Schools closed, what next?

[Sparklypurpleunicornsaremyfav]

So they've just announced schools are closing which I have to admit has made me feel better but I work in retail, non essential and come in close and physical contact with customers. As of yet we aren't being given any precautions to take to minimise the spread of the virus. I'm scared that I don't know who I'm coming into contact with, before anyone says anything I don't for one second think anyone would deliberately come into store knowing they'd had contact with the virus. But it still worries me what I could bring home. So when do you think or will they close shops like mine?

When people stop shopping there and it is no longer economically viable to open. Or, when they're told to close.

I am a secondary school teacher. I've just sobbed watching the news. I can't believe we have to close. I dont know how long 'the foreseeable' is. All of that hard work completed by my Yr 11s. They've lost their exams, their prom, potentially the opportunity to say goodbye after 5 years. The vulnerable kids who sit in my classroom at lunch, my gorgeous Yr 10s who could lose 3 months of their course. I'm fucking devastated.

I'm fucked. I'm a day-to-day supply teacher. I only get paid when I work. I have no idea how we're going to cope.

Are schools and nurseries closed from the end of Thursday to be shut Friday? Or are they closing end of day Friday?

I imagine it’s end of day Friday but most will be open for the vulnerable kids from Monday anyway. There’s been not definition on key services so we could all be classed as that

Single parent to two, no other childcare apart from nursery while I go to work. Will have to take unpaid leave. No idea how to cover my rent and overheads. No clear government guidelines as to how help will be provided for private renters as yet??

What is a key worker? Is there a list?

My mother is a teacher and has been told they are staying open for children of essential workers and vulnerable children, their entire teaching staff are staying in bar one with an underlying health condition. Is this wrong?

Schools out and GCSEs cancelled. My DD is over the moon!

It’s very sad whats but so many in the same boat. It’s a pandemic.

What are Teachers supposed to do about their own children if they have to stay at work to look after key workers and vulnerable children

Slowly but surely the govt will come into line with what the rest of countries on a similar trajectory have been doing.
For a lot longer though, in the scheme of the exponential spread of a virus.

A lot of people will be infected.
People will die.
The economy will be fucked for a decade.

But he got Brexit done!

Whatersname177 I share all your emotions, I too am devastated for my Year 11's 😢

I suspect lockdown will begin Monday.

In Italy the nearest mooted date for schools reopening is 3rd April but that's not going to happen because that's now when the experts say peak contagion is due. They're expect possibly May to reopen if things progress as they think.

UK is behind Italy on contagion by about 10 days now I think. That will narrow as Italy is locked down.

@Whatsername177 you sound amazing. Teared up reading your post. So true.

My husband is self employed... At the moment people have cancelled work or just not booking so we will loose quite a lot of money too, not sure what provisions the company I work for will make if we close, they haven't said. My son is in Yr 10, my daughter in Yr 6 is worried that she'll miss finishing primary school and go straight to high school without having done Sat's. My 9byr old is just gutted!

Kids just need to learn shit happens. At least they will be excited to have all that time off.

*lose

Surely teachers are counted as key workers. School needs to be open to the children of teachers who are teaching?

Yes I think teachers and TAs will be classed a key workers

I am a secondary teacher and I am so upset that schools are closing.

My wonderful Y13s who have worked so hard will now be in a limbo - they won't get a prom, they won't be able to sit their exams for uni. It's awful. Same for Y11.

I also think about the many vulnerable children-the ones who don't have social workers but have poor home lives and who will struggle to keep up with the work we send home due to lack of support.

My own son is only 6 and one of the lucky ones. My husband is at home to look after him. He has two loving, supportive parents who will do things with him and keep him up to date academically. Lots of kids won't have that.

@Boredoftherain I hope more schools will be able to operate as your mother's school is doing. I am so worried for vulnerable children in our country and I have no idea how they, or their families, are going to cope.

@Firelink I disagree with your second sentiment that children will be excited. I think a lot of children are scared of what all this means and will be bitterly disappointed when they realise that their social interaction with friends is going to be significantly curtailed, if allowed at all. For Year 11's like my DS, and A-level students, this will be a time of real stress. They were looking forward to a long break after hard work , moving on to university or sixth form and now they have no clue what their immediate future holds.