Schools to open as planned in Jan, says Michael Gove.

[DonLewis]

Breaking news.

I can't help but think this is madness.

I have an underlying health condition but would rather take slightly increased risk of Covid than kids missing out on school.

@Ceara

I have a 6 year old only child. DH and I both work. Not being able to send him to school for a few weeks/months would be unremittingly grim all round. But... we are on the border of tier 4, the local hospital's ICU is already full, and schools are the one thing left that can make a big difference to transmission rates. So I hope they DON'T have everyone back in as before supported by unreliable lateral flow testing. And I hope they havd home learning for primaries as well as secondaries. The TA in DS's class is of a certain age, with asthma. My DH is nearly 50, overweight with health issues - not all parents of KS1 kids are fit health young things in their 20s and 30s. Their health and (worst case scenario) lives, and those of the many teachers and parents like them, are worth the pain of most children having to have a few weeks out of school, as long as the socially vulnerable kids can go in of course. And I hope I would still say that if DH and I WERE fit healthy young things in our 20s/early 30s.

Well said. I'm very, very concerned that schools will go back in full.

It WILLbe grim if schools go back.
If you catch it and your fine then good for you but
What if you have another serious health condition and the door is slammed on you because A&E are full.
What if your child does?

I dont think some people realise the seriousness of the statistics. One area near me has trippled in a week!

Even if people think they're fine so crack on (as Ive seen on here 😔) the knock on effect of it spreading will affect them. Suppose their child falls of a bike or has an rta but the hospital is full. Or local people isolating/ill/dead so can't perform essesntial services. The longer its allowed to spread the longer many self enployed cant work, the more businesses go under.... look at catering, the arts etc. So many people can't/won't see the bigger picture. Wven if they seem happy killing off thousands this will still affect them of its allowed to keep spreading in schools...

@wizzbangfizz

Comparisons with WW1 are utterly ridiculous - 41 million casualties (20 million dead) compared with a virus that many people will never know they had and well over 95 per cent will recover from? Utter hysteria.

I haven't seen anyone making that particular comparison, but I'm equally unconvinced by 'it's not as bad as the First World War therefore people are getting hysterical over nothing' argument.

I've seen people comparing it to WW2, we're well past that mark now sadly

Well tbh, I think people are comparing it to children's education and to be fair, they are correct! Children managed and caught up when education was on and off.
We are nearing the end of this. We dont need more infections with a vaccine ready to be rolled out.
Do we want another mutant?
Keeping the spread of the virus and out of control gives us that potential.

Actually really shocked at the bullshit the govt are spinning.
They should close the schools without question.

For parents not affected by this at their children school..they will be!
Education fragmented at best as teachers and pupils spread the virus.
It is more contagious so it will come to a school near you.
Schools will close anway but worse, online learning will be shit because it will be ad hoc.
People moaning about work will have to take time off on and off as children test positive and have to isolate!
It is ridiculous to put schools back with 40 000 cases.
They at least need to reduce it.

I don't want my primary age dc to go back to school. Aside from helping spread the infection at a time when hospitals are already badly struggling, I don't fancy another stretch keeping her (a completely healthy and active child) locked up because another child / teacher has got the virus. At least with homeschooling, she can still get out for exercise which she badly needs.

That said, if she had SEN or I was working full time (which I'm not), I can see why people feel differently! No easy choices with this.

If we are so close to being vaccinated why risk kids and school staffs health.
I just don’t understand what the Government is doing .

It's such a tricky one - I don't want schools to shut, education is so important and it's really important for many reasons that schools stay open.

On the other hand, infection and hospitalisation rates are getting out of control at the moment, hospitals are getting into trouble and it's not even January yet. We have a working vaccine being rolled out and another even better one ready imminently - the end could be in sight. A few weeks of everything closed including schools, to get down the infection rates, whilst vaccinating as many people as possible could just about get us to a slightly better place?

It does seem madness to open up schools now with things the way they are?

@Pastanred

So, if I hand out the tests to the 36 children in my secondary form class and show them what to do, what is stopping them swirling the test around the edge of their nostril and saying they’ve done it?

I can’t watch every kid closely enough to see that the test has been carried out properly.

And quite frankly, with an uncomfortable test, that’s exactly what I would do...a quick rub up the nose and yep, I’ve done it. At 11, 12, 13, 14 you really aren’t responsible enough to know better.

I’m not afraid to say that it’s a fucking stupid idea and will eventually lead to a rise in cases and an even worse overall situation for the country.

I mean, that’s what we school staff warned back in September and we were proven right...I’d put money on things being even worse by half term, especially with the ‘testing system’ in place. But, I’m sure we won’t be listened to be told to ‘give it a try’ and when cases go through the roof (even more so), everyone will continue to blame the closed pubs and restaurants and imaginary household gatherings.

I’ve realised that there could be a zombie apocalypse and people would still demand schools be opened.

"At least with homeschooling, she can still get out for exercise which she badly needs."

Definitely this. I'd so much rather do a month or two of home schooling with daily walks and football in the park etc, than 2 weeks with DS banged up in the house self-isolating.

*self-isolating and hypervigilant for symptoms.

I really feel that a two week full lockdown, I.e no schools or random shops open. Give staff and children a chance to get tested and self isolate (fully), following the Christmas break. All schools are prepared for remote learning and telling parents now, gives them the chance to arrange themselves regarding work.

I do not understand why anyone thinks another lockdown will work - the last one didn't, the ones before that didn't, another one won't work and people will not follow the rules which means it will continue to spread.

@wizzbangfizz

I do not understand why anyone thinks another lockdown will work - the last one didn't, the ones before that didn't, another one won't work and people will not follow the rules which means it will continue to spread.

Because without the lockdowns things would have been far, far worse

@wizzbangfizz

I do not understand why anyone thinks another lockdown will work - the last one didn't, the ones before that didn't, another one won't work and people will not follow the rules which means it will continue to spread.

Because this time there really is point to kicking the can down the road. We could have the vulnerable and elderly vaccinated soon.

I do not understand why anyone thinks another lockdown will work - the last one didn't, the ones before that didn't, another one won't work and people will not follow the rules which means it will continue to spread.

The last lockdown didn't work as it wasn't really a lockdown. With kids still in school and people still out and about to work and shopping I don't think we can call it a lockdown.

The March lockdown did work - the rates dropped right down after everyone stayed at home.

@wizzbangfizz

What are you on about?
The first lockdown worked. Our cases went right down, to a point that we were actively encouraged to get out and spend and eat!