Taking into account how YOU see the situation, when do YOU personally believe we will start returning to normal?

[Whitefeather01]

Just that really. When do YOU personally think restrictions will start to be lifted? Schools going back? Travel resumed? Etc.

I think schools will go back in September, not just because of the coronavirus but because it will be easier just to start on a new year and give teachers a chance to sort entrance exam nightmare. It would be impossible to keep children locked at home over the summer holidays, so the virus will spread whether children are at school or not.

I think that after the first twelve week lockdown for the vulnerable, provided that new infection rates and deaths are falling, a little relaxation of the rules might take place. People will be allowed to visit immediate family/non-resident partners who have been isolating( provided all are well and have been following the rules. )This might be just once before an extension of lockdown or a once a fortnight thing. I think that hairdressers and shops selling a small range of sensible shoes/ trainers will be allowed to re-open before the summer, Kids/ hulking teenagers grow out of shoes quickly and need to be properly fitted for footwear. I think that reopening of other things will be staggered, Essential things like dentists, opticians, vets etc will be amongst the first to get closer to a normal routine. Leisure services such as swimming pools, cinemas, gyms, pubs, restaurants and holiday firms etc will be at the back of the queue. I think there could be a phased return to schools, starting with certain year groups towards the end of the school year. Precautions and Social distancing measures will be in place for a long long time and nothing will go back fully to how it was.

Not until after January 2023, when a CHEAP vaccine is available for ALL!

I think April is going to be horrendous for the NHS (and they are being AMAZING), things will flatten out in May and by June things will be lifting. Social distancing will stay strict and there may be another lockdown at some point. Probably never back to normal - a new normal.

And schools back in September.

Please not 2023!

As soon as the rates start stabilising over a certain period of time and the testing is rolled out they'll start phasing a return. As crap as it might be for people with children that might have used up holiday allowance over the past few weeks they'll not wait until the schools are back to get the economy started IF they can. By September this will have been 6 months. I agree with PP about phased return to schools. In our area Y6 go up to high school 2 weeks for transition before the start of the summer holidays. My 2 DCs found it invaluable I really hope this years intake get to to do it. Also Y10 who will have missed so much of their GCSE course.

... but I don't think most children will be back at full time school until September.

Those of you who are saying lockdown will be lifted but social distancing to continue, does that mean we can see our families?

I think there will be a treatment / cure before June. It will take about 2 months before people start getting on flights, going out without a care about getting infected. Then there will be loads of madness with parties etc. Then at about Christmas time, we will all look back at the lock down and decide to change our ways.
People will not be recklessly spending, travelling, and be kinder towards the earth and this will be a long term, lifetime change.

I reckon things will relax for a bit in the summer but no normality for a very long time x

I also think sooner rather then later. I suspect schools will return after the half term so the beginning of June. I think a minority of people will opt to keep kids home though until sept. I think that the vunerable will be encouraged to self isolate for longer.

I think that as a result people will choose to inadvertently socially distance themselves. There will be less hugs and kisses on meeting someone because we will be used to not having so much physical contact with other random people.

I also think sooner rather then later. I suspect schools will return after the half term so the beginning of June. I think a minority of people will opt to keep kids home though until sept. I think that the vunerable will be encouraged to self isolate for longer.

If the vulnerable are still being told to self-isolate, my school-along with many others-won’t be able to reopen. We have too many staff members on this list.

If teachers and staff need to continue to self isolate - very understandable - then school will be part time or certain years only. Some kids will stay at home too and we are down two years anyway with the y13 and y11s. So I think June too for some.

It will take a long time to return to normal. My dd’s School in China is open next week. This is what the new normal looks like:
Compulsory mask wearing
Twice daily temp checks
Daily health form to be submitted
Extended lunch hour to allow for social distancing measures in canteen
Extended school days due to lunch issue
No admittance to campus if you have a temp above 37.3
Disinfecting of all classrooms at lunch and after school
No after school clubs
No parents allowed on campus
Social distancing measures in classrooms
So a long way to go before we return to ‘normal’

That’s useful Shanghai - make sense

Makes sense!

A couple of months after a successful vaccine is available.

It will take a long time to return to normal. My dd’s School in China is open next week. This is what the new normal looks like:

That’s really interesting-thank you so much for sharing!

What sort of numbers are there in the schools that are reopening? I worry that with schools of 700+ for primary and 2000+ for secondary here, that social distancing is going to be impossible? If you have extended lunches to help with this-how is it working when they’re in classes of 35 the rest of the day?

@ShanghaiDiva thanks for that, it's useful to know.
Can I ask how the current situation is now, can people see family/friends, are restaurants, bars, salons etc. Open albeit with restrictions ?

That does seem to rely though on a temperature being around for CV which I thought wasnt the case?

China will I think as well be a little different - they managed to very quickly and successfully suppress the curve so are at risk of a second wave.

I have a feeling that Europe and the US management is such that a much higher proportion of people will come out of this having had it!

Not until after January 2023

Completely impossible if you mean lockdown - poorer countries' economies can barely afford a few weeks, much less years.

I'm not even in a poor country but I'd rather risk catching it than sit in my fecking living room for three years.

DH and I were talking about this yesterday. It's going to be a while before we get to anything like normal. Things will be phased back in gradually... I'd be surprised if we can go to pubs and restaurants before the end of the year really. I think schools will be open fully in September (hopefully June but I doubt it) and people will gradually be able to go back to work. I wonder when we'll be able to get a haircut again?

I’m not taking any vaccine until it’s been tried on others long before me 😊 anyone seen Legend

@Quartz2208
Taking temperatures has been a key element of the Chinese approach. Obviously, it ‘a not fool proof as you could have a temp for a completely different reason than being infected with the virus. Dh got stopped going into work as temp was too high due to being in hot car, but a second check 10 minutes later was fine.
You are correct this Is now to suppress the second wave and prevent infections entering the community from outside.