Matt Hancock's statement on returning to work

[JS87]

So I've just read that Matt Hancock has said that there is no excuse not to return to work as there is little evidence of transmission at work and transmission is happening in homes. Given that most of the country has been furloughed/ is working from home then obviously transmission is likely to be happening at home rather than the work place. In workplaces that have stayed open people have either been using PPE (NHS) or social distancing or there have been large outbreaks (e.g. meat processing plants). Given there have been relatively few offices open with everyone crammed back in as normal then I can't understand why he thinks there is evidence that there would be no transmission in these situations. Does he not use his brain?

Again though. Many many people are already out there, working and have been for weeks. Life has gone on for supermarket workers, nursery workers, care home workers, and now restaurant staff. For weeks and weeks. Still flatline of cases let alone hospital admissions or deaths where I am.
That's good news!

Really doubt anyone screamed at your child and wtf was he taking up a kw place for if you were wfh?

It’s good news opening other industries hasn’t had a large effect but it’s important to remember they have many safety measures in place. Schools won’t. I want them open with these measure.

I also don't think magic fairies will be nessecary in schools. Ds1 was in Keyworker bubble for a bit and he told me that you get " screamed at" repeatedly to hand wash and sanitise so I'm sure it will be drummed in

Wow-you’ve been through your tick list for this one.

Dismissing any danger by using words like magic and fairies-tick.
Slating teachers by saying they scream at children-tick.
Assuming that because there were no cases in your child’s small KW bubble that having all schools back full time as normal, will have the same result-tick.

wtf was he taking up a kw place for if you were wfh?
I wasn't then. Also, some children were in key workers bubbles who did not have key worker parents. Most people know that.

Dismissing any danger by using words like magic and fairies-tick.
Slating teachers by saying they scream at children-tick.
Assuming that because there were no cases in your child’s small KW bubble that having all schools back full time as normal, will have the same result-tick.

Thanks for all the ticks but it wasn't me who kept bringing up magic fairies! I was just saying I don't think they will be needed!
Also, I didn't say no cases in small school bubble. I said in my whole area. Despite most people I know working outside the home. Including in small very busy restaurants. Since July 10.
Maybe read a bit more carefully?

Anyway,as I said, can't wait to be back at work properly.

Oh, and my ds said "screamed". Hence inverted commas. Hope you don't teach reading comprehension!

@TheHoneyBadger

Really doubt anyone screamed at your child and wtf was he taking up a kw place for if you were wfh?

Both my kids went to school throughout March - July... DP is a keyworker, but I'm not and was WFH. The school were 100% fine with that, they just required one keyworker parent to use the KW provision. I doubt we were alone.

"Expert reaction to comments by Matt Hancock on BBC Breakfast that the UK is not considering mask use in offices as COVID transmission in the workplace is low."
www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-comments-by-matt-hancock-on-bbc-breakfast-that-the-uk-is-not-considering-mask-use-in-offices-as-covid-transmission-in-the-workplace-is-low/

no one I know has been social distancing for at least 6 weeks

Great. It's thanks to you and your friends that my colleagues and I in schools will be put at extra risk.

Coffee and Croissant - thanks for the link. The Professor puts it much better than I did
Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine, The Norwich School of Medicine, University of East Anglia, said:
If most office workers were still working at home until recently or are even still working at home, then of course office based transmission isn’t going to feature in the statistics. For any situation to play an important part in transmission, the people have actually got to be in that situation. It is a bit like saying that because there were no cases associated with churches in the UK from April to July, then churches are safe and we should encourage everyone to go to church. The fact that churches were closed for worship during that time may have had more than a little to do with the fact that there were no cases there and so this gives no real evidence for whether or not churches are safe. I know some offices have continued to operate but generally with rather fewer workers who were able self-distance.

Great. It's thanks to you and your friends that my colleagues and I in schools will be put at extra risk.

Not just my friends. Should have been clearer- in my area supermarkets have been rammed all the way through, people no longer jump into the road to avoid each other, haven't for weeks, and I went in a shopping centre the other day and it was heaving. Especially TKMaxx.
In addition, a lot of my acquaintances, family, and yes, friends, have been working unmasked with the general public for weeks (at least 6 weeks, although some of them have worked all the way through in shops) .
If you and your colleagues are teachers or office workers you may be the last people in the country to return to work (if you go back in September).
So, if you went to my cousin's restaurant, or shopped in my friends supermarket, or went in my friends pub, (open since early July) or called a plumber, or sent your toddler to nursery to use your Keyworker place, or rode a bus, or did any number of things, you are responsible for putting them "at extra risk" too.
But, as I said, we can't hide in a cupboard forever. And isn't it good news that through all of that activity deaths have continued to fall?

The real test will be when commuting into the city begins. Our transport system, was crammed pre lockdown, I have zero confidence that it will cope when everyone returns full time.

Matt Hancock will say what ever he is told to he is a prat.