Looks like the plans are now leaked.

[pinkhappy]

The Times seems to have leaked the plans now. I for one will be very happy if children's outdoor sport starts on March 8.

March 8:
Schools
Kids outdoor sport
Golf + Tennis

Early April:
🛍Non-essential retail
Outdoor pubs + restaurants

Mid April:
Gyms

May:
Cinemas + Theatre
Indoor pubs + restaurants

August:
Foreign holidays
Clubs

Seems like what isn't being discussed much here is that lockdown has passed peak effectiveness. Plus people are ignoring it much more anyway. There has to be an incentive for people to follow any rules. Not my personal
Opinion just what it appears. I can live without everything that's locked down right now but my kids are struggling.

Witches I work in a secondary school
With over 25% in - the 15% is average over all schools - your response was to a PP who said 'lots of schools have 50% in' and she is correct

@SpencerGregson

Because that means children won't return to school for another 8 weeks and they've already been off too long??

It's a difference if 2-3 weeks. That's all.

@BarbaraofKent

No just a coincidence that the numbers went up like a rocket when schools went back.

No they didn't go up 'like a rocket' from September - look at the charts. They did start to rise from that time, but that was also at the time when we were going into winter, most people indoors, a time when germs spread much more easily anyway.

I'm not saying schools aren't a factor but it does always puzzle me when people say this?

@BarbaraofKent

Look at the graphs @purplebatbear has posted at 23:26.

I don't know if it's been reported much in the UK but the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 57% effective against moderate to severe Covid-19 infections in South Africa. And 100% effective at preventing hospitalisations or deaths.

Just something to note for those panicking about mutations.

My children will have four weeks of term time (less one day) if they return on 8 March.

If they don't, they will not return until Tues 8 March. Just over 8 weeks from tomorrow. That is a massive amount of time away from school, particularly given that only one of the four has seen another child of their age since 18 December (for a socially distanced walk).

Agh, need to get some sleep! They won't return until Tues 19th April.

In response to @WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

Don't see the big deal about hairdressers as if it's essential, and seeing stuff on Facebook with women saying they feel like a woman again after a haircut is ridiculous. I also don't think they're that safe either I had to visit somewhere last year when they were open and people were walking in sitting on sofas not 2 metres apart, no face masks etc in such a big group you knew it wasn't one family.

That being said I think all year groups together is silly but I don't think it'll be as bad as last time due to the vaccines

@MercyBooth

Those who think there will be another lockdown by July. Do you really think the Government will say no to the Royal Family. They have an event planned on the 1st July to commemorate what would have been Princess Dianas 60th birthday

This genuinely made me chuckle, sorry!

I don't think the Royal Family get a say in whether we lock down (they do seem to get a bit of leeway in following the rules... but probably not to the extent of having 'an event'!)

I live in South East London and cases have come down from over 1000/100000 to 72/100000. Vaccine roll out is great and they are doing Group 6 quickly.

Large groups of teenagers are hanging around in parks now that the weather is better and I have seen 2 police officers in the last week having a word. Those kids really need to be back at school and if they can’t go, they will just hang around anyway, perhaps start causing some trouble. So in our area it definitely makes sense to send them back to school given case numbers and vaccination rates.

@Octane

At the very very best they won't be completed (first dose) until July. - three weeks until effective - thats AUGUST at best!

We don't need the entire population to be vaccinated. Just the elderly and vulnerable. They're almost all done already.

If there's high community transmission the virus will mutate and if it mutates to a vaccine escape version, we're fucked.

It's all out there in pretty plain English. It's not too complicated if you bother to apply yourself.

@Octane

I don't know if it's been reported much in the UK but the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 57% effective against moderate to severe Covid-19 infections in South Africa. And 100% effective at preventing hospitalisations or deaths.

Just something to note for those panicking about mutations.

That would be more reassuring if any of the people here were actually vaccinated with that one. They've decided AZ isn't safe enough in South Africa (personally I don't quite get why, but they must have a good reason to turn their backs on a vaccine).

Besides which, one of my worries is that unmitigated spread in schools will lead to a mutation and a need to re-vaccinate, which will necessitate another lockdown. And of course all the vulnerable people who could die as a result of their current vaccine not working.

@FrangipaniBlue

Do the posters harping on about "but mutations!" realise that when a virus mutates it is doing so in order to survive, thus generally becomes less deadly....

It's basic science 101 FFS.

Can we stop with the hysterics please?

Perhaps you should go and have a word with the top scientists, specialists in the field, who are worried about exactly this. Seeing as you seem to know so much better.

Don't see the big deal about hairdressers as if it's essential, and seeing stuff on Facebook with women saying they feel like a woman again after a haircut is ridiculous. I also don't think they're that safe either I had to visit somewhere last year when they were open and people were walking in sitting on sofas not 2 metres apart, no face masks etc in such a big group you knew it wasn't one family.

It isn’t ridiculous at all. I had my hair cut twice between lockdowns last year. It was one client at a time, masked and temperature taken at the beginning. It was infinitely safer than the supermarket.

Personally, I can cope without the hairdressers being open, it's my eyebrows which are growing out of control! I can't see to do them well without my glasses , and no way trust DH to have a go!

Perhaps you should go and have a word with the top scientists, specialists in the field, who are worried about exactly this. Seeing as you seem to know so much better

You do know there’s disagreement between the scientists, don’t you?

@DenisetheMenace

“At the very very best they won't be completed (first dose) until July. - three weeks until effective - thats AUGUST at best!”

Possibly I’m a lone voice, but given where we were a year ago I think even August is bloody fantastic.

Oh, so do I, but my comment was in response to why the vaccine won't stop loads of people getting it in APRIL. OR as the OP seems to think after Feb 14th. 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

@BettyBoomerang it's not that the AZ vaccine isn't safe enough but not great against mlld and moderate cases of the SA variant I thought?

AZ was only used is south Africa wa 3 to 4 week gap between doses. We know it is more effective with a longer gap. That means it may yet be fine against the south African variant. It should also stop serious illness and death still. They only tested for effectiveness against infection.

Also the south African variant isn't the one most dominant here and if it did take off that wouldn't be in the next few months. So the vaccinations being used are perfect for the current situation.

@GeidiPrimes

I wonder where AA/NA and MH support groups open up. They've only been accessible via zoom since last March.

That is not true,I am in AA ,meetings are allowed to open,maximum of 15 people.The Government deemed them essential,loads open around the Country.

[quote StarlightandSunlight]@BettyBoomerang it's not that the AZ vaccine isn't safe enough but not great against mlld and moderate cases of the SA variant I thought? [/quote]
Yes that's what I read but I don't quite get it. Why not use it then - surely the aim is that people don't die, not that they don't get sick? That's what makes me worry there's more to it.

@3littlewords

but the most vulnerable are not yet vaccinated Oh but they are, all have been offered a first jab which most have taken, offering a significant amount of immunity in that one shot with it being topped up to maximin efficiency soon Or do you deem the most vulnerable set of people different to who the scientists deem the most vulnerable?

Givt defines them as the Top 9 groups as per the JCVI list. Not just the Top 4 groups

Group 6 are very vulnerable and. It many have had theirs yet let some the 22 days to develop immunity.

If the news is true and it's a careful unlocking so that we see how things go, I'm very curious as to what happens if schools tip us to the edge of coping.

Or over the edge even.

They've said that each step must be permanent so clearly can't close schools again. But would they have schools open and all of society closed indefinitely? Would business owners be happy to lose their livelihoods 'for the kids'? What's the Plan B?

If there's high community transmission the virus will mutate and if it mutates to a vaccine escape version, we're fucked

It's all out there in pretty plain English. It's not too complicated if you bother to apply yourself

You're not capable of having a conversation about it without being snide because you're scared. You're scared and like most idiots on the internet, you'll never change your mind once you've made it up, no matter how many people tell you you're wrong and no matter the evidence.

But that's ok. The media has stirred up a panic in people. I don't blame you for feeling the way you do, even though it's irrational.

I think the behaviour of the media will be covered in the public enquiry and may lead to Leveson 2