It’s never going to happen is it?

[MyDcAreMarvel]

The schools are not going to close are they, at all. Just seen on bbc news they are passing emergency legislation so that when teachers go off sick the remaining teachers can teach large class sizes. That and the law to force head teachers to keep schools open.
The government are determined to ensure as many children as possible are infected whilst isolating the elderly.
I wish I lived in a country where I could feel safer.

Its not just about teachers being at risk. If teachers have fever or cough they will be at home as per government advice. So then it becomes about logistics and safety. If half the teachers are off ill or self isolating its not that as easy as you think to just double up classes. I cant see how 1 teacher could cover 2 reception classes in one classroom in particular. Im not sure the childen would even fit in one room. They manage to fall over, hit each other and wet themselves a lot as it is.

@WhiteCat1704

That’s in the US.

Just seen the latest news that they expect virus to continue to spread till 2021!!! Do we keep schoolds shut till then?

The economy is being prioritised. Whether that is a prudent long-term strategy that should be grudgingly respected, or deplorably condemning the more vulnerable to grave illness and possible death, is down to a matter of personal opinion. Either way, schools have always been political canon fodder and whatever the government choose to do will be considered controversial.

@WhiteCat1704 Wrong Eton - this is a school in the US 🙄

"Don’t panic, but do prepare. If your government won’t help you, do it yourself."

Dr William Hanage, professor of the evolution and epidemiology of infectious disease at Harvard

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/15/epidemiologist-britain-herd-immunity-coronavirus-covid-19

OP, if you want to keep your DC off school, do it. You dont have to wait for the government's permission.

Every country in a Europe doing one thing (plus all the Asian countries, and now N.America). All but Brexit Britain. What a surprise. Who could have guessed Britain would be the odd one out.

A political decision, no doubt about it in my mind. Did the government listen to its experts medical advice and science? No doubt. Did they assert their own political prejudices upon it, pressure and slant it? (3% off the GDP!) For sure.

I have it on fairly good authority that schools in Wales will be closing sooner rather than later

Eh, that's not Eton, that's a montessori school in the US.

It's criminal.

And incredibly stupid to go on about the "kids are safe bladibla".
What about the people they are endangering?

I love the "virus is going to spread"
No shit, we are not doing anything to stop it! We don't even know the real figures. Survival of the fittest at its best.

@MyDcAreMarvel Do you have a link?

My children are mine, I am keeping them off. But I am in a position to do so. I agree with PP that we should be given the choice at this stage. We live near a wooded area so I'll be getting them out v early for fresh air and exercise, back home for learning from 8.30am with fresh air breaks in the garden. It's not ideal but it's a choice made after much discussion between DH and I.

None of us have to send our children - we don't even have to follow this 'herd'. We can close schools and keep our families safe by just not sending our children. There is a choice for those that can make it.

I don't want them to close the schools. If this is going to go on for months and months, that will seriously affect children's education with no certain benefit.

Herd immunity is total bollocks with a quick mutating virus. It only works with things like measles that stay the same for a long time.

I think it’s a clever move by the government. By keeping schools open no one can say grandparents are being exposed looking after their grandchildren. However anyone worried about themselves or their child can easily keep them off school and safe because we are told to self isolate if ill so no school will chase pupils in those circumstances. The problem will be when too many teaching staff are off.

Just keep ‘em off. I don’t trust the herd immunity policy. Imagine if your child went in and then died from it.

There are lots of kids in school who have underlying health conditions.

Are they just expected to get the virus and chance it?

If the schools do close down I think we will then be in lockdown. It won’t just be schools closing. It Is a very dramatic measure.

I do think the proposal to ask over 70’s to self isolate is a good one. Will certainly reduce the risk of them catching it and also reduce the numbers needing hospital treatment.

Much of the panic is based on the NHS being overwhelmed and not being able to provide care for all that need it. IT is mainly the older people that end up needing hospital care. So try to prevent them getting it until a vaccine is avaliable.

It's absolutely insane! I work in a school and while the children might be fine don't the government realise we have vulnerable staff? I've one colleague who is pregnant, another who is asthmatic and suffers from lupus, a third who is recovering from cancer and on hormone suppressants. Our headteacher is old and diabetic!

Schools are the worst breeding grounds for germs and diseases. Staff here are always ill because kids just don't follow basic hygiene. They often cough, sneeze, vomit, pick their noses and in EYFS have their hands down their pants or are wetting or soiling themselves.

None of us have to send our children

That’s why I think they should drop the fines. Give parents the choice of what to do without fear of penalty.

I saw this posted earlier- if you can wfh /take kids out of school do- I think the government want it, they just dont want to enforce too soon because of essential workers
www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

I cannot fathom the logic. Most of the other affected countries have shut schools, what does Boris think he knows that they don't?