@moominmomma1234
Last June Lancashire council didn’t reopen the schools even though the rest of the country bead allowing some years back .the council had received advice that the rates locally were too high .I am wondering if the Same will happen and the council will ovrrride the governments plan to open things together nationally .I don’t know how I feel about it tbh
Honestly?
My position is that areas in the north (includes NE, Yorkshire and actually large parts of the Midlands) which are still a few weeks behind the rest of the country shouldn't open schools before 22nd March at the very earliest because of the position the vaccination programme will be at, where the case rate is at and where the hospital occupancy levels will be at.
If they do open on the 8th March I will be very concerned that we are asking for problems and issues further down the line.
If its the 22nd March, it then begs the question would it just be better to bite the bullet and stay closed til after easter. But thats a debate that I'd conceed losing to, if I absoluetely had to.
I think the argument for earlier opening is more compelling elsewhere and the government needs to address whether we are looking at a national or regional return asap because it really does matter. If its a national return, then the situation in the later hit areas needs serious consideration.
After Easter the case rates will be very low and the vaccination programmes well advances which should mean the ongoing issue that the north has had with keeping the R low enough to stop outbreaks is much reduced. This is my prefered option, but I'd take the 22nd March if I absoluetely had to because I do understand people are struggling. The 8th March actively scares me as a reopening date from the data I see locally (and in some other areas though I'm not as familiar with it) and I think its bordering on insanity this close to the over 50s getting vaccinated.
I know a lot of people won't like hearing this because its controversial but I do think those two weeks between the 8th March and 22nd March are particularly crucial to certain areas of the country because of where vaccinations will be at and how it takes 2 or 3 weeks for immunity to kick in.
If we can get to at least the back end of March it will make a huge amount of difference to how quickly and extensively things can open up after that - it will be much easier and less risky to do in these areas.
I do think opening on the 8th risks outbreaks in schools being an ongoing issue in schools which helps no one - particularly the poorest who are most likely to be affected by this pattern.
I really hope that people can see the logic in this and be sympathetic (even if begrudgingly) in hanging on for those two weeks even if its not ideal for either those who want schools to go back now and those who would prefer a post Easter return in these areas.