No school for us til 9th April at the earliest. Royally fucked off now.

[WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo]

Announcement just made for NI that most kids won't be going back to school until after the Easter holidays, and there's no guarantee of that. So fed up.

@teamdebbievssorelosers

I don't understand posters who want to open schools fully when it's not safe to do so.

so you never take your child in public transport, in a car, near stairs...?

Nothing is "safe". They still need a life.

Our child hasn't been on public transport or inside a shop since last February. She's been in our car only for medical appointments and school for less than a month.

[quote Ylvamoon]@MmeLaraque - ahh I get it now: Super Human!
I gess your day has 96 15 minute slots! 😉[/quote]
No, we're not super Human. we find time for our kids. everythign else comes *after that. So many here have time for social media, including MN. if you don't have time for your kids, drop the SM.

@Mmelaraque

. "The swimming thing: any person who cannot swim (and even those who can) should be instructed to try to float on their back and reserve their energy. Very few people are strong enough to fight natural currents and tides."

My sides are splitting this is so hilarious. You need to put out a public service announcement This is good advice but it hardly substitutes actually learning to swim.

@HauntedPencil

It's not in the same way as December

There are vaccines and the programme is moving fast
nothing else is open
People are on a very strict lockdown otherwise
We are heading into spring not winter

Absolutely! A lot of people seem to be ignoring the massive vaccination programme that has been rolled out since December!

Would be very difficult to repeat a year, although necessary for some students such as practical courses in University. It could be worked though with careful planning. Maybe create an extra year after Year 13 so students stay at school for a year longer,
I think it is safer to wait till after Easter to open to all classes, one minute they say schools are relatively safe, the next that they are a vector for transmission. There are still over 11,000 new Covid infections every day, a huge amount. This could rapidly increase and cause another lock down if we open when it is this high.

@Mmelaraque Are you a teacher?

@Mmelaraque I just can't get my head round your thinking. Help me understand because I'm just floored by your comments. Do you think that because a mum is struggling or at a loss arent actually doing enough? That they need to do more, more than what we are doing otherwise we are failing our kids? The parent who was failed by the education system cant teach their child just isnt motivated enough?

What are your thoughts on parents who can't afford internet? Who cant afford laptops? Single parents who work just to make sure their kids eat? Or both parents who work longs hours who do their best? Or the parents to are working from home and trying teach their kids? Do you honestly believe they're not trying hard enough?

Would be very difficult to repeat a year, although necessary for some students such as practical courses in University. It could be worked though with careful planning. Maybe create an extra year after Year 13 so students stay at school for a year longer,

This would bankrupt universities.

@thefallthroughtheair while I completely agree with the failure of the government to deal with this, I don't think it's quite as simple as that. There has to be an element of personal responsibility taken. Some parents have lied to get keyworker places. On a local level this is directly impacting my children. They have done this because they are fully aware that the situation for people WFH with children is impossible. Having no support has a hugely negative impact on children. I think I've got every right to be angry and believe their selfish actions are contributing to a longer hell for the rest of us. While we should wholeheartedly hold the governement to account, we also need to acknowledge that some children are experiencing a significantly better time than others.

@TheJerkStore

Would be very difficult to repeat a year, although necessary for some students such as practical courses in University. It could be worked though with careful planning. Maybe create an extra year after Year 13 so students stay at school for a year longer,

This would bankrupt universities.

There simply isn’t the space or staff in secondary schools to have a whole additional year group in-it would be totally unworkable. I don’t think many 18 year olds would want to stay at school for another year either.

Absolutely! A lot of people seem to be ignoring the massive vaccination programme that has been rolled out since December!

Can you explain how this vaccination programme changes the current picture (in terms of infection, viral spread and consequent self isolations, which are hugely disruptive to education) for unvaccinated children, unvaccinated school staff, and unvaccinated parents?

The practicalities of school life will remain exactly the same despite vaccination of others in the community.

@TheJerkStore

Would be very difficult to repeat a year, although necessary for some students such as practical courses in University. It could be worked though with careful planning. Maybe create an extra year after Year 13 so students stay at school for a year longer,

This would bankrupt universities.

Govt subsidising Unis would be a hell of a lot cheaper than another lockdown though, wouldn't it???

Govt subsidising Unis would be a hell of a lot cheaper than another lockdown though, wouldn't it???

But the government have made it clear they have no desire to subsidise universities.

@TheJerkStore

Govt subsidising Unis would be a hell of a lot cheaper than another lockdown though, wouldn't it???

But the government have made it clear they have no desire to subsidise universities.

Yep-it’s not going to happen. The government seem to like subsidising their mates, but not really anyone else.

I’m glad she’s not in the shed OP that’s very magnanimous of you. I also think 9 year olds should be with other children and I’m guessing (hoping) you don’t have any of those in your shed either. I’m sorry this is dragging on. I hope your DD is okay.

@cantkeepawayforever

Absolutely! A lot of people seem to be ignoring the massive vaccination programme that has been rolled out since December!

Can you explain how this vaccination programme changes the current picture (in terms of infection, viral spread and consequent self isolations, which are hugely disruptive to education) for unvaccinated children, unvaccinated school staff, and unvaccinated parents?

The practicalities of school life will remain exactly the same despite vaccination of others in the community.

Lockdown has always been about preventing the NHS from being over-whelmed. The vaccine has already been offered to the top most vulnerable groups which in turn will lead to a big decrease in hospitalisations hence the pressure on the NHS will be eased significantly. There is no need to keep schools closed after 8th March.

@Tippexy

This is what needs to happen in England too.

It most categorically is NOT.

@Inastatus

Lockdown has always been about preventing the NHS from being over-whelmed. The vaccine has already been offered to the top most vulnerable groups which in turn will lead to a big decrease in hospitalisations hence the pressure on the NHS will be eased significantly. There is no need to keep schools closed after 8th March.

From the reports I've heard, the current hospitalisations include a lot of people in the 50+ age group, who have not yet received their vaccinations and will constitute a fair chunk of the secondary school children's parents. Due to this I personally feel it would be very unwise for schools to reopen before cases have dropped further and this group have been vaccinated,. According to latest projections thgis should be some time in April. Therefore after Easter seems a better time for school reopenings.

Also, people are focusing on deaths, but it is really the numbers taking up spaces in hospitals we need to focus on. Until they come down to a suitable level we will not be able to provide other health services or reopen society.

[quote whenwillthemadnessend]@Mmelaraque

. "The swimming thing: any person who cannot swim (and even those who can) should be instructed to try to float on their back and reserve their energy. Very few people are strong enough to fight natural currents and tides."

My sides are splitting this is so hilarious. You need to put out a public service announcement This is good advice but it hardly substitutes actually learning to swim. [/quote]
Really? You think it's hilarious to teach basic survival skills to a child (or any person, for that matter)?

The places where I lived near any body of water taught people to first respect the power of the water. Everyone who wanted to learn to swim was taught to float on their back before they were taught anything else. No one was allowed to graduate the swimming classes unless they'd learned to float on their back.

Learning to swim is great. Sadly, as noted, few swimmers would be able to fight strong currents and tides for very long. So the learners are taught to float on their backs. That way, they can expend any energy on calling for help, or just staying afloat until help arrives.

Lockdown has always been about preventing the NHS from being over-whelmed.

Exactly. By closing schools children have made huge sacrifices to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. The hospitals are now no longer overwhelmed. The vulnerable have been vaccinated.

Kids need to go back to school now.

"Lockdown has always been about preventing the NHS from being over-whelmed. The vaccine has already been offered to the top most vulnerable groups which in turn will lead to a big decrease in hospitalisations hence the pressure on the NHS will be eased significantly. There is no need to keep schools closed after 8th March."

The vaccine comes in two parts, and isn't as effective as it needs to be to prevent further transmission. Until and unless everyone has been fully vaccinated, the UK population can either hang on in there, or trash all the efforts made thus far.

The UK hasn't been in proper lockdown in any case. There are far too many variables, with so many people breaking the rules, and/or insisting, "It's only guidance." Those who apparently need for guidance to be made into law before they'll comply with it are really not helping.

That and the "my opinion is worth more than an expert's facts and advice bunch.

They better not do this in England!

@MuddlingMackem - here is the latest data from ONS

@MmeLaraque

"Lockdown has always been about preventing the NHS from being over-whelmed. The vaccine has already been offered to the top most vulnerable groups which in turn will lead to a big decrease in hospitalisations hence the pressure on the NHS will be eased significantly. There is no need to keep schools closed after 8th March."

The vaccine comes in two parts, and isn't as effective as it needs to be to prevent further transmission. Until and unless everyone has been fully vaccinated, the UK population can either hang on in there, or trash all the efforts made thus far.

The UK hasn't been in proper lockdown in any case. There are far too many variables, with so many people breaking the rules, and/or insisting, "It's only guidance." Those who apparently need for guidance to be made into law before they'll comply with it are really not helping.

That and the "my opinion is worth more than an expert's facts and advice bunch.

@MmeLaraque The early signs are that the vaccine is effective at reducing transmission but the scientists are still looking at the data. Not sure how you already know what they don’t yet 🤔

Matt Hancock said today that preliminary evidence suggests that a first dose of the vaccine cuts transmission rates by two thirds.

I would caveat this by saying that there is no indication of from what to what, but it sounds positive.