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.

I'm assuming many younger grandparents won't have been vaccinated yet

Well hopefully you'll benefit from the majority doing the right thing while you merrily do what you like. A bit like the anti-vaxxers who benefit from the rest doing the responsible thing. You seem determined not to listen to a word anyone says so just do your thing. It's good to see the vast majority on this thread however do have the ability to see the bigger picture and how this fits into a gradual unlock.

I do not understand this, "well if schools are opening I'll do whatever I want". Why would you want to put others at risk? The R rate will go up when schools open. If people then mix with family and friends it will go up further.

Do what you like. Nobody cares about what one person does. It's good enough that most posters think you are being selfish and won't follow suit, that's reassuring.

Today 11:01 ineedaholidaynow

I'm assuming many younger grandparents won't have been vaccinated yet“

I’m 56, had our daughter at 30 so there’ll be lots younger than I am. I’m group 8 so hopefully April 🤞

I don't think they are opening them all up at once. I think they're starting with primary, year 7, and then the top years of secondary. But they do need to go back and everyone should be back for the final term this school year.

@BettyBoomerang

I’d comply in Wales, Ireland or Scotland. Their phased return breeds caution. But no, here we are in merry old England with Boris the clown and his Big Bang. I won’t be sitting home from now in till we all suffer the consequences of his horrendous decisions again. No way.

But if everyone follow your lead we will all be suffering rhe horrific consequences of your decisions

Surely some small part of you must understand why they have prioritised children but are not opening the rest of society at once?

Lockdown isn’t some sort of punishment for you to react in a teenage rebellion manner, “ I’m going to do the max I can so there” .. you’re not 14 . And hopefully those around you have more sense.

We have to start reopening society. Yes children need to be prioritised. Not you. You can limit thr impact of them going back by continuing to comply until it’s safe not to.

I'm not in the UK but where I am our kids have been back 2 weeks but we still have to get permission to leave the house and we're still on curfew but can meet another house and all our shops are open. That all sounds bonkers but our figures are down

I’m beginning to think the OP is just looking for an excuse not to comply to be honest.

Yes OP do what you like and increase everyone's risk just for spite.
That'll teach those school-opening bastards.

@MrsHamlet

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

Oh please. Struggling? She is being a dick.

I agree.
No way is my son going back in a bubble of 230 kids in poorly ventitalted room (some classrooms have no windows)
And yet be told we can't have a cuppa with a realative indoors with a window open.
No fucking way!
Same with hair cuts I know plenty that are doing home hair cuts. 2 of my dcs hair is now beyond controllable. One of my ds has his cut every 4 weeks due to huge growth. So I will be booking an appointment.

@MrsHamlet

Yep. If it's safe for me to be back to 32 teens for two hours at a time unmasked in a poorly ventilated room, why is it not safe for me to have a hair cut?

This. It is insane, and puts teaching staff and parents still waiting to be vaccinated at huge risk.

@minipie

I’m beginning to think the OP is just looking for an excuse not to comply to be honest.

I’m not sure. I think she’s pissed schools are going back all at once and doesn’t wish children prioritised in this manner, so her “punishment” for pissing her off is she is going to attempt to increase the risk to everyone who know her or is near her by not complying as much as possible.

Go figure.

Yep. If it's safe for me to be back to 32 teens for two hours at a time unmasked in a poorly ventilated room, why is it not safe for me to have a hair cut?

If this comment is actually from a teacher, then I despair. No one thing is 'safe'. Opening schools will undoubtedly raise transmission rates....we all know that and so do the scientists. But if we keep hairdressers, bars, pubs, cafes etc closed for a while longer, the hope is that rates will be manageable for the NHS and can be kept on a downward trend. So millions of small social sacrifices (unfortunately much bigger if you're a business owner), are the price of getting children back into school. I think it's totally worth it.

Staggered that a teacher can't see the bigger picture! But also think teachers and uni lecturers should have vaccination priority and PPE for added security and confidence. They should be able to go to work with as little worry as possible.

I also blame the government for focusing on the misleading 'schools are safe' message. It's an absolute red herring.

But Boris says schools are safe

“ Children have had about 4 months of schooling in the past 12 months.”

This is a misrepresentation.

They have missed four months of face-to-face schooling. The rest were holidays.

Not saying it’s ideal but let’s at least be accurate.

And op I understand your frustration but if everyone did what you want to do how is it fair for more vulnerable children and families to be in your family’s bubble.

Not everyone has had a vaccine and not everyone is even on their half baked vulnerable list.

@KettleWentBang

I agree. No way is my son going back in a bubble of 230 kids in poorly ventitalted room (some classrooms have no windows) And yet be told we can't have a cuppa with a realative indoors with a window open. No fucking way! Same with hair cuts I know plenty that are doing home hair cuts. 2 of my dcs hair is now beyond controllable. One of my ds has his cut every 4 weeks due to huge growth. So I will be booking an appointment.

Absolutely.

And the ones that aren't saying it on here will still be doing it, cos they were last time when we didn't even have a vaccine to use as an excuse.

^No way is my son going back in a bubble of 230 kids in poorly ventitalted room (some classrooms have no windows)
And yet be told we can't have a cuppa with a realative indoors with a window open.
No fucking way!
Same with hair cuts I know plenty that are doing home hair cuts. 2 of my dcs hair is now beyond controllable. One of my ds has his cut every 4 weeks due to huge growth. So I will be booking an appointment.^

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.

Do some posters really not understand this??!!

Same. DH and I are secondary teachers. If they’re putting us back in the firing line that I’m seeing friends and relatives again (most of whom are also teachers anyway). If the government fuck up this recovery again then my goodwill and compliance are shot.

@Hepsie

I don't think they are opening them all up at once. I think they're starting with primary, year 7, and then the top years of secondary. But they do need to go back and everyone should be back for the final term this school year.

I haven't seen this reported anywhere.

Op up until October Half Term dds secondary school had no cases. Upon return to school there was a cluster of cases in dds year group. They were linked back to a sleepover.

How can people not understand this? It’s not rocket science

Send the kids back. Infections in kids and their below fifty on average parents, you see an increase of x cases and hospitalisations

Add on to this, people socialising indoors. Then you get x amount more infections and hospitalisations

Add on to this hair dressers and gyms, and you get even more infections and hospitalisation

They need to start reopening society. The spread from kids and their non vulnerable parents will not massively impact if all other restrictions in place. The needs of the child has to be balanced against the needs to society or thr nhs. Children have been deemed to be prioritised. Rightly. So many are not being affected. Their education damaged, we don’t need to delay any more. The vulnerable vaccinated by 8 March.

But we can’t just open up the rest of society. Nor should we hold back kids more.

@KettleWentBang

I agree. No way is my son going back in a bubble of 230 kids in poorly ventitalted room (some classrooms have no windows) And yet be told we can't have a cuppa with a realative indoors with a window open. No fucking way! Same with hair cuts I know plenty that are doing home hair cuts. 2 of my dcs hair is now beyond controllable. One of my ds has his cut every 4 weeks due to huge growth. So I will be booking an appointment.

Fine continue to fuck over your child’s education and development, in fact home school them for life- some people put that above their hair being cut!

@AllTheWayFromLondonDAMN

Same. DH and I are secondary teachers. If they’re putting us back in the firing line that I’m seeing friends and relatives again (most of whom are also teachers anyway). If the government fuck up this recovery again then my goodwill and compliance are shot.

Totally fair enough and I completely support teachers mixing and getting their lives back.