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

Well clearly no one can go on foreign holidays since many of us now bear zero resemblance to our passport photos anyway. Between WFH + homeschool, I’ve aged about 10 years and my hair looks look like I’m attempting a 1980’s Tina Turner tribute act (and we don’t talk about lockdown weight).

Wow. So much for this being the last lockdown then.

Hairdressers are non essential in a bloody pandemic, that’s why they’re later! Just let it grow, cut it or pin it up

a. Like the footballers, celebs and TV presenters are.
b. also loving the ableism privilege. Hairdressers stayed open in another country. (i will have to google, it was a while ago) due to the fact that some disabled and elderly people struggle to wash their own hair. The shithole that is the UK? Nope. Unless you are famous or rich.

I'm not a teacher.

Teachers have not been shown how to do lateral flow tests.

@MrsMiggins22

Hairdressers are non essential in a bloody pandemic, that’s why they’re later! Just let it grow, cut it or pin it up...

But hairdressers are people too, with children to feed and mortgages and bills to pay! My Dd is a hairdresser. Worked years to build up a business. She has never taken a day off sick, and now it is illegal for her to work! She paid tax, but is not eligible for any help due to loopholes. She is running out of her savings. And just to add I have only had my hair cut once since March and seen my Dd twice in that time. My hair is long and I use clips, but that does not help my Dd keep her home! Months without an income.

@pinkhappy

Those suggesting lockdown 4 seem very pessimistic. Very few people infected after 14 feb will die in the uk because of the vaccinations.

Says you.

@CoolKitkat

Why leak it a day early? Every time.

Because they like to put it out there to get a feller for public sentiment, then tweak the plan last minute...

Cant seriously believe people are more arsed about their hair than collective children’s mental states. Thank fuck schools are going back, children finally need prioritisation. 1 in 3 adults are now vaccinated.

Are teachers really that militant and petty that they're not prepared to spend an hour or two - or even a full day of that's what it takes - doing something that'll help keep them and their pupils safer?
I'm neither militant nor petty. I am a very qualified and highly experienced teacher of English.
We've been vilified in here for months about online learning being a poor substitute for face to face... so I'll happily go and teach my students about Macbeth because that's my job.
Testing is SERCOs job. They have been paid a huge sum of money to do that. So they can do that and I can teach year 11 how to answer an exam question for some form of assessment.

I don't think the jan lockdown was caused by schools

Boris called schools ‘vectors of transmission’

@YardleyX

Why are people saying back in lockdown by Sept?!?

Have they not noticed the vaccines?

Err because of mutations

Sounds like a sensible, phased schedule to me. Most of the indoor recreational stuff left until May. Revised vaccine schedule says all over 50's will have been offered their first vaccine by mid April, so that tracks quite well.

Good that the outdoor sport and socialising can take place sooner.

@SnarkyBag

God no hairdressers until may?! My teen sons will probably refuse to go to school looking like they do right now

My teenage son doing an apprenticeship is very happy to be wearing his hard hat !!

You know what? Let's just open it all up!
It's illogical, but it's what the majority of people want. Once schools are fully open there's little point them saying ' can't do this, can't do that' etc. nobody is going to abide by the rules!
I've just read the mail and it seems clear that 8th March is the big day for schools.
I was told on another thread ' your wrong , that won't happen' etc etc.
Tomorrow will be very interesting! I imagine that the scientists don't want any of this yet though!

Very few people infected after 14 feb will die in the uk because of the vaccinations

People can still get sick resulting in school closures. And not not fuck given about vulnerable children.

[quote ihearttc]@Theromanempire

I completely agree. DS1 is in Y11 and needs be concentrating on his work not worrying about his hair. I can’t cut it and he can’t put it up so not entirely sure what I’m supposed to do. Also it will be weeks and weeks to even get an appointment when they do open.[/quote]
When you are a 15/16 year old, appearance is everything isn't it? 1st lockdown was ok as barbers opened before schools did but DS is already looking overgrown and shaggy

And why would we be having more lockdowns anyway? We have vaccines and the entire adult population will have been offered them by the end of July

How can people be this dense? Because unmitigated transmission (as happens in crowded, unventilated, un-socially distanced, unmasked schools) leads to a much increased risk of mutation and vaccine escape. This kind of fucking stupid move could easily mean that we all lock down again in a few months, waiting for them to tweak vaccines and then DO THE WHOLE VACCINATION PROGRAMME OVER AGAIN. Jesus.

@pinkhappy

Those suggesting lockdown 4 seem very pessimistic. Very few people infected after 14 feb will die in the uk because of the vaccinations.

What?

I am fairly positive about things but that isn't right

Teaching is not my paid job either but yet I’ve been expected to teach for the best part of the year (along with my actual job). Teachers need to be more adaptable.

Lockdowns are instigated to stop the NHS from being overwhelmed. Not to eradicate the virus. High vaccination rates mean that the incidence of those most likely to become seriously ill requiring hospital admission will decline.
Covid is here to stay. The sooner people get their head around that the better.
Get kids back to school and get tbe economy moving.

Any guesses when libraries and museums may open? They are essential to my work.

@KeepWashingThoseHands

Well clearly no one can go on foreign holidays since many of us now bear zero resemblance to our passport photos anyway. Between WFH + homeschool, I’ve aged about 10 years and my hair looks look like I’m attempting a 1980’s Tina Turner tribute act (and we don’t talk about lockdown weight).

😂😂😂

@flamingomingeo

I’m very bothered about schools, I work in one and also have a Y11 son. However he is very likely to refuse to go in looking like a Yeti which is clearly not going to do lot for his mental health. He is really struggling with his self confidence after a year of lockdown so yes for me being able to get his hair cut is important. 16 year old boys don’t tend to put their hair in a ponytail and get on with it...

@the80sweregreat

You know what? Let's just open it all up! It's illogical, but it's what the majority of people want. Once schools are fully open there's little point them saying ' can't do this, can't do that' etc. nobody is going to abide by the rules! I've just read the mail and it seems clear that 8th March is the big day for schools. I was told on another thread ' your wrong , that won't happen' etc etc. Tomorrow will be very interesting! I imagine that the scientists don't want any of this yet though!

Silly scientists , what do they know

Why does a phase return to school matter? Having all kids in at the beginning, rather than spreading it out over 2 weeks surely won’t make that much difference.
I think it’s quite clever having kids back for 3 weeks with no other changes. Then 2 weeks of slight relaxation whilst kids are off school.
So actually it’s 5 weeks post March 8th when problems may be more likely to occur, but hopefully by then, it may be subdued more substantially by the vaccinations.