There won't be any further tightening of restrictions and schools stand a chance of going back mid Feb

[Number37]

Just that really - I think there's a chance with the case numbers dropping that there won't be further restrictions imposed and there's quite possibly a chance of schools returning on some basis mid Feb.

Trying to think positive today!

I think it could very well be a reality - I think they would argue they closed schools on a tier basis and they can open them up. Even though it actually was in effect 1 day

I am sure Gavin Williamson used the phrase in some areas the other day

They should have locked down everyone on Saturday 18th December

I don't think they'll chance it before Easter tbh, when at least (hopefully) there will have a been a period of consistent fall. Deaths will still be high and I doubt we'll have seen any impact on NHS overwhelm by the end of Feb, sadly. It's not enough for figures to have started falling, they have to have been falling consistently and for quite some time (I'd imagine at least 6 weeks) before anything gets considered for relaxation.

I agree generally @Echobelly but I don't think it's going to be a binary choice between half term or Easter. if not after HT I think there is a good chance at this rate that some kids will be back sometime in March.

Up until now I have thought that getting schools open should be the priority, but I don't anymore. I think the schools have brought us to this point. I think they should be last.

@Echobelly

I don't think they'll chance it before Easter tbh, when at least (hopefully) there will have a been a period of consistent fall. Deaths will still be high and I doubt we'll have seen any impact on NHS overwhelm by the end of Feb, sadly. It's not enough for figures to have started falling, they have to have been falling consistently and for quite some time (I'd imagine at least 6 weeks) before anything gets considered for relaxation.

Yeah, why are school returns only being linked to holiday dates? They should go back when is deemed appropriate, even if that is a Thursday in the middle of term. School closures are an emergency measure and should be reviewed constantly.

DSIS senior NHS regional manager - they’ve been told to expect no further restrictions but the trade off is longer lockdown & kids not back until after the Easter break

Praying you're right!

Sorry op alas Boris mentioned half term feb as false hope when we locked down for 3rd time less than 48hours after declaring school were safe.
As usual he strings us along we be fine by Easter 2020 then Christmas and we know how that worked out.
Even though we had mockdown 2 and kept school open on premise we all have a lovely Christmas a a reward.

Perhaps if they had closed our borders
Or kept to educational tier system they launched and scrapped in September when schools went back which meant in areas high infection schools closed or went to remote learning or rotaa that may have stopped us getting so bad.
They don't want to spend any money on schools or put in any safety /mitigation factors like smaller classes , rotas or promise vaccines for education staff.
Latest debacle is they want to ignore the medical regulator and use not very accurate lateral flow tests and test regular rather than test cloose contacts when we know science says people can develop covid within 10 to 14days so self quarantine.
The stats from phe surveillance report and ons show schools age children can catch the virus and transmit.
They have lied and falsified evidence to say schools are safe which has led to full scale closure..
Even now they won't work with unions or education staff.
Schools found out when we did.
Report schools to often backfired too.
Schools and education staff are angry many were prepared to walk out before he shut them anyway so he saved himself that humiliation.
Theres no goodwill or trust anymore.
It be massive battle to reopen if government not prepared make any changes or invest more.

Easter or may is my best guess.
Worst case September

Need to vaccinate school staff. So, when did he say +50 year olds are being done? I'm reckoning around then. With vaccines. And thats primary- think secondary will be out longer.

Schools are half back already.

The rest will go back when case numbers fall and hospitals can stop cancelling the urgent cancer operations. When that happens is, to some extent, in your own (hopefully sanitisied) hands.

@alreadytaken

Schools are half back already.

The rest will go back when case numbers fall and hospitals can stop cancelling the urgent cancer operations. When that happens is, to some extent, in your own (hopefully sanitisied) hands.

Being ‘half back’ is great for those children who can socialise with their friends every day and get an education. For my children, it’s illegal to socialise with their friends and the only education they’re receiving is from me, who is also doing a full time job. Getting schools ‘fully back’ must be a priority. And our school only has 20% of children in, currently.

Getting schools ‘fully back’ must be a priority

Getting schools ‘safely’ back must be a priority.

@Letseatgrandma

Getting schools ‘fully back’ must be a priority

Getting schools ‘safely’ back must be a priority.

Does safe include being half full? Or can you see a way around that?

Amo yes I know what you mean the disparity is very big

Actually I don’t agree with the fact that getting schools back is ‘in my hands’. I have stuck to every single rule since March. But as much as we like to berate people for eating on park benches or travelling 7 miles for a walk in a park, the onus is on the government to roll out vaccines as quickly and efficiently as possible, to control the situation around transmission in care homes and hospitals and to provide extra funding to schools. I live in an area that has never had a rolling rate of more than 120 cases per 100k, yet our schools are still shut, so what can I or anyone else in my small town do?

I agree with OP

Imperial college is saying that R is below 1 in many parts of the country now

200 out of 314 councils are now dropping rates (and some of the north west are dropping - Cheshire, some of Cumbria, parts of Lancashire and, based on yesterday’s data, 5 of the 10 greater Manchester boroughs)
www.covidmessenger.com/

This will take 2 weeks or so to feed through to hospitalisations though and another 1-2 weeks to see a reduction in deaths.

I think that reception and y1 will go back after half term, and that we will return to the tier system (the tier legislation was extended to 31 March) which will see those areas with dropping rates opening up non essential retail sooner than the other areas, and close contact/hospitality a bit later. Rule of six will be reintroduced but I think it will be a while longer before we can mix indoors though.
Just my opinion with no source though!

unless schools are back in a safe and sustainable manner this will just happen over and over again.

@30not13

Source? No didn't think so ...

🙄🤐

The op clearly states in her opinion.

Have a fucking day off.

Does safe include being half full?

Who knows with Gavin Williamson!

@FrippEnos

unless schools are back in a safe and sustainable manner this will just happen over and over again.

Yes this

Letseatgrandma

Does safe include being half full?

Who knows with Gavin Williamson!“

Bit of a floating voter (nerd who reads the manifestos 🥴). Listening to Labour’s shadow though, I will probably vote for them next time purely because of her. She’s extremely good.