Do you think schools will be closed a week early so we be with parents/grandparents for Christmas?

[Dontbakeinatent]

Hi,

Just that really.

I hear that the government are putting together a plan so that we can be together at Christmas.

This is the only thing I can think of that would be effectve.

Thoughts?

@Siddalee

Looking at this from a different perspective- how would you feel if you get the call on the 16th December that your child’s bubble has to isolate for 10 days?

Not a problem for us, we’re at home for Christmas anyway. Haven’t planned anything with any other households as we have no idea if that will be permitted at the time.

Hopefully not. I’ll be really cross if they do this.

Those of you that think this is a good idea, I have a genuine question. Will you be isolating your family for the two weeks if it's an option? So not going out shopping, not going on walks etc?

Not fully I wouldn't no, but if they were closed (and I am not saying they should be, just that it could be a useful way to deal with Christmas) then I would drastically be reducing my contacts.

I would be working FT from home providing remote learning for he children at my school so wouldn't be out and about during the day. This would lead me to have approx 300 less contacts, with many of them being close contacts - the small children I work with, across school, with no SDing.

I always do home delivery for food shopping and almost all other shopping too tbh.

I wouldn't be visiting my family until nearer Christmas anyway, so no I won't be seeing them. I haven't seen them for months, since my grandma's funeral. Since March I have seen them three times - 2 funerals (both my grandma's) and one other SD visit whilst one grandma was very ill in hospital and they came down to visit her there. Since she moved out in June, we have only seen Mil a handful of times too - FIL died at the start of lockdown, so she is now a single person household.

If need be I would SI at home for the required time in order to be able to see my family in particular. I've actually had Covid - currently recovering and on my 5th week of absence. Caught it at school.

I would however go for a walk. When I do I SD, I am outdoors, and there is rarely anyone near by. I have fond a walk very so often is helping my recovery.

Whilst I don't believe schools will be closed in this way, like universities are, I can see the benefits. The thought of a class/school bubble bursting in that final week worries me - I think the thought of having to SI over Christmas might be enough to push me over the edge. I feel like as family we've been through enough already this year.

Those who think it’s a good idea, do you work out of the house?

No that’s too logical for our government

@Cocopogo

No that’s too logical for our government

The university plan is a good one so not really the case. For younger age groups it’s not.

The only reason to close schools early would be if everyone self isolated for 2 weeks prior to meeting up with older/vulnerable family members at Christmas.
But
a) not everyone would do this and
b) if everyone did do this it would be a nightmare for businesses. Retail in particular would be screwed with no footfall in shops.

RedskyAtnight

Not necessarily. I was thinking of it as a way to reduce a class bubble closure spanning Christmas Day rather than much more tbh. Individuals can then make their own decisions about how they protect their own older/vulnerable family.

For many families the place where most contact happens is school, so that is where the bigger risk of having to SI is for those people.

So you're saying that (say) your child normally mixes with 30 people at school. But if schools closed, then your child would mix with fewer people so less likely to be in contact with a positive case. If you're only interested in avoiding self isolating over Christmas, then I can see that would reduce risk. But if your concern is not passing infection onto elderly/vulnerable relatives, then surely any risk is too much?

Wouldn't it be lovely if they just gave people a choice then asked dp if they were sending dc in.

Make everyone safer, let those woo want go, isolate whatever..

Unfortunately op I don't think they will or could do anything like that at all unless the situation in school explodes.. Which it could well do..

Between now and then.

I hope not haven't got enough annual leave to cover another week of school holiday I work for the NHS so still leaving the house for work

Aragog,

Our only place of mixing is school.
I get shopping on line topped up very occasionally and very quickly by a shop dash..

We don't mix with anyone else at any other time..

Except through work and school where are collective bubble is about 900 + strong

I'm not sure who or what is actually locked down? It's busier than ever around me...

No. If they do they should make them go back a week early. All the protests about kids missing all the learning so why add another week missed? Plus not everyone has grandparents.

I hope they do. But if not I would c9nsider pulling him.our for the last week. School are already bringing Christmas activities forward as I imagine they are expecting this. Had an email earlier to say that Santa in school is at the beginning of December. It's usually the last week. So they're either expecting govt to close schools early, or assuming parents will pull kids out. Either way fucking bonus

Apologies for typos. Hope that's readable

I'm not sure who or what is actually locked down? It's busier than ever around me...

Non essential shops, hairdressers, beauticians, restaurants, bars, cafes, gyms, swimming pools, grassroots sports, soft plays, museums... all losing income.
Hopefully they can afford to reopen at some point.

Hasn’t enough school been missed already?! In the grand scheme of things it’s not a priority so l really hope not. Confused why people are getting so worked up about Christmas. This is the first Christmas my fiancé and l have ever been off together and we have kept some perspective. It is, what it is

No, I think this is a rumour created on social media with no grounds in reality.

@whatkatydidnext

Just because Christmas isn't a big deal for you, doesn't mean it isn't for millions of people across the country.

They need to work on a solution to the freezing cold classrooms or half the children will be off sick anyway .

@NullcovoidNovember

Wouldn't it be lovely if they just gave people a choice then asked dp if they were sending dc in.

Make everyone safer, let those woo want go, isolate whatever..

Unfortunately op I don't think they will or could do anything like that at all unless the situation in school explodes.. Which it could well do..

Between now and then.

Ahh yes let's give everyone a choice to withdraw from school for the sake of a jolly Christmas day surrounded by people we don't normally socialise with indoors since covid because lets not kid ourselves there will be any social distancing going on Im not sure a jolly big Christmas day is what's classed as an exceptional circumstance when authorising time off school otherwise having time off school to go on holiday would be equally acceptable throughout the year. And IF schools "explode" as you put it then it will be because cases are rife and certainly not an ideal scenario to be seeing Granny and Grandpa for a jazzed up roast dinner.

I'm all for parents to have a choice whether to send in dc to school when it comes to that child's health or their immediate family health if someone is shielding, but to offer that "choice " for 1 Random nice family day is ridiculous

So a extra week off school, just so people can do ‘Christmas’

Stupid!

[quote Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady]@whatkatydidnext

Just because Christmas isn't a big deal for you, doesn't mean it isn't for millions of people across the country.[/quote]
Its ONE Day! ONE DAY! Yes its nice for everyone to be together of course it is but it isn't the end of the world, for the vast majority there will be many more Christmas days too come. It might be different this year but it can still be as special as you want to make it.

@RedskyAtnight

So you're saying that (say) your child normally mixes with 30 people at school. But if schools closed, then your child would mix with fewer people so less likely to be in contact with a positive case. If you're only interested in avoiding self isolating over Christmas, then I can see that would reduce risk. But if your concern is not passing infection onto elderly/vulnerable relatives, then surely any risk is too much?

I don't have a child at school.

I work in a school and work across school so mix with 270 children with no SDing each week.

I'm clinically vulnerable. So yes, I've been concerned about vulnerable people catching Covid. I almost certainly caught it from school infact.

By reducing my contacts drastically I will reduce the chances of self isolation and obviously with that would come reducing the risk of having Covid and being able to pass it on.

As said before I would be reducing my contacts hugely if I wasn't at school - I do online shopping, I'm not seeing family, I've not seen friends for ages, etc. A SD walk in more remote areas aren't a risk.

I'm not actually saying it should happen. I can, however, see why it could offer benefits for lots of people particularly on an individual level.

I do not believe that people will follow SI rules if their child's class bubble closes the week before Christmas.

@Pipandmum

No. If they do they should make them go back a week early. All the protests about kids missing all the learning so why add another week missed? Plus not everyone has grandparents.

I looked at that when thinking about it but it wouldn't work due to the bank holidays etc. Plus numbers of children missing school on the 2 or 3 days school would be so high no meaningful work would take place.

Also there'd be no remote learning in the first closed week as that would then need to be school staff's holidays. You can't remove holidays without at least paying overtime. That didn't happen in Easter and May, so I doubt many would work for free again.