If the peak is in 9 days...

[SleepingStandingUp]

And we'd have been in lockdown for 3 weeks, does that mean lockdown is likely to end within the next 4-6 weeks? Or sooner? Could the kids be back at school before May half term?

DS 15 is at an amazing SEN school where social distancing is just impossible.

I am fully expecting him to be at home until at the very least September.

I don't think for a second it will be any earlier, but that's just my humble opinion

The only way the economy can get back on track is by people returning to work. They will only be able to do that once the schools are reopened (have you forgotten already how the country came to a grinding halt the week the schools shut due to no childcare - that was before lockdown and working from home). The government can't afford to continue the furlough procedure until September and beyond therefore surely things are going to have to start reopening before then whether we want them to or not.

They’re not recording test results accurately

@Graphista Thats my job and yes we bloody are so fuck off with your made up shite.

If they open before the summer your child won't be alone staying off. I won't send mine back before September under any circumstances. I know many people who feel the same way. The more we delay, the better the chances of a vaccine or hospitals being properly stocked. I honestly think there is a chance they won't reopen this year. It's easier to keep them closed than open and have to close again.

how did the country 'come to a grinding halt'?? i dont remember that at all

No no and no.

Quite a lot of the country can get back to work even without schools going back. What we need is an accurate antibody test so we know which of us are part of the herd.

@TheReelSlimShady no one has actually said that though. It’s just repeatedly churned out on Mumsnet like it’s a fact.

It might be be true but people don’t need to be told ‘ffs accept it’ when it’s not even confirmed.....

Sorry if I am being dim but why is there not someone kind of national online school being set up?

I have a friend in Hong Kong who was teaching entire school days on zoom while looking after two children. It sounded really stressful tbh and depends on having the technology at home.

Another teacher friend, spent 8 weeks teaching 8 hours a day online from UK to China during their lockdown.

Some kind not someone kind.

peak is predicted end of April (work in NHS/Adult Social Care)

"Prof Ferguson said once lockdown is over, people will still need to practise social distancing for many more months to avoid a resurgence, could mean schools/universities staying closed until the autumn, and people continuing to work from home rather than return to their offices."

I think the number of employees now in furlough is evidence enough that working from home just isnt doable for a large majority.

penny that all depends whether you put the economy first before saving lives and considering this Government was slow to act in the first place because they did put economy before lives, they may drop the lockdown earlier than advisable. But people must remember you don't have lockdown and then let everyone out all at the same time or there will be a second wave of Covid which could prove worse than the second.

Before school finished, my class asked lots of questions about coronavirus. We had a 'nobody knows' board, and I answered any questions for which there was an answer.

The 'nobody knows' board had by far the largest number of questions on by the end of each session.

When schools will go back is definitely still in the 'nobody knows' category.

Worse than the first I meant to say.

It's not a binary economy vs lives choice. At some point the effect of the cure could become worse than the disease.

@meemaw12 👏👏👏

It would be good for the children and parents. I’m not sure the peak will come so soon. We also need to continue to socially distance and therefore after next half term doesn’t seem like a good solution tbh.

@StatisticallyChallenged I keep hearing this being said I am starting to lean towards this somewhat we really need to strike the right balance or life after this is going to be pretty unbearable. The deaths are really awful and i really don’t want any of my family to become seriously ill but I would also like my immediate and wider family to be able to continue to live out of the other side e.g. keeping a roof over their heads, food on the table etc

The fact the gcse and a level exams due to be taken end of may and beginning of June have all been cancelled should indicate to you they do not have plans for schools to return after may half term!

I can't say enough - different schools set different work but most teachers are trying to stay in touch with their pupils and let them know this isn't the end of the world, academically. I imagine its going to be at least a couple of years before this all works out and education gets back to normal. I am reminding my pupils - not just you but the whole year, globally, of people your age...and one year of difficulty is not going to affect anyone in the end! Seriously - there's no school coming soon except what your kids get online..but you want to keep them safe and so have to accept it!

Scotland gave pretty clear indications we won't go back before summer - we break end of June.

I reckon they will end the lockdown in mid June but continue social distancing measures for quite some time afterwards, ramping them up as needed.

I think they will drop-feed this information.

Italy is planning to open schools in May according to The Times this week.

I’m sorry but the government won’t close the schools for 6 months. The economic impact would be huge.

They won’t want everyone starting back in September! We won’t be through the virus by then and you’ll get a second peak in autumn.

It makes more sense to send kids back for a month June/July. Then maybe lockdown again going in to winter.

This country will be on its knees by Xmas economically ( and so will other countries, worldwide recession). Then of course we have Brexit the people's choice. All the money spent on Covid will have to be clawed back and we all know what social class will be feeling the pain of that more than any other! The only thing I worry about , and it's not money as I've never had a lot of that anyway, is that as many people as possible survive this awful virus. That is my biggest concern.