Why not keep schools open just for essential workers?

[day1intheisolationhouse]

If the reason they're keeping schools open is because they don't want essential workers e.g. NHS staff to struggle to get to work, why not keep school open only for those workers and send everyone else home?

Surely that'd save lives as children are little potential superspreaders, running about!

And reading the comments on DD's class whatsapp, looks like there's going to be loads of kids with coronavirus in schools as many parents aren't clear on whether their DC's symptoms count and haven't yet got the message that they need to keep the whole family off if one is ill.

Maybe that will happen next? that's pretty much happening now, eg in France and Switzerland.

So the essential workers’ kids share the virus with the rest of the essential workers? If kids are super spreaders then surely those are the kids that need to be isolated?

Thats not the only reason they are keeping the schools open though is it. They are trying to control the spread until the nhs can’t cope anymore so you kinda need the kids to go school for this to happen. If you lockdown too soon and it doesn’t work and you have to lockdown again- no one is going to lockdown twice it just won’t work, people won’t stay in a second time.

What's "essential".

Think of all the processes and workers which go into keeping us all fed, potably watered and kept warm.

Thats not the only reason they are keeping the schools open though is it. They are trying to control the spread until the nhs can’t cope anymore so you kinda need the kids to go school for this to happen

I thought todays announcement meant they'd accepted that was a bloody stupid idea and we've now moved to actively trying to do something about delaying it?

What's "essential"

Well yes, quite. But this is the reason the government are giving for not shutting schools AFAIK so up to them to say I guess.

I know my job certainly isn't.

The government were talking about workers essential to fight coronavirus, I thought, not to keeping society going in general.

Today’s announcement was because there was a new report with updated data from Italy that made everyone go ‘fuck’.

That’s why things have sped up.

@Widowodiw I just don’t understand the reasoning behind that. Kids are surely safer at home away from a mass gathering. It must be either a)childcare for essential workers or b) crowd control. There seems to be a worry they will all loiter around closed shopping centres and potentially loot them. I actually think a lot of kids are extremely scared and would happily stay home with their families and watch some Netflix, maybe learn to cook or do gardening.

I agree do this. I don’t understand why the wait m.

A lot of children are safer at school in other ways - they get fed, they get supervised, they get looked after, they are away from abusive or chaotic home lives.

The additional cost and effort of feeding children will be a big hardship to many families.

But many kids are safe at home too. And can be fed and entertained. I wonder if the reasoning is more along the lines that county lines drug gangs etc might run wild? Most sensible families won’t be hanging out at Costa. It’s not worth the risk!

That's the approach where I am. Schos open as childcare for essential workers and people who would otherwise have to send them to grandparents. They expected around 1 in 10 children yesterday and in reality there were far fewer. So people are probably finding other solutions anyway. Same thing might happen in the UK.

The government were talking about workers essential to fight coronavirus, I thought, not to keeping society going in general.

This is expected to continue for 18 months+.

If we don't "keep society going generally", we are going to have much worse problems to deal with than coronavirus. Countries where society, essential services and law and order have broken down are miserable and incredibly dangerous places to live, particularly for women and children.

So the essential workers’ kids share the virus with the rest of the essential workers? If kids are super spreaders then surely those are the kids that need to be isolated?

Bloody good point.

Unfortunately if schools closed some idiots would traipse them round to granny's care home etc. For now they are all contained and the majority will be moved from their house, to school and back to their house. Schools should be the last to close and will do so when we enter a proper lockdown.

All the schools I know have only allowed essential teaching staff in.

This will probably happen naturally. None of yr 5 turned up bar a couple.

Please provide a formal definition of "essential" workers - it is a vast number, people can't seem to think beyond "doctors, nurses and police"

Essential workers off the top of my head;

NHS and emergency services
Food production, distribution and retail (including farmers, fishermen, food factories, packaging factories, lorry drivers, animal feed factories)
All utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewerage, internet and other communications)
Drug company workers and their supply and distribution chain, ditto other health supplies (eg hand sanitiser manufacturers)
Courts and prison service
Armed forces
Vets (see food production)
Transport infrastructure including petrol stations (and fuel manufacture and supply) and mechanics
Some media services
Environmental services (bin men)
Medical researchers
Social services

They were talking on the news tonight about the mental health issues on News tonight after 2 months in quarantine.

That's going to be a long time resolving itself, if ever.

I think sometimes we need to be careful what we wish for, but can we really in a democratic country like ours keep people locked up for months on end?

How long would you be prepared for your kids to miss school? What damage would it do to your and their mental health?

We do need to limit the deaths as much as possible and I really hope we can do what we need as a country without tighter restrictions coming in until absolutely necessary. I have my doubts though as so many people all over social media think they're special and the advice doesn't apply to them.

What will happen when more and more people recover from corona virus? Surely they will want to get back to normal as much as possible?

I definitely don't fancy the schools being closed for many months.

I think making it optional would work well. Those who need to work can still use it and those who want to keep kids off can. The reduction in figures might help with distancing..

I think most care homes have already closed to visitors. Many children have vulnerable parents and many teachers are vulnerable. At my dds’ school teachers who are pregnant or have health conditions have now stopped teaching. Lots of schools are closing of their own accord or are only open for exam year pupils.

And while schools are still open kids are far more likely to socialise outside school as well. People will think, well if the schools are open it can’t be that bad.

I work in a school and use my 79 odd year old parents (one with long term heart condition) for child care for my toddlers (which they suggested and love- nothing forced) but due to this situation I dont want to risk my parents health so will have to be off work now to stay hone with them, resulting in me not getting paid, which I cant afford, I dont know what teachers/school staff are to do in this situation??

70* not 79