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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
Covid
when are we going into lockdown and closing schools?
fireflower998 · 15/03/2020 17:04
Spain, France and now Germany (about to go) in lockdown, so when will we? And when will the schools close? I'm guessing it will be Tuesday/Wednesday time. It's looking inevitable now.
DownstairsMixUp · 15/03/2020 19:26
Crazy people think they will close schools and not open till September, will never happen. Gov know full well there are many parents who won't manage without the kids in school and the damage to the economy to them is not worth it. The most I can see happening is schools closing a week early so 3 weeks off rather than 4 since the last week before half terms is a lot of pissing about anyway
SapphireSalute · 15/03/2020 19:28
underlying health problems ....with the uk being as unhealthy as it is thats likely going to be a big chunk of the population
all those receiving pensions and disability payments....those are at risk, thats a lot of people for the sake of a bit of free childcare
Janemarpling · 15/03/2020 19:29
DownstairsMixUp · 15/03/2020 19:30
Sapphire that's wilfully ignorant of you to think it's just about childcare... it's a domino effect, what do you think families will do if they have to live on ssp till the schools reopen? People may lose jobs, it's not as simple as "no childcare" sometimes I think mumsnet is this privileged bubble.
cola2019 · 15/03/2020 19:30
I don't think they will yet. We are doing the right thing. We either have to quarantine for months or wait until the situation gets worse. At the moment the NHS can cope but at some point they will not. Ideally like one of the BBC correspondents said earlier 16 wk quarantine is the best option but actually impossible to do, By having a steady stream of cases we can cope but if you quarantine when the quarantine is lifted there will be a huge surge of cases causing crisis for the NHS.
greengrassapreciationsociety · 15/03/2020 19:32
I am in the US. My kids are out for three weeks and as a teacher I have been sent home for two weeks minimum. We are being advised to stay at home for the next two weeks and avoid going out at all. Huge lines at the grocery store where there are limits on what can be born and stores are closing after two hours as all stick has been bought. UK will follow in this vein I imagine. Get your larders filled up whilst you can.
DownstairsMixUp · 15/03/2020 19:32
You can 
all you like water sheep, everyone's experiences are different. I work in education. Our after school clubs all stop as we never have them the week before a term finishes, we are a lot more laid back with work and let the kids have have a lot more fun time activities, we have a half day on the last day. Just because your experience doesn't match other people's not sure what the arsey face is about!
ChequerBoard · 15/03/2020 19:34
For those asking for sources re hotels being used as hospitals and manufacturers being asked to build ventilators:
Coronavirus: Five ways hospitals will change to tackle the pandemic
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51898207
ludothedog · 15/03/2020 19:35
Key workers:
- Care workers including for children and the elderly
- prison staff
- midwives
- health visitors
- social workers
- customs officers
- air traffic controllers
- any one involved in the food supply chain from lorry drivers to cashiers
It's not just NHS workers, Police and the army. I'm one of these workers and if the school closed I would have no child care. My parents are over 70 and DD's dad isn't involved. I would need to go to work. I just don't know what I'm going to do.
foodtoorder · 15/03/2020 19:37
Why on earth do you think the schools will close? It's been made clear that the plan is to isolate the elderly/vulnerable. There hasn't never been a question the schools closing....why do people keep on with this. Just cos Europe are doing it doesn't mean we have to
WaterSheep · 15/03/2020 19:38
You can all you like water sheep, everyone's experiences are different
Exactly, so blanket statements like the last week before half terms is a lot of pissing about anyway are unhelpful. Your school may have a more laid back final week, but there are many out there who continue on like normal.
Eemamc · 15/03/2020 19:39
We’ve been asked to prepare work in the event of a closure. The head has written to parents also saying he might need to close down KS3 if there are not enough teaching staff prior to a formal closure. I think they might end up closing one or two weeks before the Easter holidays, but I also partly think that we may not end up closing until May. If we close, I think we will have to stay closed for several months, 3-4 weeks isn’t going to do anything. I’m worried for my GCSE classes. We’re really running out of time.
Cam77 · 15/03/2020 19:40
All pubs closed in Ireland from tonight: St Patricks Day coming up as well. Ireland is trying to keep people away from the virus, while Britain is trying to get people to catch the virus (over time). Unfortunately the Southern Irish have got the Northern Irish still mostly carrying on shopping and boozing and whatnot just over the nonexistent border like all is fine and dandy. I hope they stay up there over the next few months if that’s the way they want to play it out (no offense). No matter which side of that debate you stand on, you have to say it’s a fucking surreal time.
GoatsBroccoli · 15/03/2020 19:40
I hope they will close. I'm a teacher and am high risk due to medical conditions. Boris saying that we will have to lose loved ones before their time is constantly on my mind. I'm a single parent to 2 young children, I dont want to die and leave them. I'm 'self isolating' all but going to work now because I can't afford not to. My anxiety is through the roof
SpokeTooSoon · 15/03/2020 19:43
The media and the keyboard warriors seems to think they are in charge of this situation.
Close the schools!
Close the schools!
Why? There are far more cons than pros. Only the terminally neurotic want to close schools - those people should just be allowed to take their children out, without sanctions. The vast majority of parents will continue as normal. It’s the most sensible thing to do for our children.
Latteaday123 · 15/03/2020 19:47
It makes sense to keep schools open for now and isolate the over 70's. Kids are not going to be badly effected by it but kids being around adults all day?? Parents having to stay home?? Grandparents to babysit? Teenagers running riot in public places?? Does not make sense!
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