I cant see schools going back at Easter

[ssd]

If the new variant is more deadly

I really dont think they'll open before summer

The government need to get a plan if action now

I dont think shops etc will open up either, we need much more people vaccinated twice to see if the vaccines help us

Shit.

@ssd

I also read the new south African variant might not respond to the vaccine. Schools arent going back...

Just wait to hear

Are you hoping they don’t go back or more worried they won’t and panicking

Schools have to go back as soon as they can.

Parents can not effectively home school their children alongside working.

That is the bottom line.

Oh for fuck’s sake. SCHOOLS CANNOT BE SHUT INDEFINITELY. PEOPLE CANNOT WORK LONG TERM IF SCHOOLS ARE SHUT. KIDS NEED PROPER EDUCATION AND SOCIALISATION. I fucking despair at the idiots on here.

What I find tedious is posters coming on a thread and taking the time to whinge about it. Don't click on it, it's so easy! There is enough negativity and nastiness getting slung about on this board right now without the constant low level bitchiness. People are allowed to discuss, it's a discussion forum.

Schools will be the first thing to reopen, it has been said all along.

If they don't go back before September that means everything else will remain closed until September, which would decimate the economy. They won't keep everything closed until then.

I think as a bare minimum there ought to be a plan that assumes this as a possibility. My children's school is still treating this as temporary and posting the bare minimum of work and not facilitating any direct contact with the children at home. School had vanished for my children. Yet keyworker children in schools are getting a full day of teaching . (I am frontline response but from home)

The govt need to at least set minimum standards for all schools.

That's the thing and there are plenty on people pretending they aren't doom mongers, they are just "realists" providing an important service by speaking uncomfortable but necessary truths. They aren't. They are doom mongers, either driven by their own anxieties or by some sort of warped pleasure from making others anxious.

My advice to anyone feeling anxious is stop reading headline soundbites and start reading what the actual scientists say. Actually listen to Witty and Valance. You'll find what they are actually saying is a lot more measured than what people say on here.

Everything gets taken out of context and whipped into a frenzy by people who haven't actually bothered to read or digest information properly. Whitty says we may have SOME restrictions next winter (perfectly reasonable and realistic thing to say), and that immediately gets taken as "we will be in lockdown til next winter". Boris says he can't guarantee schools will reopen before summer (of course he can't!) and that turns into "schools not going back to summer".

@bookworm14

Oh for fuck’s sake. SCHOOLS CANNOT BE SHUT INDEFINITELY. PEOPLE CANNOT WORK LONG TERM IF SCHOOLS ARE SHUT. KIDS NEED PROPER EDUCATION AND SOCIALISATION. I fucking despair at the idiots on here.

Your keyboard is broken.

From a personal point of view I think I could just about cope with the dc home learning for the rest of the school year (although id obviously rather not) as long as they aren't still confined to the house like they are now. They need to be able to interact with their peers and and maintain relationships outside the home.

It will be Easter absolute latest. Still hopeful for half term.

To help I’ve made a 10 week countdown list- from next week it’s crossing off from 10 more weeks homeschooling nightmare down to 0 before Easter hols. Still feels like the biggest mountain we’ll ever climb tbh ... but knowing I can count on 2 hands helps somehow?!

@ChimaeraEgg

That's the thing and there are plenty on people pretending they aren't doom mongers, they are just "realists" providing an important service by speaking uncomfortable but necessary truths. They aren't. They are doom mongers, either driven by their own anxieties or by some sort of warped pleasure from making others anxious.

My advice to anyone feeling anxious is stop reading headline soundbites and start reading what the actual scientists say. Actually listen to Witty and Valance. You'll find what they are actually saying is a lot more measured than what people say on here.

Everything gets taken out of context and whipped into a frenzy by people who haven't actually bothered to read or digest information properly. Whitty says we may have SOME restrictions next winter (perfectly reasonable and realistic thing to say), and that immediately gets taken as "we will be in lockdown til next winter". Boris says he can't guarantee schools will reopen before summer (of course he can't!) and that turns into "schools not going back to summer".

I agree with this. There’s a lot of deliberate messaging going on in media. If you get anxious take a step back

There is nothing anyone on here can do. Literally nothing. I am WFH with a small child. I know it is fucking pants. But what is the point of constant speculation. All I can do is take it one week at a time.

But is it not better to discuss options if this continues rather than aggressively state that everything will be open soon and the government HAVE to open up?
They don't have to do anything just because parents are finding it hard, they will put people's health and safety before that.

If the new variant is more deadly is there anything to suggest this?

Your keyboard is broken.

No, I’m just angry at people posting, ignorant, fatuous, unsourced bullshit purely to terrify people.

The weather will warm up from March, the spike the NHS always had over Xmas will go down. We'll be told around mid March they're considering it but they'll actually open after Easter. I come from the year 2022. There you go, can stop worrying about it now, you're welcome.

But is it not better to discuss options if this continues rather than aggressively state that everything will be open soon and the government HAVE to open up?

Yes of course it is better. Sadly if this whole shit show proves anything it is that a good 90% of the population have no critical thinking skills, no comprehension skills and no concept of nuance.

ChimaeraEgg because for some it helps to share, helps to throw thoughts around, helps when others feel the same as you. Really don’t click on threads you get so wound up about just to say they’re pointless- as that’s also pretty pointless & a waste of your time too?!

Are you sure they won’t keep the school closed until April 2022?

Close all shops. Seize all property?

Really don’t click on threads you get so wound up about just to say they’re pointless- as that’s also pretty pointless & a waste of your time too?!

I'm not wound up, I'm expressing an opinion like everyone else is.

@ChimaeraEgg .... Funny....I got called a "doom monger" for predicting the first lockdown. I got called a doom monger for saying it would last longer than a few weeks. I got called a doom monger for predicting there would be a worse peak in the winter .....

@Ilovegreentomatoes The government will want to be extra cautious thistime.Likeboris said no point to open up then see a sudden surge and have to lockdownagain.Thinkwe will need to see everyone vaccinated first before we can ease restrictions especially with the new variant being more deadly

No point to open up to sudden surge again..Like in the November lockdown when Boris was announcing multiple household mixing indoors for Christmas?

Why don't they actively do something about re-opening schools more safely - show evidence for mask wearing / rotas / pledge to put school staff as a priority group after the top 4 vulnerable categories?

'We want schools to open' is nothing but a lame pledge from the Government.

There needs to be a plan. I am so hopeful for a plan. As a Secondary teacher all I ask is please lobby your MP. Don't blame the schools, get your views to the top.
Mass Testing has been caused. Our school set up a testing lab and trained up some willing admin and support staff. They have a slick operation, taking over an office and a lab. They can do approx 15 an hour. So with some school communities running up to 1500 staff and students, how can this ever work? ... there must be a better way? They need a plan.

They also need to see what is working in other countries. We are not on our own here. Mask wearing and PPE nned to be in the plan. Social distancing would mean partial timetables as we have completely over prescribed schools and huge class sizes.
Remote Learning is getting better and better but still some families are struggling. Many DC are using Lockdown as an excuse not to do much work. We need a plan from the govt to motivate this generation.

@ChimaeraEgg you are rude and condescending. People are worried and at home, homeschooling whilst trying to work. So obviously it’s not welcome news. You seem unbalanced yourself, awfully invested in calling everyone panicking idiots and perhaps need to step back from these threads so it can be calmly discussed.

I think schools going back after the Easter holiday is realistic.