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Covid

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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

To hope Boris makes the right decision.

106 replies

Savemefromthis4 · 12/03/2020 15:37

I know there are mixed ideas about what should happen. I completely get people who work being worried and anxious about how they're going to manage and pay the bills etc. but if it is getting to a point where loads of elderly people are going to die and loads of families are going to be affected then Boris surely needs to be acting soon rather than later. I've been watching sky news all afternoon and everybody that goes on to talk about this situation seems to be suggesting that they don't think the schools will close yet. I know we might find out later that he will close the schools but I'm guessing it's not going to happen.

I feel like they should just put some sensible things into place. For example exams should be allowed to be taken at a later date this year. Universities etc should allow the students to start slightly later this year. vouchers could be printed off for poor families so they can still provide a meal for their children if they are not going to school anymore. schools nurseries etc should be closed and deep cleaned as children are the worst for spreading germs. We all know that kids can spread norovirus and colds and flu throughout the winter. before I had children I was never ill and now I get at least 6 colds a year because of the kids.

also the schools are only sending out the link to the government website with the latest how to wash your hands etc. But they're not actually advising parents who might need to isolate their children due to medical issues. It's just kind of like business as usual. the problem is many people will have relatives with cancer and lung problems and many children have asthma. I'm a little bit concerned that the school have not said if you feel there's a reason you want to self isolate your children to please contact us and we'll discuss it further. it's doable for children to stay home for a couple of weeks before Easter. they can have maths sheets sent home and websites with learning on, they can have an extra couple of reading books in their bags. Do drawing etc. They can encourage parents to read to younger children and do basic sums and alphabet with the infant children. Older children are able to go online or read Books on their own.

NHS staff and police paramedics etc could be provided childcare in a special hall or something run by a couple of volunteers or some teachers that are willing to run a childcare club.as long as all the children are ok and not showing signs of coronavirus and paps are even tested then we will know safe for that to happen.

I guess we will have to see I think Ireland have done the right thing and at the moment I wish I lived there because I think they're tackling it a lot better than Boris is right now.

OP posts:
Wrongdissection · 12/03/2020 15:39

If exams are taken later then when will they be marked? If universities don’t start until later then how will they complete the syllabus in time for it not to have a knock on effect next year? If all the schools close who is going to want to run a childcare club for the children of those people who are putting themselves amongst the virus every day.

I’m not saying I know the answers. But it really isn’t as simple as stopping the world turning for a few weeks. Everything has a knock on effect.

OlaEliza · 12/03/2020 15:42

Why are people going on liked this is the end of days?

10 people have died so far. 10. 90 people died through stabbings in London alone last year. Where's the outrage for that?

OlaEliza · 12/03/2020 15:44

vouchers could be printed off for poor families so they can still provide a meal for their children if they are not going to school anymore.

Where will these vouchers be redeemed?

FudgeBrownie2019 · 12/03/2020 15:44

NHS staff and police paramedics etc could be provided childcare in a special hall or something run by a couple of volunteers or some teachers that are willing to run a childcare club.as long as all the children are ok and not showing signs of coronavirus

Google how many Doctors, Nurses, Ambulance drivers, paramedics, Consultants, Firefighters and other emergency service personnel there are in your local area. Just have a quick Google now. I'd estimate that there'll be thousands. Now, estimate that at least half have got a couple of children. And you think a couple of teachers can watch that many children in a sports hall day and night (because lets not forget emergency services work 24/7) to make you feel better?

In the nicest possible way, YABU. Turn off the news; it's not helping you. Go and get some fresh air, read a book, do something that is going to distract you from this because all of the panic in the world now isn't going to resolve this. It is bigger than you can imagine, and half-measures like sports halls filled with other people's children are not going to ease the situation.

Boom45 · 12/03/2020 15:46

It'll be the first time Johnson has made the right decision, I assume he'll find which ever decision will benefit himself most personally and do that...

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 12/03/2020 15:48

I completely get people who work being worried and anxious about how they're going to manage and pay the bills etc Sorry OP but this really is a naive, almost ignorant statement. People arent worried that they may be a few weeks behind paying their last instalment on their holiday. People wont be able to pay their rent or eat!

I personally think they should stop the flights before closing schools anyway.

Birdshitbridgegotme · 12/03/2020 15:49

Have you by any chance bought hundreds of toilet rolls? Grin

Coldilox · 12/03/2020 15:51

How are sports halls filled with kids better than schools filled with kids?

Measures should be based on science and I believe many scientists question the effectiveness of closing schools. So who knows.

If they do close schools that’s a hell of a lot less nurses/doctors/paramedics/carers/police officers etc available to help manage the situation as they’ll all need to stay home to look after their kids.

Finallyatooth · 12/03/2020 15:52

It's tough to know what to think is the best course of action, especially when other countries are shutting down.

I can see both sides to be honest.

flirtygirl · 12/03/2020 15:54

OlaEliza

I was thinking the same. 20 women died this year from abusive partners and husbands, it's always around 2 per week.

Thats double the corona deaths and its an ongoing issue just like knife crime, crap road lighting causing accidents, even bloody smart motorways are causing more deaths. Where the outrage on all of this?

Believe me my ocd has been so much worse and i don't watch the news. But come of it, people are getting hetp over deaths that aren't even that many.

Every death is sad but where is the outrage over people freezing to death every year, the outrage over women murdered every week, the outrage over dying on a so-called smart motorway, etc

oohnicevase · 12/03/2020 15:54

My dd sits her GCSEs this year , we want them over with after 5 years of work preparing .. also I've booked an amazing holiday for afterwards so she can kick back and enjoy her summer !! There wouldn't be time to get it all done if it all starts late anyway .

Yogawoogie · 12/03/2020 15:56


NHS staff and police paramedics etc could be provided childcare in a special hall or something run by a couple of volunteers or some teachers that are willing to run a childcare club.as long as all the children are ok and not showing signs of coronavirus and paps are even tested then we will know safe for that to happen.’

Just no. I will not have my children being looked after by volunteers in a ‘special hall’ while I go to work. What happens on night shift? Are you volunteering?

Turn off the television.

tiredanddangerous · 12/03/2020 15:57

If they are going to close schools they need to make sure they’re doing it at the right time. If they do it too early they might end up having to stay closed for weeks/months. Who will keep the country functioning whilst half the workforce are at home looking after their children?

Yogawoogie · 12/03/2020 15:57

Btw I’m asking for this to be moved to the right section. You have shit all over my happy vibe.

DowntownAbby · 12/03/2020 15:58

Yet another in AIBU. There's a whole fucking topic for Coronavirus.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 12/03/2020 16:00

I'm just not sure closing schools will be effective while unchecked leisure travel is allowed to continue.

coconuttelegraph · 12/03/2020 16:00

Is there anyone who hopes he'll make the wrong decisions?

This is an unprecedented situation and yet people expect there to be answers to every minute detail of what might happen. We all just need to take a breath and accept some uncertainty.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 12/03/2020 16:01

Who will keep the country functioning whilst half the workforce are at home looking after their children?

I'm a qualified teacher and have a double garage we can shove the children in. That's Warwickshire's children sorted.

sunnyshowers · 12/03/2020 16:01

Ireland has closed schools from 6pm today till 29th March, I d expect that to extend to meet the Easter holidays.
Webinars are set up for older ones, books gone home with younger ones and we 'll get e mails every day of what to cover with them.
All sports are cancelled, all clubs have cancelled training. The text notifications are coming in fast from all my kids clubs.
All childcare is closed....it's delay phase from 6pm today.
Out door mass gatherings of 500 to be cancelled, indoor gatherings of 100 to be cancelled.
There's been 1 death and 60 cases ish...but there is a rise in community cases so shut down or community distancing is needed.

dappledsunshine · 12/03/2020 16:01

Coronavirus board is that way ➡️

ElizabethMountbatten · 12/03/2020 16:01

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the request of the OP.

GloriaMumsnet · 12/03/2020 16:03

Hi @Savemefromthis4, we've moved this over to the Coronavirus topic.

BeardedMum · 12/03/2020 16:05

All other countries are closing down. I wish UK could do the same.

RoyalCorgi · 12/03/2020 16:05

10 people have died so far. 10. 90 people died through stabbings in London alone last year. Where's the outrage for that?

There have been thousands of articles about coronavirus in the past few weeks in the media, yet there are still people who haven't grasped how epidemics work. Weird, isn't it?

LouHotel · 12/03/2020 16:07

Simple math and understanding of what happened in Italy shows that some preventative measures would be appropriate at this stage.

I say this as a working mum in the travel industry of which I'm financially fucked personally and professionally either way at this point. But I have a sibling whose recently survived cancer and a diabetic husband and it's very obvious at this point we are not testing all cases and the death rate in Italy is alarming.

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