit movements! There is always a way to work around childcare, ppl will HAVE to figure it out with their employers!

*Exception not excel

If we continue as we are, and in two weeks we have to go into lockdown like Italy, the government are going to have a lot more to deal with then.

I am self employed and a private tennant. I don’t have 2months worth of rent saved up. What then? Would the government step in to save me from getting evicted?

I initially thought that they wouldn’t do anything today, but the more I think about it, they have too. It makes more economic sense to close schools/venues for 2-4 weeks, than have cities on lock down.

I just spoke to a friend who’s large business is in dire straights now, he is in a really precarious position because insurance won’t cover all the cancellations he is forced to make. Even he said why haven’t they closed the schools yet??

I have a secondary aged son who would be fine with staying home, maybe being set homework, and a year 5 child with SN whose needs mean it is difficult for me to work, so would actually prefer to keep my kids home. Particularly as my DM and my DP are both badly immunosuppressed, and I am diabetic with hypertension and have recently had cancer.
I would like the choice to keep my kids home if nothing else. It would take the pressure off schools if those that can, do this and those with parents in essential services could have a different solution, like staying in school, but with a much smaller cohort.

Younger children don't get so ill so makes sense to keep primary schools open and close secondary. Even for Y11 and 13, surely they've mostly finished their work and are just revising which they can do at home.
The thing is everyone is at risk, not just school workers/children. I work with the public all day and I'm terrified of catching coronovirus off someone but what's the alternative?
Shut down everywhere. We can't even cope with shops being shut for one day. Why should NHS (or any emergency service) staff still put their lives,on the line?

Supermarkets in Italy are remaining open as are pharmacies and the like, its the non essential stuff that is closed as I understand it.

How many people are essential tho?
I'd like my supermarket to keep stocking stuff - ok, not the raspberries flown in from Morocco, or the sugar snap peas from Kenya, but some form of fruit/veg, some meat maybe, milk, bread. So, farmers, food processing plants, delivery people, supermarket workers all working.
I'd quite like the hospitals working - so drs, nurses, maintenance, pharmacists, cleaners, bed managers all needed.
I'd quite like my electricity/water/broadband to keep going.
That is vast numbers of people "essential" to just keep us all ticking over and alive who cant work from home.