Next week's announcement won't be the good news we think it'll be

[likeamillpond]

Listening to the news and reading between the lines regarding the latest variant that's supposed to be resistant to the vaccine, I don't think it's going to be brilliant news next week.
I dont think it'll be a case of, We've got this. You can all go out now.
Im hoping theyll say for certain that schools can go back. At least.
I think we are still in the shit. They just haven't told us.
I'm prepared to be told I'm worrying over nothing.

@CountessFrog

Is this another one of those Covid bingo threads?

The basically go like this:

‘Don’t get your hopes up about anything, ever, because I’ve been reading between the lines/am party to special information and you are all going to get a nasty shock if you think things will change. Best if you all adjust your expectations to avoid disappointment, I’m afraid.’

Haha yes!

@Lubiluxe you can only meet 1 person for exercise at the moment, apparently we'll be permitted to sit on a park bench and have a chat!

It will be gradual, not because of variants or vaccine not working or government control, but because lots of people are in ICU and lots of them are under 60. Quite a few under 50, covid is very very infectious, more so now than last spring, and so exponential growth in infection will fill ICU.

Is there a new new variant? (Yes, I know viruses gonna virus but I actively avoid the news because Boris et al and also utterly depressing.

Back to back come dine with me is my cooking dinner tv choice

Yes, of course, we need to look after the elderly and those who are vulnerable, but there are a lot of people under 60 in ICU now.

I'm glad they are being cautious. I was worried that they were going to say, hey everyone can go out now we have vaccinated all the over 70's and ECV's, and my DH would do his commute into London for 1.5 hours on the train and tube and catch it. We have young DC who need looking after. I don't want to go back to work and I don't want my DH doing his commute till he is clear of his 2 jabs. He's not over 50 so I don't know when that will be.

They are concerned about these variants and they are concerned that younger people are in ICU. Everyone needs to be vaccinated, not just some groups. I think I am going to annoy some of our older relatives who think it is only a matter of time before they can socialise with everyone. No one is coming to my house until DH and I have our jabs.

just had this emailed...

We are writing to you as you have previously been identified as someone thought to be clinically extremely vulnerable and at high risk of becoming very unwell if you catch COVID-19. We wrote to you last month advising you to follow shielding guidance until 21 February.

We are now extending that guidance and advising you to shield until 31 March 2021. We will write to you again in mid-March with further advice.

Might be a precursor that it could be extended slightly too

[quote EffIt]I think even if things do ease they'll lock us down again not long after
twitter.com/itvnews/status/1361418477861367809[/quote]
Did you read the article the tweet linked to? It says:
"The computer model developed by Imperial College forecasts a significant wave of deaths as early as this summer, if we fully ease restrictions in July, even with good vaccination coverage.

Keep most restrictions in place (beyond sending schools back and allowing outdoor dining) until the majority are vaccinated in September, and the outcome is much more positive."

It's based on fully easing restrictions in July, if things are eased more gradually the picture is very different.

This is not going to be popular but I do not think opening schools especially for the very young age groups is the best plan. Children are naturally the most prolific spreaders of any sort of germ or virus. How many times have we seen half a school coming down with chickenpox or a D&V bug.
Senior pupils and college pupils are more likely to understand to stay apart in classes but even then they forget as I have seen at school out times.
It might be better to allow adults to mix a little while observing the 2 metre rule. Hopefully they would understand and accept the situation
I am worried that if schoolsgo back especially the very young pupils we will be back in lockdown very soon

Why would schools go back? Students didn't go back until September last year, nothing is any different yet. The vaccine is only for the elderly and those who work with them

Mine went back in June last year.
Elderly? They’re currently calling over 65’s and all vulnerable people over 16. Some areas are calling the over 60’s.

There's always a new variant. generally it is announced that the day's new variant is resistant to the vaccine swiftly followed by actually it isn't. I'm a bit lost TBF.

@Bunnyfuller

Think more Nigella than Nigerian.

News is just bad news and not good for health!

@Staffy1

I thought it was already decided that all children are going back to school on March 8th?

No.

That is the earliest date when they might possibly consider any years going back as normal. They might decide that is too soon for any years to open; it's very unlikely that everyone will be back then.

It seems most likely that primary would go back before secondary.

There have been various suggestions in the media about different ways this might be organised, but this is rumour and speculation and not backed by any commitment from the government so far.

Im only expecting a partial return to schools colleges and then maybe an increase in outside mixing a few weeks later , then assessing numbers with a new date set to look at easing more restrictions .
I would be happy being able to travel say 25 miles for exercise and maybe meeting another household outside at such place, also dc back at school / college part time, so ny expectations are not that high.

@Beaniecats

Of course it won't be good news We know that Lockdown, house arrest, is our future

And when it's not, you'll no doubt say it's because people like you stood up and foiled their plans.

Did you read the article the tweet linked to? It says:
"The computer model developed by Imperial College forecasts a significant wave of deaths as early as this summer, if we fully ease restrictions in July, even with good vaccination coverage.

Well, if it's 'modelling' from Imperial College, then experience has shown that it must absolutely be accurate.

Sending back reception and key stage 1 is my entire school.

Didn't work out well in the autumn but doubt lessons have been learnt.

I really hope there is more easing than just schools going back.
I do fully understand the need for it and how much kids/parents will benefit...but mine aren’t at school yet and my quality of life has gotten so low now I’m sobbing daily and just can’t manage like this for another 6 weeks!

If all they announce is schools going back I’ll be so deflated. Selfishly I’d much rather be able to pop to the shops without feeling like a criminal!

Unfortunately there is a lot of expectation management and downplaying of hopes going on. I am not optimistic there will be much changing soon. They may do the same as in Scotland and send the youngest years back on 8th March but I am even wondering if they will do that or put back the return to school until after Easter. I think we may get a lot of 'new variant' messages, combined with insufficient uptake of vaccine amongst some groups messages and still too many in hospitals message.

They’re currently calling over 65’s and all vulnerable people over 16. Some areas are calling the over 60’s

Not all areas.

I'm group 6 but my surgery has only just started to send out letters to group 5. Last week they still had many in groups 1-4 to finish. They have a larger older demographic. The receptionist didn't think I'd be called before March 8 - I asked today when I was at the surgery for blood tests and monitoring.

@RichardMarxisinnocent

yes I read it. I don't think people will be able to take waiting until September because then there will be some other reason to lock us up again especially as winter will be around the corner.

I'll be overjoyed if the schools go back and nothing else changes tbh.

DD (yr2) is my biggest worry right now.

@CountessFrog

Is this another one of those Covid bingo threads?

The basically go like this:

‘Don’t get your hopes up about anything, ever, because I’ve been reading between the lines/am party to special information and you are all going to get a nasty shock if you think things will change. Best if you all adjust your expectations to avoid disappointment, I’m afraid.’

No. We have actual good news. We have vaccines being rolled out in their millions. And we have case numbers, admissions and deaths going down. This is fantastic.

We just can't leap out, go clubbing and do the conga round crowded shopping malls. Not yet. We need to hold on a bit. But overall, things are looking pretty good.

From the point of view of someone CEV, to have survived the past year without significant illness and have had the first vaccine dose is great going. Those of us who have stayed well and not had major bereavement are very lucky.

I just hope that when schools go back it's all at once or we have the option to keep them home until it is. I can't be doing with having one in and one home. It would make an already tricky situation unmanageable.

@ComtesseDeSpair

I think the moment they announce school are reopening, then unless they also have a clear and timely plan for reopening everything else then it’ll be a floodgate for people socialising in each other’s homes regardless of whether it’s “allowed.” I have no intention of spending further months locked away indoors if it’s apparently safe enough for hundred of different families to intermingle every day through education settings, and don’t know anyone else who would.

Great, thanks. So school staff get exposed irrespective of their own choices, to probably thousands of families. Selfish.

The problem we've had as a country I think is the morons who need an exact date. It give false hope. We need to open things up really slowly (including schools) to keep numbers low and give everyone a chance of being vaccinated. Anything too quick and numbers rocket. We have made this mistake so much. But they mentioned march 8th so of course everyone thinks thats a given and can't see past that. I cant cope with the people who are saying "oh yes, March 8th, everything is going to get better after that" how can we possibly know when things will get better?
I would much prefer slowly and steady to being locked down again because as much as Boris says this has to be the last lockdown, if numbers go too high again he won't have a blooming choice!

Is the NHS under pressure? If not then why do we need to still not visit family and live life. Its stupid