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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.
Sunshine1239 · 15/03/2020 22:32
In terms of peaks and lockdowns... viruses are not telepathic. They don’t suddenly just decide to stop replicating. It peaks and at that time will be told to isolate to reduce transmission but mainly to ease the pressure on services but if nothing changes - eg immunity or vaccine then as soon as the lockdown is over it’ll carry on. It’s not going to just go away because we hid for a month!
Macaroni46 · 15/03/2020 22:39
I'm SLT in a school. Can see the benefits of keeping schools open but am but sure this will be feasible if, as is very likely, we have multiple staff absences.
You can't just put more and more children into one class. For a start you're making a larger group than normal when we're trying to avoid crowds. And classrooms are not designed for double upped classes etc.
Not sure what that answer is tbh
Veterinari · 15/03/2020 22:46
Locking down down/closing schools will result in:
Increased contact to vulnerable people as grandparents perform childcare
Increased economic losses as parents take time off work
Increased transmission as idiot families travel due to few time off school
Scholars closing is not a helpful move as most children are not at risk
Blackbear19 · 16/03/2020 00:03
*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*
You missed
The Bin men
The Fresh and Waste Water Workers
Power Stations
Roads / Rail workers
The Bus drivers
Transport industry inc tyres, MOTs, Mechanics.
The funeral industry.
Emergency maintenance/ plumbers / electricians
I guess DWP, Benefits Agency.
I'm sure they'll be many more than I can add to the list but many people are needed to keep society ticking over safely.
The first industries really suffer will be entertainment and beauty.
I'm not sure how child care works in other countries but huge chunks of preschool care and wrap around care in the UK is private business.
They will suffer horrendously if they are forced to close. Many are already struggling financially. The last thing the government wants to do is to put them out of business.
MooseBeTimeForSummer · 16/03/2020 00:05
I’m in Alberta, Canada. We’ve had 17 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing our total to 56. They were all as a result of travel up to yesterday. Some of the new cases are thought to be community spread.
All schools are now closed indefinitely.
Redrosesandsunsets · 16/03/2020 04:22
We have spring break here so are off anyways for 2 weeks, and will know for sure in a couple of weeks what’s happening but other provinces In Canada are closing schools, and I’ve heard some areas of the US are shutting their schools down. I hope it’s only a matter of weeks this will play out but I guess it could be months.
Kastanien · 16/03/2020 06:53
All those saying that school will go on til this Friday then 3 weeks off for Easter must be on different holidays to us. After this Friday we still have two weeks of school, we break up 3rd of April, so that would mean a four week Easter break for us. That is a long time to keep kids occupied at home- and actually not healthy for them not to get any fresh air and outdoor stimulation.
FashionFoodLaughs · 16/03/2020 07:34
SLT have no idea and will probably find out about any closures at the same time as the rest of us. I’m immunosurpressed due to RA and medication so very worried about being around lots of transmitting little cherubs all day! Self isolating with the exception of work - and we have parents evening tonight. 
ninja · 16/03/2020 07:52
Many people in France and Italy's ICU are under 60
Yes - but remember Italy had admitted that they've had to triage who gets the ventilators and the beds - therefore they're like to have more younger people there as presumably there are older ones who just haven't been chosen
SpokeTooSoon · 16/03/2020 08:44
Close schools now and you simply delay a huge spike when they do go back if they close too early.
Too many sudden experts here on epidemiology.
Flattening then curve so we don’t all get it at once is sensible. Thinking you can hide indoors until a virus gets bored and goes elsewhere is madness.
Dagnabit · 16/03/2020 09:50
SapphireSalute you are so intent on being nasty that you are ignorantly missing other people’s points. Schools aren’t “free childcare “ - I can only presume that you aren’t a parent. They are enriching environments for our children, for education, for socialisation, for some, it’s their only hot dinner of the day so try and see the other side of the coin if you can manage it. If the children are symptomatic or have underlying conditions then they should be kept at home but a blanket closure of all schools is completely unnecessary at this point. Just my opinion so you don’t need to be vitriolic.
Ozziewozzie · 16/03/2020 14:26
In defence of @SapphireSalute, she hasn’t said education isn’t enriching or valued. He/she is just voicing the opinion that missing education for the greater good is not necessarily horrific. Losing a loved one is. We are expected to trust our government in spite of the fact that their actions are very diff
Ozziewozzie · 16/03/2020 14:30
Different from many other governments etc. Are we to assume our govt are the only people in the entire world who know best? Decisions will be made for the greater good. The greater good, does not necessarily promote or protect certain people and or situations in this country.
We are all fully entitled to our own opinion. We absolutely do not have to agree with decisions made. If we act out of selfishness, then prepare to be pounced on. People are losing jobs, homes, income, treatment, and most of all lives.
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