Can we unlock the schools at start of Feb?

[MeandT]

I'm totally supportive of the lockdown BUT by the end of next week, case numbers nationally will be the same as they were at end of November. Hospital admissions are falling again.

Rather than going back into tiers with the shops and food pubs open (where all the spreading happened in December), can we not issue all the teachers with N95 masks (and vaccines for the clinically vulnerable), make all the kids wear triple layer face masks all the time, and just get on with the important job of educating this country's kids in person? Starting again 1st of Feb.

AIBU to ask if we can send the kids back as soon as we hit the case rate we unlocked at on 2nd December?

IABU= no way, the cases will shoot up too quickly again, even if they all wear masks all day.

IANBU = yes, get them back before half term, the only reason it went nuts in December was because everyone was out Christmas shopping and seeing family.

[mrstasty]

"BUT by the end of next week, case numbers nationally will be the same as they were at end of November. Hospital admissions are falling again."

Where are you getting this info op? Are you a psychic that can see into the future? My local hospital Addenbrookes has the highest covid inpatient count ever to date.

[ineedaholidaynow]

@kowari Primaries are vectors too, not just Secondaries

[ineedaholidaynow]

Our local schools are making contingency plans for being open over the Easter holidays for KW and vulnerable children. They don't think they will open properly before Easter

[noblegiraffe]

Interesting as seems a million studies saying they're not. Does anyone in fact know? Probably not.

Yes, data from SAGE released before Xmas showed children were overwhelmingly bringing Covid into the home rather than catching it at home.

[Toddlerteaplease]

@mrstasty my trust, had 450 according to the trust briefing yesterday. That's the highest I've seen it.

[Louiselouie0890]

Yes and no. Go into a real lockdown and then debate over it

[Toddlerteaplease]

Part of the issue is that patients are ending up ventilated for weeks and weeks, rather than the usual few days.

[mrstasty]

[quote Toddlerteaplease]@mrstasty my trust, had 450 according to the trust briefing yesterday. That's the highest I've seen it. [/quote]
Are you in Cambridge too toddler?

[peak2021]

If you think that the infection rate by the end of next week is going to be the same as that of 2nd December, perhaps submit your next story for the Booker Prize.

[Tal45]

The government have said there will be 2 weeks notice before kids go back to school. There's only a week till the 1st Feb so definitely won't be back then. Until hospital numbers come right down I don't think they will even be considering opening anything up.

[walksen]

I'm not sure case numbers on 2nd December was what caused the lockdown. As I recall it was explosion of cases in secondaries in London that precipitated tier 4 then the analysis of the Kent variant that led to Xmas arrangements bring changed etc.

That variant has now spread through the whole country. We don't know how well masks work against it. Whether SD needs to be changed etc.

It's all very well saying mass testing etc but kids are only tested twice before their return. My school spent all day testing 80 people. It will take 2 weeks to test all the kids when they get back at that rate. How many will get infected and take it home in the meantime. Even the daily testing idea has been shelved for now.

Lockdown is working but r is still close to 1. The most optimistic up to date estimates I've seen say it might be 0.8 at least. Schools being open may well tip it back over 1.

[williowrosenburg]

When schools opened in September, other restrictions were relaxed as well weren't they?
So schools were open, non essential shops, people could mix in groups of 6? ... sorry there's been so many rule changes I can't remember them all.

So yeah schools being opened would help with the spread.
But if schools opened, but that was it... no non essential shops. No pubs/cafes. No small group gatherings. Then that helps keeps the numbers down with kids being school.... I know it doesn't make things 100% safe. But there is no way we can expect kids not to see another friend, have social interaction until April!!!
My DD is 5, is an only child. DH and I are working full time. She spends all day staring at a screen!! Even doing her school work is done on a screen!! She's had no social interaction with another child since she left school for the Christmas holidays!!

[lobsteroll]

I'd rather continue to homeschool, as tough as that is, than make my 4 year old wear a mask all day.

I really doubt that is even being considered as an option either to be honest. Maybe 7/8 year olds onwards, at a push.

There is nothing I'd like more than to see children back in school setting but not under those conditions.

[HopeClearwater]

@Donotdelete

How nobody has noticed that all the other countries are operating normally while we struggle I don’t know

No one has noticed this, because it isn’t true!

[HmmSureJan]

I've just heard today that a member of staff at one of my children's schools has died of Covid after a four day illness. I am stunned that this had happened and so swiftly. No one should be going back until ALL staff are vaccinated and I am sick to the back teeth of hearing parents whining about it. Get on with it.

[kowari]

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@kowari Primaries are vectors too, not just Secondaries[/quote]
I didn't say primaries weren't vectors . Secondary students don't need childcare, they just need to not be alone five days a week, and they can engage with a combination of school and remote learning better. Also, secondary school bubbles are much bigger.

[Pieceofpurplesky]

This may be why not

[Thirtyrock39]

A lot of countries (particularly USA) haven't had kids in school since March!!

[LickEmbysmiling]

I think un locking too quickly will keep us in a permanently state of lock and un lock.

I'd rather go till Easter and the natural Easter holiday break. Gradually ease 🔒 down, have 24 hour jab centre and aim to get us all done by summer catch our breath, sort NHS out and get us ready for next winter...

[ineedaholidaynow]

@kowari so what happens when bubbles keep bursting?

[RememberSelfCompassion]

Gosh Hmmm I'm so sorry.

[blue25]

No, it will be after Easter at the earliest.

[Tobebythesea]

They won’t be opening schools until at least April. Not enough vaccines given yet and so many deaths still.

[caspersmagicaljourney]

@RememberSelfCompassion

No. They're a huge vector for transmission.

Agreed. We've got to be sensible about this otherwise we are right back where we started.

[LickEmbysmiling]

If masks are brought in as they should be at least from maybe 10 and above, then we need to be flexible and give children mask breaks!.. Have shorter lessons and get them out of the classroom morel frequently.

Also we need prepare for some on line learning every winter because NHS can't cope anyway and covid isn't going