How/why would a circuit breaker work?

[RunBackwards]

I mean, if a couple of weeks is long enough why did we lockdown for so long before ?

It doesn't 'work', if what you mean by that is it eliminates the virus. All it does is push back the problem by a couple of weeks. Try reading some of the many hundreds of threads that have already covered this in the last week or so...

It doesn't 'work'. It relieves pressure on the hospitals and makes the whole thing go in for even longer.

It acts to 'break' continuous transmission of the virus, to slow down the spread. That's all it does, nothing miraculous. The main thing is to relieve pressure on hospitals, as the PP said.

Yes, I realise all these measures are to help the hospitals, not protect individuals or eliminate the illness, but that's what the first lockdown was for too and it went on for months. What's the difference now?

Delays it by a couple of weeks for hospitals so they can cope. In the meantime people will Lose jobs, die of cancer, suicide etc etc ...

As long as schools, colleges are open it will not work.

BJ has said schools will not close.

Schools arent closing in Wales, I don't think? Primaries and yr 7&8 go back after HT as usual, I think?

Which does make some sense. Here we've havmd very few confirmed cases is younger children's groups, it's mostly been sixth forms and even then not usually contracted at school.

But while schools are open people do seem to have this attitude that nothing can work, so the other restrictions aren't adhered to.

It won't do anything but people will go along with it and even claim it's a good idea in an attempt to "save Christmas". Because that's the most important thing, doesn't matter how much damage is done to people's jobs, the economy as a whole etc.

Yes Welsh schools will have one half term week and go back the second week of the break up to year 8. Further years will have online school for the second week.
Anyone has any idea of why? I am happy that mine is going, as she hated staying home. But I cannot really understand why up to year 8. At least it has something to do with how strong you get the virus up to a related age or behaviour compliance regardind SD outside school?

I just read your last post! If they do have some firm data on incidence and transmision under 13 to be very low, then yes it makes sense. I just had not seen that published.
It is scary. If they are doing this it kind of tells me that they are expecting to have full hospitals in 3 weeks time! And they just try to delay it

We locked down before because we thought it would go away and things could go back to normal. I think although obviously not perfect, that the tier system is better.

@MushMonster

Yes Welsh schools will have one half term week and go back the second week of the break up to year 8. Further years will have online school for the second week. Anyone has any idea of why? I am happy that mine is going, as she hated staying home. But I cannot really understand why up to year 8. At least it has something to do with how strong you get the virus up to a related age or behaviour compliance regardind SD outside school?

Probably mainly to do with over Year 8 not needing any childcare so lessening the impact on their parents' ability to work.

@MushMonster

I just read your last post! If they do have some firm data on incidence and transmision under 13 to be very low, then yes it makes sense. I just had not seen that published. It is scary. If they are doing this it kind of tells me that they are expecting to have full hospitals in 3 weeks time! And they just try to delay it

I've no idea about actual data but this is the experience of the schools in my (atm low risk) area. I'm involved in the heads' meetings and this is what they're reporting.

I had not thought of the childcare! Silly me!

the Government has delayed so long that a local response is no longer adequate. It is almost a month since SAGE called for a national circuit-breaker. At that time infections were under 5,000 a day, tthey are now pushing 20,000 - a fourfold increase.

This is a quote from Sage expert from another thread....

It does make for depressing reading. Not 100% sure whether a 2 week circuit breaker would actually work now