So Gav says schools could stay shut beyond half term.....

[Coldwinterahead1]

I'm guessing after Easter. What does everyone else think?

Easter. By which point, the majority of vulnerable people should have been vaccinated so schools can be opened

What will happen though, to all the unvaccinated people - teachers, kids and parents - if schools are open the way they were before Christmas?

Ah thanks @MarshaBradyo 2 DC aged 4 & 7. everyday I tell myself I can do this but the thought of this stretching on to even Easter makes me want to weep.

@Thewheelsonthebus23

I think people are enjoying the doom and gloom. It’s bizarre
Completely agree.
When those most likely to be hospitalised are vaccinated-everything needs yo open.
This whole thing is to protect the’NHS’ -when that is achieved -job done. Yes people will get ill-like they do routinely with other ailments-but no excuse then for this madness.
And proper planning by the Health Service for future pandemics to prevent any further lockdowns.

I think some year groups may go back beginning of March but most year groups not till after Easter.

Pretty certain easter. From what I have read they are aiming to try and open wider by early may, ie pubs and restaurants etc

February half term was always optimistic at best.

I thought everyone was aware of that.

shrugs

The aim of getting vulnerable groups 1 -4 vaccinated by 15th Feb is ambitious (it isn't going to happen). That still leaves the 50 - 65s who are at risk anyway. And the ambitious target is still April for them.

Schools reopening in Easter is a realistic benchmark imho.

Anything before that should only happen if the vaccination programme exceeds expectations and does achieve its goals.

@Thewheelsonthebus23 So it’s doom and gloom to look at scientific projections of when the virus will be more under control and guess what that means for schools opening. But it’s not doom and gloom to be saying how terrible it’ll be - a disaster - for children to be off longer than half-term? Hmm

September is not realistic at all

Gav has absolutely no idea - don’t listen to him. He didn’t even know schools were closing on the Monday they did so, having told a meeting of civil servants that day that there were no plans to close schools. They don’t tell him anything - draw your own conclusions as to why!

Pathetic. Totally pathetic. People should not be putting up with this for their children.

The kids need to go back after half-term. No question, no conditions, just back to school.

I'd even concede with bollocksing masks like France if that is what it takes

@HipTightOnions

Easter. By which point, the majority of vulnerable people should have been vaccinated so schools can be opened

What will happen though, to all the unvaccinated people - teachers, kids and parents - if schools are open the way they were before Christmas?

It won't matter. This lockdown is to stop hospitals being overwhelmed, not to stop everyone getting Covid. Those of us who aren't elderly or vulnerable will be much less likely to need hospital treatment, so we will have to take our chances.

When those most likely to be hospitalised are vaccinated-everything needs yo open. This whole thing is to protect the’NHS’ -when that is achieved -job done.

A large proportion (25%?) are not in the priority group for vaccination. If “everything” opens there will be many more. It will be difficult to achieve the right balance when opening up.

I wouldnt listen to a word he says..he doesn't know his arse from his elbow!!!!

@MarshaBradyo - I think the issue is that they are not sure how the vaccine will actually work amongst all the groups (ie. CEV people have been advised to shield until all groups are vaccinated (so everyone over 50 as it is)). It's shit but teacher have been pretty insistent that they don't think schools are safe and so I think they will refuse to go back until the groups are vaccinated.

I don't think the government is going to prioritise teachers for the vaccine, they simply cannot do this given the numbers in other sectors who have died (public transport workers for instance).

It won't matter. This lockdown is to stop hospitals being overwhelmed, not to stop everyone getting Covid.

If loads of people in a school community gets Covid, how much education will be happening?

@RedToothBrush Those dates are only for the first vaccine too - we actually (CEV) won't receive our second vaccine until April.

This is desperate. I teach in France. Masks on all the time, kids too. Schools are remaining open and I will be so pissed off if they close them as there are so few cases in the primary school. My dd (16) got it before Christmas - they closed her class as there were four cases but everyone is back in and there are no absences.

  Online learning is not sufficient.

@hamstersarse

Pathetic. Totally pathetic. People should not be putting up with this for their children.

The kids need to go back after half-term. No question, no conditions, just back to school.

I'd even concede with bollocksing masks like France if that is what it takes

So who do you suggest staffs these schools?

Kids can only return after half term if community cases have receded significantly. It’s too early to say they can go back at the moment. Hopefully within the next 2weeks it will be clear cases are going down and schools can reopen. This should be done in a phased return so infection rate can be monitored and possibly schools reopened within the tier system.

I hope they open ASAP. They shouldn't of closed given that plenty of school have over 50% of children in anyway. Seems alot of parents became keyworkers in the last few months.

It's shit but teacher have been pretty insistent that they don't think schools are safe

Schools shut because they aren’t safe, not because teachers think they aren’t.

The huge infection rates in school kids seen before Christmas focused a few minds and scientists in SAGE and the cabinet persuaded Johnson that they needed to close to control the spread.

@Bizawit

What?! Ffs, enough vulnerable people should be vaccinated by then. Children need to GO TO SCHOOL 🤯🤯🤬

This.

@NelAntarctic

Erm, teachers?

@HipTightOnions

Easter. By which point, the majority of vulnerable people should have been vaccinated so schools can be opened

What will happen though, to all the unvaccinated people - teachers, kids and parents - if schools are open the way they were before Christmas?

Not much in terms of impact on the NHS at worst we will be back to the hokey cokey lucky dip of bubble closures

No shit Sherlock. Getting your hopes up only to have them dashed is a recipe for crap mental health for you and your kids. Adjust your expectations to realistic and make the best of what you’ve got.