To ignore BJ's COBRA advice to send kids to school whilst Rep of Ireland has closed schools for 2 weeks

[100percentSunshine]

Just interested to know how others feel....

We are all expecting the exponential growth of the Covid 19 to take place in the next 1- 2 weeks.

I was gobsmacked by today's news that following the COBRA meeting, BJ has resolved to keep schools open.

Is anyone considering keeping their child/ren off school despite government briefing?

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras
What will be the effects of Ireland closing down all schools, universities and nurseries for an extended period of time?
Er, fewer people will die in horrible pain than otherwise would have?

They have just taken the approach of keeping the economy going over minimising the spread.
It's not going to be gone by June, but there could have been thousands fewer cases had gov taken action earlier.
Other countries seem to be putting life before money.

Other counties such as China and Japan etc have dealt closely with pandemics before SARS being one of notable mention. Covid-19 is apparently some 20 times more infectious. These countries have learned through previous epidemics/pandemics that strong measures taken early is key to controlling the spread and preserving life.

Having looked into COVID-19 the period of being infectious before displaying any symptoms is about 4 days. By the time you are displaying symptoms to take isolation measures you’ve spent those 4 days infecting many others completely unknowingly. Children also are often asymptotic or if they do display symptoms it tends to be mild (therefore could easily be confused as a simple cough/cold) but children are also super spreaders.

So....you have to assume countries who have experienced this before know a little something about this that we don’t. These countries have locked down and isolated and are successfully slowing the spread. You also have to bear in mind that it will take a period for the isolation to reflect in transmission rates and filter into reported figures.

The reason we are not experiencing school closures and lockdown is in part because it’s already too late for it to have the effect it would have done if it had been taken early enough. We will undoubtedly be experiencing these measures in the not to distant future. At this moment in time the government is most concerned about stemming the panic (we’ve already seen plenty of panic buying) and protecting the economy from what is to come. It needs time to put plans into place for dealing with things like school and other public closures as these are going to be inevitable. I sincerely hope this time is being used to put those plans and contingencies in place. I fear we are behind the pace in what we should be doing as a country and think that we are being far too reactive instead of being proactive.

I have 3 children, 2 of which are in school and the youngest a home. My elderly MIL lives with us, she has Alzheimer’s and is high risk to be severely affected by COVID-19. I have already taken isolation steps within the home to best protect MIL, my children are also still attending school. I find myself in a tricky situation between not wanting my children missing school and being concerned about inadvertently infecting MIL. I am not sure exactly when I may keep my children home from school, but I certainly won’t be waiting for the government to tell me to do. I will be making that decision myself as a parent knowing without doubt I am doing it with the best interests of my children, MIL and family at the forefront. The government can advise all they like, but they have many more considerations to take into account than simply the health of my family and indeed the nation.

France is further along the virus trajectory than the UK with 2876 cases and 61 dead.

So France didn’t close schools at the stage the UK is currently at.

It's not going to be gone by June, but there could have been thousands fewer cases had gov taken action earlier.

But isn't the point that if you let it go through the population who can handle it, then the country as a whole has far better herd immunity to protect the vulnerable, than shutting down and not many people getting it? Because once that shut down lifts, there will be less immunity. Covid 19 is not going away, it's not going to just disappear on its own after a set amount of lock down time.

I'm considering it. I work 30 hours per week, DD's dad works for a government agency full time (we are seperated) between us we can juggle it.

I'd rather keep her home now, until after Easter hols (or longer if needed) - she's 11 with a compromised immune system.

I don't want to wait until she gives it to my elderly Mum who helps with child care by accident. She's very aware it could happen. If I keep her home, we will be at home. I'm lucky enough to work 5 mins away from our house.

So yes, I would. I appreciate everybody's situation is different, but I don't feel I should be penalised for taking her out.

@8by8 totally agree!

@cam77 that’s your assumption not necessarily fact.

chaz why let facts get in the way?
Hysteria it is.......

"Every bus, shopping mall, soft play, McDonald's, cinema and cafe would be filled with children , infecting every other person within coughing distance as they come into contact with far more people than they would normally come into contact with on a normal day at school."

Agreed. Far more sensible to keep children contained each day at school, and then straight home. Avoiding grandparents perhaps, and the health-compromised.

YANBU

I think if you can keep kids at home from now, You should. But only if you are prepared to properly self-isolate.

Both me and my partner are immunocompromised and my DS(8) did have asthma (although he seems to have grown out of now)

DC both have a bit of a cold so are now off for 7 days as per today's instructions, But if the school is still open after the 7 days, I won't be putting them back.

Started to keep DD off today. DH is working from home at the moment and I am housewife. We have GPs staying with us right now who is over 65. I don't see why not.

Plus DD is 3 yo only.

But of course understand very well why other families choose not to.

No, he's going in while his school stays open.

I'm a UK citizen who has lived in Ireland for 24 years - I work in an Early Years Childcare setting and was laid off work today for a minimum of 2 weeks - everyone I have spoken to (co-workers - parents - friends etc.) think it's the best course of action to try & stop the spread of this virus - I cannot understand the UK government's stance at all 😒

Bojo cobra outcome was terribly disappointing. He is playing the statistical numbers game and placing the economy over the people.
Containment should be maintained for 2 wks before its months of fear and loss of innocent lives.

downtown they will not be able to manage the spread without drastic social distancing measures which includes schools and other large gatherings. In wuhan a party of around 200 gathering for a major social event in mid december just when the outbreak began exacerbated infections ten fold. it really doesnt take much to cause a major outbreak. Whereby it becomes uncontrollable without drastic measures. China built muliple hostpitals in 10 days and quarentine centres because they could no longer cope with people walking in with breathing problems and cases were multiplying too fast Hostpitals there became a source of more infections. In China the very sick were sent off home to die because they didn't have enough beds and ventilators ICU. China has the ability to mobilise in mass and quickly.. I'm not sure uk can do this.. which is probably why they doing this delaying the peak.. but I honestly dont think it will work.

Does Boris seriously think government will manage or delay the peak by advising older people not to go on cruises, advising people to stay home for a week if poorly (they won’t, insecure employment and presenteeism), and washing hands?
Bonkers.

These countries have learned through previous epidemics/pandemics that strong measures taken early is key to controlling the spread and preserving life.

This is exactly what I read a good couple of weeks ago. Which is why I firmly believe that stronger measures should have been taken earlier, to limit the spread.

We've just watched the situation in Italy live - we know we're weeks behind them.

Well, my children's schools in the USA are closing for two weeks - just got the emails!

They're delighted, of course, although I think boredom and the reality of online learning won't be so much fun.

I'm lucky that they're a teen/pre-teen so won't require constant supervision and I can still work a reasonable amount. I feel dreadful for parents in more difficult situations.

No. Did you not listen to what was said?

I thought the conference was well handled. The 2 health officials on either side of Boris were calm and convincing.

As a teacher in a small village right next to another small village with 2 confirmed cases I am a little concerned. We are right on the boarder of NI and the republic, so a school 10 minutes over the road is closed yet we stay open. I have a 3 year old niece with leukaemia, my granny is extremely vulnerable, I am pregnant. I don't feel entirely safe at the minute.
I can see why parents are relieved that schools are staying open but it's also very worrying that 20-30 children are in a small compact space at one time (not to mention a whole lot more at break and lunch times).
Schools closing would be a huge inconvenience for me as a teacher as I then need to prep learning packs for the children to take home, and set up online learning tasks etc but I'd take that over the current risk right now.
There's only so much hand washing you can do.

No my son will still be going in.

I wonder how many children will struggle later on mentally because of all of this. I have already seen so many children anxious and using hand sanitizers repeatedly despite not touching anything. I had a 9 year old girl turn to me and worry she was going to kill her nan because of comments she heard. Months off school and away from society is not going to help. When this has died down, i don’t want a child who fears playing in a park or hugging a friend because he fears and is too anxious about germs and getting ill.

I can't believe the amount of posters here who are happy with the UK's response because it's 'based on scientific advice.'

Wake up. Do a teeny tiny bit of research. The UK is doing the exact opposite of what the vast majority of experts (and most importantly the WHO) advise.

Why do you think your government's chosen experts know better than the WHO and the experts in the countries that are taking this seriously? Do you question at all why the UK is an outlier?

I'm very glad to be Irish right now.

Random18 Thu 12-Mar-20 20:57:03

math BJ is being advised by experts just like Varadkar.
Neither is qualified I am sure. Varadkar may just be a bit more use if someone actually takes not well.

So I really don't get your point.

Well I throw up my hands in horror and disbelief then. And if you are representative of the UK population's understanding of science or decision making, I wish you all well.

When it comes to understanding exponential spread and what to do about it, who is more likely to understand what the experts are talking about - Boris Johnson, who most likely didn't do any science or even maths courses from age 16, vs Leo Varadkar, a medical doctor?

That's a rhetorical question. Please don't risk my blood pressure by answering.

Jesus wept.

Hearhooves

What will be the effects of Ireland closing down all schools, universities and nurseries for an extended period of time? How will parents manage financially if they can't work for a long time? What will be the consequences of essential workers missing work through childcare issues?

I can understand it if the evidence was shut down for two weeks and this will be over but that won't happen will it? Is Ireland going to stop people coming in from overseas for example?

The Irish army is currently on standby to assist civil authorities.

I suspect the government envisions a period of only essential services and industries operating, maybe a moratorium on mortgage and household bills and rent payments, and even rationing.

And I can see a ban on overseas travel imposed by Ireland, or else mandatory testing at all ports and airports, and even testing of people coming from NI.