If they open up schools all at once, I'm done with every other precaution

[BettyBoomerang]

If the 'leak' is true and they are stupid enough to open up all schools to all kids at the same time (thus leading to uncontrolled transmission of variants and increased risk of vaccine escape, further lockdowns and a redo of the vaccination programme) then I'm done with any kind of compliance.

I'm not staying at home like a fucking stupid sitting duck, waiting for my kids to come home with Covid anymore. The kids can see their friends, have sleepovers and we'll go out and about and visit friends and relatives and do the maximum we can.

You can pile in and call me selfish or whatever - I genuinely don't care anymore. I'm not putting my life on hold just for the government to fuck the recovery up again. I'm the most compliant of pretty much everyone I know but this is it for me, and many others I suspect (most of whom are already doing way more than me). If it's safe for my kids to go to school, then everything is safe.

It doesn’t matter if the op wants to go and get a haircut or have a coffee with a million friends. They’re not open yet!

And with her behaviour they'll open even later!

And no we won't have another lockdown. But the reopening of other parts of so may be delayed.

@manicinsomniac

I really don't think that's a sensible idea.

I think the govt know it's a risky strategy and will lead to increased transmission and that's the reason why almost nothing else is being opened up. They are choosing to sacrifice literally everyone and everything else to allow children the chance to go back. That suits me fine because I'm a teacher and I have children so I basically get the majority of my life back again. But if I were a childless work from homer or a SAHM with a toddler and a baby or a pub landlord or an actor etc I would be really frustrated and upset by the decisions. Obviously I think children and education are vitally important - but to the exclusion of everyone and everything else? Not sure.

But the increased transmission it will cause will only be at a manageable level if schools are the only change. If we all say 'fuck it' in addition to opening schools, that is when we really will be in trouble. I am not a numbers expert. But it looks to me like things are really positive and there is room for some relaxation. They've chosen to give all that relaxation to schools (so it seems - I don't actually think it will end up happening; I think unions or someone else will stop it)

This this this this this.

I get you op and I don’t think your selfish I don’t think anyone is . I think your just fed up of it all .
I mean if it’s true from 8th March you can meet someone outside for a coffee oh whoopee doo are you telling me nobody has been doing this ? .
It’s insane all this now the majority of the vulnerable have been vaccinated and your right if they are sending all the kids back in 2 weeks the risk must be lower .

What do you want, a medal? You sound like a petulant child.

@ThornAmongstRoses

Schools aren't safe. As we will see in the next weeks. Closures will begin from the start. Summer lockdown, anyone?

Another lockdown won’t happen unless hospital admissions or deaths begin to dramatically rise again.

People getting infected but recovering fine at home isn’t a reason to close schools and lockdown the country again.

This.

I think the government are now going to focus on hospitalization rates, not infection rates.

I think the government are now going to focus on hospitalization rates, not infection rates.*

That makes sense. And I can't see schools having to close if hospitals have enough capacity.

Schools weren't closed because they think the virus will kill loads of pupils or teachers, schools were close to stop transmission to the vunerable. Now that the most part of the vunerable are vaccinated the risk of transmission is less urgent. As in, opening schools now won't overwhelm the NHS, opening schools a month ago when most still weren't vaccinated would have overwhelmed the NHS.

I think the government are now going to focus on hospitalization rates, not infection rates.

Of course, Johnson is a gambler by nature and he is willing to risk blowing the whole vaccination program. He might get away with it, he might not. We all need him to be luckier this year than last year!

IF the schools reopen to all students in one go, you will be sending your children off to a super-spreading event on a daily basis. School staff will be expected to attend a super-spreading event daily. And these super-spreading events will be happening all over the country.

Anyone who thinks that they can somehow mitigate for this by wiping over their shopping and standing 2 meters away from other parents at the school gate is deluded.

This will not be a ‘manageable’ rise in the R rate. It will be exactly the same as the autumn term...and parents who see their children as the most important things in the world, are happy to continue sacrificing the wider economy and other people’s livelihoods for face-to-face teaching.

News flash parents...we don’t all think the world revolves around children. Young and adults are all also needed to keep this country going.

All I see is further restrictions and a less flexible lockdown for all, to try to keep schools open for face-to-face teaching. Well, no. At this point, let us just open up, take our chances and we can all get back to how things were.

So the kids finally get to go back to school and your plan is to mix with the parents of those kids increasing the chance of it spreading to other parents, kids and the entire school.

Yes you're being selfish.

The government has treated them utterly shamefully throughout the last year. Schools definitely should be the first things to open.

Totally agree.

In the schools my kids attended, people were able to wear masks

Plus the risk of school opening is in the mingling of parents as well. So parents need to be cautious

Some schools have been at 75% capacity during lockdown anyway as per some posters - infection rates have still come down

Our kids need to go back to school for various reasons with one of them being Education

@HalzTangz

Schools weren't closed because they think the virus will kill loads of pupils or teachers, schools were close to stop transmission to the vunerable. Now that the most part of the vunerable are vaccinated the risk of transmission is less urgent. As in, opening schools now won't overwhelm the NHS, opening schools a month ago when most still weren't vaccinated would have overwhelmed the NHS.

^ This. I think too many are under the impression that schools closed because they are dangerous. They closed to reduce transmission in the wider community, to protect the vulnerable and NHS.

Just can't understand the OP's attitude. The whole point is the prioritisation of schools. If you're a teacher and you're not happy about going back then you will can act via your union. I hope that education staff get vaccinated soon.

Boris told us all repeatedly "Schools are safe". If this is the case, then why did they close? Think about it. They are absolutely not safe. There is no such thing as Covid secure and "bubbles" are a load of bollocks. Covid is in the air that they breathe. No amount of hand gel is going to cut it. Schools are not safe. So for people saying "If it's safe for schools to open, then it's safe for me to go and pop into people's houses" is like saying "Boris Johnson said if I stick my finger in this blender it's safe, so I may aswell put my arm in a grinder, what's the difference?". Both are unsafe. Both are stupid. Common sense please. Schools are dangerous. We've seen the figures spike. If your children HAVE to go, then send them but don't think for one minute that suddenly Covid doesn't matter anymore. We're all pissed off. We're all angry. But the attitude of "I'll take my chances because I'm probably fine if I get it" is irresponsible. We live in communities. If your child brings Covid home from school and infects you, then you say "Well I do what I want" then YOU are spreading Covid wherever you go and the next person to contract it might not be so lucky. Complaining about lockdown and then doing the exact thing that will lengthen the lockdown? Think about it.

It’s a huge gamble. I think we’re likely to see another peak coming. Easter will help, though my prediction is I think Johnson will be forced to delay any further loosening in April, meaning instead of it being a break, it will end up being a circuit breaker. Because of this timing, if he is very lucky and we only get more cases, not new variants with vaccine escape, it’s possible he may get away without another lockdown. Let’s hope he gets lucky and that the additional deaths caused in the 50-70 age group aren’t amongst our own relatives.
Good luck everyone.

@manicinsomniac

I really don't think that's a sensible idea.

I think the govt know it's a risky strategy and will lead to increased transmission and that's the reason why almost nothing else is being opened up. They are choosing to sacrifice literally everyone and everything else to allow children the chance to go back. That suits me fine because I'm a teacher and I have children so I basically get the majority of my life back again. But if I were a childless work from homer or a SAHM with a toddler and a baby or a pub landlord or an actor etc I would be really frustrated and upset by the decisions. Obviously I think children and education are vitally important - but to the exclusion of everyone and everything else? Not sure.

But the increased transmission it will cause will only be at a manageable level if schools are the only change. If we all say 'fuck it' in addition to opening schools, that is when we really will be in trouble. I am not a numbers expert. But it looks to me like things are really positive and there is room for some relaxation. They've chosen to give all that relaxation to schools (so it seems - I don't actually think it will end up happening; I think unions or someone else will stop it)

Completely agree

Schools were always going to be the first thing to open. It’s now announced they’re opening, meaning it’s finally the start of lockdown being lifted and everyone is losing their shit Do you all want to be locked up forever? Hospitals are not overwhelmed and are unlikely now to be with the most vulnerable vaccinated so why on earth shouldn’t we start to open up?? Boris is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.
The more people do what the OP is planning on doing, the longer it will be before pubs and cafes and everything else will open, so well done OP.

I’m waiting for the rules to be relaxed so I can get my life back, and the is not going to happen if everyone flouts the rules. I notice on my lonely walks that it is groups of parents that are breaking the restrictions.

Transmission from/to children is said to be lower, unless you don’t believe that why can’t see why you mixing with their parents is higher risk?

Looking at people breaking the rules and reading about the selfishness that prompts them just makes me want to report the lot of them. I’ve had enough of this and it’s already been hugely drawn out by the stupidity of a minority.

I'm not staying at home like a fucking stupid sitting duck, waiting for my kids to come home with Covid anymore. The kids can see their friends, have sleepovers and we'll go out and about and visit friends and relatives and do the maximum we can.

Great. I mean, I do understand feeling this way I guess... but it’s this that just makes me feel so sure I can’t see my parents until they’re fully vaccinated. I’m sorry if this is harsh but it fucks me off so much that I have to continue to make sacrifices like that because I’m with loads of children whose parents think like this. It honestly makes me worry to see them even outside with these new variants because I know children end up having sleepovers, play dates etc, get taken to see family when it’s not allowed.

Scientists don't think this is safe at all because it's not.

People aren't fully vaccinated yet and we are making a huge gamble.

The biggest risk is allowing the virus to spread again will produce more variants and they could be vaccine resistant (this needing everyone to be vaccinated again.

Sending all children back before Easter is insane and dangerous.

@MrsHamlet

I'm sure you could be ruder - but you clearly can't see that the OP is struggling.

Where did you get that idea? Sounds like you’re projecting.

@BettyBoomerang

I genuinely don't care who thinks I'm selfish. I've had a year of being so so considerate. I'm not sitting at home while my kids are in classrooms of 30. That's just stupid. I just feel like a light has gone on! I'm not playing anymore.

Engage your brain FGS.

They have decided that we can stand an increase in cases (frankly they should be made to work in ICU, to realise we can't!!), they've prioritised schools over everything else as Loose Lips said they would.

Everything else is being sacrificed to send kids back to school...something those without children & those who would happily keep their children at home are not benefitting from, but support, for their education.

But then people like you are going to completely take the piss because you have less common sense than an ant.

JFC.

I don't understand the mentality of those wanting lockdown to continue forever. If the leaks are to be believed, it's an extremely cautious reopening with a priority focus on schools, as it should be. We have a vaccine for god's sake! Those vulnerable to Covid have either had it or are about to! It is a mild or asymptotic illness for most.

Obviously my parents should hopefully get vaccinated soon ish as they’re vulnerable but it’s because of my job that I’ve had to be so incredibly careful and it’s just like, yeah no worries you crack on and make that EVEN harder! Obviously it’s not your fault personally OP but it’s just very frustrating.