Good News Part 6 - we're gonna need a bigger boat. Yeah Science!

[InterfectoremVulpes]

Good news and vibes only please

Bloody Southeners

If they are using London as the example of who might see an early return, they are obviously more interested in the direction and speed of infection, rather than the numbers themselves. This does give some areas much room to move, areas with initially lower rates of infection don't have the room to drop in the same manner. It's a little odd.

Doesn't give

To all those worried about children's mental health, I have a personal story.
Aged 15 and about to take O levels ( gimmer) I had 5 months off school with illness. During this time I saw no friends at all, and had no home schooling. I survived and within months had 9 perfectly good O levels to my name. No one even thought to mention my absence, which I sort of enjoyed on a way, as I was bullied. Not being at school can be fine!
I also saw my neighbour's 11 year old yesterday. She described home schooling as "one big holiday...Hurrah!". So I think she's happy too!

My experience of being off school for chunks of a time don't reflect that experience at all. There's no point going into it on the good news thread but I'm hoping for a swift return.

I am 49 in a few weeks so first in the under 50s queue by age.
I really hope they’ll prioritise occupational groups though. Tbh even apart from issues of fairness I think my quality of life will be improved more by my kids’ teachers being protected than me!

I'm only just catching up to the new thread, but bloody hell, I knew there was a reason I want to retire to Greece!

My kids apparently want to stay at homeschool! Which is fine seeing as we're about to get an announcement from the Scottish Gov probably saying they won't reopen until March. I don't mind, I like spending more time with them, and it saves a lot of anxiety and me shrieking 'WASH YOUR HANDS' the minute they come home!

Lurker checking in. Just realised this morning as I lay listlessly in bed how shit checking news sites on my phone makes me feel first thing in the morning. So I read this thread instead and was energised to get up. Thanks :)

As a secondary teacher hearing straight after February reopening fills me with fear again. I appreciate it's a positive thought for many but not for me.

@2020CanDoOne

From the Guardian:

Schools are likely to see a phased reopening, based on region, rather than in one fell swoop with a lifting of lockdown, according to England’s deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries.

She told MPs on the education committee that where infection rates were already dropping in areas like London schools were likely to reopen sooner than elsewhere in the country, depending on infection levels.

There was also lots of good evidence on the disastrous impact of school closures on children’s health and wellbeing, a strong defence of the role of lateral flow tests in schools and a call for schools to be allowed to gradually reopen, while the rest of society remains in lockdown as soon as infection levels allow.

This is good news I think in that at least some schools should start opening earlier than the after Easter predictions, (which have not helped my positive outlook one bit).

Interesting

Placemarking. Keep it coming everyone. Love these threads

So true about the hand washing stress reducing!

I’m really pleased reopening of schools is still being considered for after half term. They really should be first to open. I’m fond of pubs and meals out but I’ll be really disappointed if we don’t prioritise children. We can wait a bit longer for a pint/ g&t.

We can since I bought a machine that pours pints @Pomegranatespompom

Wow that’s so exciting @IncludeWomenInTheSequel have you a bar area? I’m partial to a pint of cider on a sunny day I admit.

I’m really pleased reopening of schools is still being considered for after half term. They really should be first to open.

Some teachers in my daughter's school have just been diagnosed with covid. I wouldn't be too hasty about it, otherwise it will just explode again with the new contagious variant.

Well I've done almost nothing but drink in my kitchen since last March so I guess you could call that a bar area

I guess the answer is to vaccinate school staff - lots of evidence emerging re lower levels of transmission once vaccinated plus we know children under ?10 have low viral loads. Will try and link.

So hard as many people should be prioritised for vaccine ie police: supermarket workers.

For anyone over on the daily data thread you will already have seen this.

I've been analysing the daily hospitals data lately and I was quite surprised that daily hospital admissions have started to fall in two regions - London and the South East.

And quite a few other regions look like admissions have stopped rising.

I didn't expect to see hospital admissions starting to fall quite so soon. I appreciate this is from very high levels, but it really is very good news.

I've published the charts here: www.covidmessenger.com/hospital-admissions/

For anyone finding lockdown hard hopefully it will give the boost that lockdown is working.

I guess the answer is to vaccinate school staff - lots of evidence emerging re lower levels of transmission once vaccinated plus we know children under ?10 have low viral loads. Will try and link.So hard as many people should be prioritised for vaccine ie police: supermarket workers.

I think they are coming around to that idea now for anyone with a public facing job. It's a no brainer really, especially if it reduces transmission.

Came in here expecting to see good news, you're all talking as if schools reopening is a good thing. This really isn't the case for everyone, try and think of teachers, CEV parents and those of us with children who will have to go back and face the reality that some of their good friends have lost mothers and fathers to covid over Christmas. My daughter doesn't know what's happened to her friends yet...it's better for her mental health at this point not to know. Returning to schools fills some of us with a sense of utter dread, so don't assume putting it here will help people. I'm now more miserable than I was before I opened this thread!!

If transmission is reduced by the vaccine I think it's a good tactic. Still think priority should be given to vulnerable categories though for now so we can push those hospital numbers right down asap.

@DayBath

Came in here expecting to see good news, you're all talking as if schools reopening is a good thing. This really isn't the case for everyone, try and think of teachers, CEV parents and those of us with children who will have to go back and face the reality that some of their good friends have lost mothers and fathers to covid over Christmas. My daughter doesn't know what's happened to her friends yet...it's better for her mental health at this point not to know. Returning to schools fills some of us with a sense of utter dread, so don't assume putting it here will help people. I'm now more miserable than I was before I opened this thread!!

If numbers come down enough for schools to reasonably open, that is a positive. They can't stay shut forever.

I don't think anyone is suggesting they should open even if numbers are still extremely bad.

However, things are on the look up with the vaccine so no reason why people can't look forward to that meaning their children can get back to their education as soon as reasonably possible.

God @DayBath that is absolutely horrific.

I'm not pro schools opening soon FWIW.

Also, maybe if this is a positive thread, it would be a more positive attitude to be sympathetic towards other people who might be, you know, worried [leaves out discussion of the many justifiable reasons why they might be worried].

The good news is that in some ways we are getting out of the worst bit of this ! not that the bad bits didn't happen.

(But we are going to come through and we do have vaccines! and spring will be here soon!)