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.

@TW2013 But he wasn't tested!

Yer right.

That is in America.

@RingPiece Check this for the key symptoms: www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
sore throat and runny nose are not typical symptoms. Fever is almost always present. So although it would be better if people could take time off when ill, I agree, your teacher friend probably doesn't /didn't have CV19

Apologies didn't mention my point. Point being if our dorfy president can execute this POA then why can't Bojo. UK has far more cases of the virus and is in the "danger" zone. Us it would ease the pressure off the NHS by prevention.

Why the hell do people want school to cLose!?
Children are not affected by this

People are telling you why, but you aren’t listening. Children who live with vulnerable people will bring Coronavirus back home and put the vulnerable people at risk. How will “cocooning” of the elderly and those with other health conditions work if children come and go and spread CV?

And children are affected. Most of them only slightly, but some will be very unwell, and they can certainly spread the virus even if asymptomatic.

Friends who work and have children in independent schools in London have been told that they're closing on Tuesday

Do i keep DD home? Do i go out? Rang 111 and they said if i haven't been abroad recently or have been near a 'confirmed case' then i needn't change my routine.

Woah - what?? 111 gave you totally the wrong advice which is now massively out of date.

For people who work - what will you do if/when the schools close? Am I right in thinking we’re all entitled to X about of weeks parental leave per year? Unpaid obviously. If my kids school shut I’ll have to stay at home with them as my partner is the breadwinner and obviously sending to grandparents defeats the purpose.

I’m not sure if my boss could or would implement some sort of home working for me.

I wish I lived in a country that didn't have an open land border with the uk. We're battening down the hatches here in Ireland. The UK appear to be doing nothing. People live, work and go to school crossing back and forth across the border everyday. I dont give a shit about a united Ireland but we need to be on the same page on this.

They're not going to be able to enforce fibres, they barely have the capacity to do it now. If you can keep your kids off do it.

I just can't see how the government can NOT close schools once every other fucking country has done so. My bet is that they will remain open for this week then close. I actually work as a subcontractor to schools so my business is screwed!

@catspyjamas123 @OkMaybeNot See the stats from this recognised and reliable source: www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/
0-9yrs - 0 fatalities (worldwide)
10-19 yrs - 0.2% mortality rate.
That's not 1-2 children in a secondary school.
Of course people can hypothesise, but this is based on what's happened.

Not being a bitch, but it should be "between DH and me." Perhaps it would be better to leave teaching to the teachers.

Ooh, you may have a point, but I think you are.

My (unqualified) two penniworth is that schools will need to close for months not weeks to make a meaningful impact on the spread of the virus and children will not be able to use parks and public open spaces as they would during the holidays. This means that people simply will not be able to keep going for the length of time required to make a meaningful difference and will start to return to work.

@CaptainNelson 0.2% of 1,000 is 2. And how big is the average secondary school? Must be 1,000 plus.

My school have just sent out and email that says 'if they have a fever, a cough, or feel unwell, keep them home, this will be recorded as authorised absence'.

I think that's as clear as they can make it without saying 'do what you want, tell us they 'feel unwell', there will be no consequences'.

We have one pupil with health issues, parents are keeping them home, we will be supporting and setting work, I'm sure we'll do the same for any others who ask.

Easter holidays not til 3rd April here, so three weeks still.

To those saying take the kids out, we face fines, poor attendance, no copies of work set etc.

My son is asthmatic, but he's year 9 and already started GCSE work, so I don't know what to do as no guidance has been given unsurprisingly.

Yes, I agree. If you have the provision to keep kids off, then do. They can begin to access the home learning than has been hastily arranged.

I'm a teacher, and although I'm well, my husband has an underlying health condition. What if I caught the virus of a pupil and then he died? This isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

Why the hell do people want school to cLose!?
Children are not affected by this

Because children are super-spreaders and they will fan the flames of the pandemic!

I'm also concerned that if the schools close then it's highly likely that we're going to get significant numbers of children congregating in groups at individual houses whilst parents try and support each other with childcare - meaning that there's still the potential for transmission

Every week somebody says "I've heard they're closing schools this week." It's a con.

The schools will close:

1. They are closing in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland and the rest of Europe and the world. England will not keep schools open.
2. Parents will make the call themselves - there is no risk of prosecution. Local authorities have already been told by the DFE to mark children whose parents take them out if school with a code that means they will not be prosecuted.Numbers attending schools fell significantly last week.
3. The teaching unions will not tolerate their members being asked to teach double classes, nor the contradiction between the policy of no mass gatherings but 1200-3000 children are in many secondary schools. Teaching unions and employers have a duty of care to the staff as well as to children.
4. As school staff become ill and their own family members become ill, staff shortages will force school closures.
5. The government's position on this is unsustainable.

meaning that there's still the potential for transmission

Potential perhaps. But at a significantly reduced level.

I would happily keep my dc at home with online lessons from school.

As others have said, it would allow other kids whose parents have to work or those on the at risk register, family etc to still go in and the spread would be less as less kids there.

My (unqualified) two penniworth is that schools will need to close for months not weeks to make a meaningful impact on the spread of the virus and children will not be able to use parks and public open spaces as they would during the holidays. This means that people simply will not be able to keep going for the length of time required to make a meaningful difference and will start to return to work.

This. Get it closer to Easter and shut til summer.