Pubs or kids?

[coffeeandllbd]

Whitty said we cannot have it all. Pubs are jobs. School is mental health.

I have a 13 year old struggling with lockdown. I would choose schools. My brother would choose pubs.

Who would you choose?

I'm in a difficult position caught between the 2. I have a child in school and they have to go back, it can't be acceptable for kids to be out of education long term. However I work in a pub, it's only part time but it's a life line of sanity for me after a day with just the kids to talk to. If pubs go then that's a lot of unemployment which the government will end up paying for. Benefits is not an acceptable amount to live on especially when you've built your life around earning x amount of money. It's not going to be so easy to decide to sell up if the mortgage can't get paid.

Ultimately everything needs to open eventually, we can't put it off forever.

He does not have to take any cognisance of the wider economic impact of medical decisions made.

What a load of claptrap!

It is not his role to make those calls or to talk to the public about them, but of course he is aware of all the scenarios.

He has spent the last six months in endless meetings with his fellow scientists from all fields, modelling every conceivable outcome and going through all the data.

Scientists don’t work in isolation you know. The virologists, epidemiologists, cell biologists, mathematicians, statisticians, behavioural psychologists, artificial intelligence data modellers, and many more, all sit together sharing information and working out al the scenarios.

Schools- this government cannot close schools again, if they do then I expect every other industry- baring food shops and pharmacies to be closed!

No one has said anything about the virus being uncontrolled. The question was pubs or schools. It needs to be both.

@everythingthelighttouches

He does not have to take any cognisance of the wider economic impact of medical decisions made.

What a load of claptrap!

It is not his role to make those calls or to talk to the public about them, but of course he is aware of all the scenarios.

He has spent the last six months in endless meetings with his fellow scientists from all fields, modelling every conceivable outcome and going through all the data.

Scientists don’t work in isolation you know. The virologists, epidemiologists, cell biologists, mathematicians, statisticians, behavioural psychologists, artificial intelligence data modellers, and many more, all sit together sharing information and working out al the scenarios.

It’s not claptrap. He’s a doctor, he gives medical opinions.

Anyway you can see how things go in Scotland when we hopefully have both open in a few weeks.

@Gustavo1

Pubs as a stand alone? Or pubs as in the industry of all shops, cafes, bars, markets and eateries outside of supermarkets? I don’t want to, but I can teach my children and I can help them socialise with other children. I can’t keep the economy going or provide jobs.

Even if by pubs we were referring to all this I would still choose schools. These are a leisure activity, a optional extra to your life (apologies to those that work in these industries, appreciate it is your income).

Education is a right, every child has a right to an education so school would get my vote every time.

Schools.
Children are far more important than pubs.

Unfortunately both are needed.

I can perhaps understand schools being targeted because if they get them back in September and reassure parents then that battle has been won.

Then if schools are open and stay open there is no issue for parents to be able to go back to work when they open everything else up.

Schools every time.

However, why is it either or? What do other countries do in this situation?

Why have pubs been chosen when planes are transporting people on holiday, beaches are heaving and mass football celebrations/protests see huge swathes of people gathered?

There's no consistency as usual.

senga

I am directly disagreeing with your statement below
Whether it leads to a resurgence or not, things are going to have to reopen. Neither 5 million unemployed due to closure of hospitality or kids not being educated is viable.
If there is a resurgence, I’m afraid we can’t open things up further.

Chris Whitty has told us that they have tried to open things up and this is as far as they can go. If you want to open schools up, something else has got to give. That means mass unemployment.

@greenlynx

Schools. We can’t open economy when nearly all parents are focusing on home schooling and nothing else. And yes, the virus can spread easier in pubs so schools.

I don't think parents are focusing on homeschooling though. It's an absolutely awful choice to have to make but presented with keeping a job and the roof over your child's head and food on the table or homeschooling your child most will decide that work takes priority. So children have spent months on screens and watching Disney plus. Single parents in particular will be at their limit.

Schools. Obviously.

Even my husband who was desperate to get to the pub when it opened said it has to be schools. There is no choice but to get children back to school soon whatever else has to be sacrificed.

Schools

@LilyPond2

Though Mumsnet being Mumsnet, it would be a brave person who would say "pubs" on this thread!

There were are a LOT of people here rooting for the early reopening of pubs in May/June despite people warning that it might compromise school reopenings.

Everyone I've discussed this with so far = schools.

Schools. Children have a right to an education. The difference a decent education can make to a child's life chances, especially if they are disadvantaged

Pubs/cafes/restaurants near me have been good at adapting to takeaway services when they couldn't open. Perhaps that plus outdoor seating only could be an option for a while?

Chris Whitty has told us that they have tried to open things up and this is as far as they can go. If you want to open schools up, something else has got to give.

Given Whitty’s statement below on schools being a priority for children it appears schools will open. ‘but people are very clear, for example, that schools are an absolute priority for the welfare of children.”

I doubt sectors will close. It’s more likely no more will open for a while. I think the government was on track to open it all up but this is a stopping of that.

I've got a vested interest in pubs and schools staying open.
Personally, I'd shut all non essential shops that have an online presence.

Realistically, I guess Dad has to go bankrupt, and shut the pubs while the schools attempt to reopen.

Schools - children have been at the back of the queue for long enough during this.

That said, I think a lot more than pubs will need to close to offset schools opening. I still think it should happen though.

@AgentCooper

I think ‘pubs are jobs’ is a load of balls. Call centres, museums, indoor play areas, gyms - they’re all jobs too but apparently they can wait while pubs can’t.

Pubs are taxes and appeasing folk’s desire to get hammered and not rock the boat.

Pubs are opium for the masses. Keep them sedated with binge drinking.

I doubt sectors will close disagree, I think non household meet ups will be banned, inside dining eg. Restaurants will be forced shut whilst the weather is nice

I doubt sectors will close disagree

Furlough would have been a very expensive waiting room for mass redundancy.

Schools will open, sectors open will remain so. But choices will be made on what’s next for those still closed.

Schools, definitely. I think pubs should be restricted now to outdoor and gardens only over the summer.