We may have to give up more to keep them open

[notevenat20]

From the BBC quoting Ferguson this morning

"We think that infections are probably increasing, doubling every two weeks or so, in some areas faster than that, maybe every seven days," he said.

The former government adviser said the "most important" measure to drive down infections was reducing contact between households.

He said schools should be kept open, but "we may have to give up more to keep them open"."

Can we give up any more?

ok - so national cases have been rising since the beginning of July but national numbers of deaths have remained low during the same period

I replied to this above with the post that has a picture and starts "This is not really accurate.".

I think Universities should have been the ones forced to switch to remote learning for students on non lab based courses. It can't be a great experience for students this year anyway and it seems like madness allowing them all to travel round the country in a pandemic.

@Missfelipe what do you mean what happens to those who don’t have children? The same thing that happens to those who do. Do you think parents have no interest in life outside their kids going to school? Parents would be equally affected by a lockdown.

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince I didn’t mean anything nasty by that. I’ve MH issues of my own and lost 3 members of our support group to suicide during this pandemic. The last couple weeks I’ve been on a knife edge over it myself, shit is hard right now, and people with MH issues are being abandoned and ignored because of Covid

@notevenat20

Did you miss the bit where I said 'be given that option'?

I saw that but I wasn't sure if you meant without any support at all from the school.

I didn't give it much thought. It's not something I would choose to do. the logistics of this stuff isn't up to me.

The school mine goes to has done a pretty beefy questionnaire recently asking what tech and stuff is available at home for each student. I'm assuming there's a back up plan being set up.

Id rather part time school and making school safer and more sustainable over shutting economy down while it spreads in school.

I know people use school for childcare but there will just be so many more lost jobs and redundancies if everywhere else is shut down. See cineworld etc.

@MarshaBradyo

It’s only really really socialising that can go.

Missed half of NF this morning but did hear Sunak. I’m glad he’s strong on keeping economy going.

School priority should be reiterated too.

Sunak is incompetent. He's doing nothing for the estimated 3 million self employed who've fallen through the cracks in the support schemes, leaving them forced to close their businesses, sell their homes, etc. At first he said "no one would be left behind" but has now changed his tune to "we can't help everyone". He's pure evil - performs well in front of the cameras but that's all he is. His economics are very dangerous.

User I disagree. The SEISS was good.

Did that apply to you, did you miss out?

For what reason did you, or others not get it?

Sunak is incompetent. He's doing nothing for the estimated 3 million self employed who've fallen through the cracks in the support schemes, leaving them forced to close their businesses, sell their homes, etc. At first he said "no one would be left behind" but has now changed his tune to "we can't help everyone". He's pure evil - performs well in front of the cameras but that's all he is. His economics are very dangerous.

He may be evil but the problem is not caused by him. If the economy is not working then tax revenue goes down and there is less money for the govt to hand out. This means that all our public services become worse. The only way to fix that is to fix the economy and that means removing restrictions. And we all know the problem with that.

He’s really not evil. Silly to think that way.

There’s a huge amount of funding schemes we are already labouring under. The debt is huge.

I know people use school for childcare but there will just be so many more lost jobs and redundancies if everywhere else is shut down.

This is true. But also bear in mind the cost to the nation if we haven't educated the next generation. What will the economy look like with a generation of children who didn't learn at school?

@CarrotInATree you wouldn’t think that from some of these threads...people who don’t have children appear to be made the villains here. As it stands we are in a lockdown and have barely seen a soul since March. We live for a little bit of normality here and there and are close to breaking. Despite our local lockdown I constantly see families not adhering to the rules. And I accept it’s not just families, but by the same token if people want pubs/restaurants to stay open they should socially distance/stick to their households then people who want schools to stay open shouldn’t be having a free for all outside of this.

@HeresMe

*Schools should be the priority Then services including food shops, pharmacies et al*

I do wonder if people actually read what they type.

So schools above being able to by food or medication, you do realise people need to eat.

Obviously, I'm not stupid.

Notevena why wouldn't they be educated? With a proper part time option and proper online learning they should be. It's not like in march. Certainly with proper funding it could be done and far safer. Like the small classes we had in summer for the years that went back.

If their parents don't have jobs/lose houses they will be at a huge disadvantage long term.

you wouldn’t think that from some of these threads...people who don’t have children appear to be made the villains here.

The clue may in the name of the site :)

Notevena why wouldn't they be educated? With a proper part time option and proper online learning they should be. It's not like in march. Certainly with proper funding it could be done and far safer. Like the small classes we had in summer for the years that went back. If their parents don't have jobs/lose houses they will be at a huge disadvantage long term.

It may be possible for schools to provide a full online education to children whose parents are working but I am not optimistic. There is an educational reason why children go to school.

And yes, losing jobs is a disaster but that is what happens when you move to home schooling. One of the parents can't work.

I rather people just started following the guidelines.

It should be possible to have both schools and economy but no I live in a country with a significant amount of numpties!

Children have been thrown under the bus a few times since 2016 so I am sure it won't change now.

@notevenat20 true but I’m sure there are a lot of would be/would love to have been mothers on here...doesn’t mean they should be treated badly or with contempt

notevenat20 true but I’m sure there are a lot of would be/would love to have been mothers on here...doesn’t mean they should be treated badly or with contempt

Yes. Sadly there is a huge amount of contempt thrown around to everyone on MN, especially to mothers. I generally find that the replies I get here are like what you hear from your partner in the middle of a row. Not always, but often.

I assume it's a function of online anonymity that just gives everyone an excuse to show their worst side.

‘ This is true. But also bear in mind the cost to the nation if we haven't educated the next generation. What will the economy look like with a generation of children who didn't learn at school?‘

I don’t think even Boris would let that happen. Education will always take place in some sort of format.

I don’t think even Boris would let that happen. Education will always take place in some sort of format.

It's the "in some sort of format" part that worries me.

@Foobydoo

It is ripping through schools in the NW now and it is getting scary. They need to do something. They also need to stop the pretence that children do not transmit as it is becoming obvious that they do in my area. Allowing temporary home schooling would be an excellent way of reducing class sizes and helping to protect families that are vulnerable to covid. I am in a local lockdown area, I am clinically vulnerable. I go nowhere at the moment. I can no longer visit my family due to lockdown rules. The main risk to my family is schools and the blanket policy that it is safe for all children to attend. It isn't and something needs to give.

The problem with this, speaking as a CP social worker, I can almost guarantee that the first kids to be kept off and "home schooled" will be the ones that need to be in school the most. Schools need to stay open and be mandatory at all costs.

Well how about home education only with schools permission?

@weepingwillow22

I think Universities should have been the ones forced to switch to remote learning for students on non lab based courses. It can't be a great experience for students this year anyway and it seems like madness allowing them all to travel round the country in a pandemic.

Completely agree with this. Moving to halls/ across countries etc shouldn't have been an option this year. It's not like students are getting the "freshers/ university experience"'anyway. All learning should have been remote.