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Original poster

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

830 replies

BettyBoomerang · 21/02/2021 23:21

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.

OP posts:
Violetlavenders · 22/02/2021 11:21

If the government fuck up this recovery again then my goodwill and compliance are shot.

But the recovery is more likely to be successful if schools are the ONLY parts of society opening up for now.

RedToothBrush · 22/02/2021 11:22

@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'll see you in the closed shops and pubs then...

... I think there may be a reason for the order of things opening. All you do by doing this is potentially prolonging other things reopening.

I don't think its selfish behaviour. I think its self defeating and shooting yourself in the foot behaviour.

I don't think its about it being 'safe' - I think its about reopening slowly to keep the R down as the vaccination programme rolls out and to stop other problems.

If we do get other problems then it just delays other things returning to normal as we have to rely on the effect of the vaccine in combination with other restrictions rather than the effect of the vaccine, considered behaviour and other restrictions.

Its your call, but its definitely cutting your nose off to spite your face in the end. You aren't 'getting one over on the government' or putting two fingers up at them.

stingbuzzray · 22/02/2021 11:22

Lots of children have been in school throughout this and as parents we have still been following the rules. Calm down, honestly the schools run bubbles for a reason to limit spread.

Mif4 · 22/02/2021 11:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Bluntness100 · 22/02/2021 11:22

@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.
What you going to do? Cough on them? Force them? Because you’re at risk in your mind they now should be? And you’ll,be the instrument of that?
Puddymuddle · 22/02/2021 11:23

They have missed more than 4 months. I make it 15 weeks last year (18 in total less Easter and may half term) plus 8 this year. So 23 weeks out of school not even counting all the ones who had to isolate last term.

8bitgame · 22/02/2021 11:23

It seems insane to me and I think risks yet another lock down.

Don't know if I will send DS back or not. If it was a phased return I would be far more comfortable but this "big bang" approach seems crazy.

I have not been vaccinated. DH has not been vaccinated. As far as I am aware DS's teacher has not been vaccinated.

Violetlavenders · 22/02/2021 11:24

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

Why put your friends and relatives at risk?

Quartz2208 · 22/02/2021 11:25

@BettyBoomerang I think looking at Wales/Scotland/Ireland approach doesnt necessarily help.

Look at it like we now have a slice of pie available to us that is what is free to ensure R doesnt go above 1. In the different devolved nations that firstly may well be different sized (Scotland/Northern Ireland are not dropping quite so much) and they have decided to do different things.

Wales have for example opened up outside to 4 people from 2 households and are looking at opening up some hospitality. They are also opening them up now so the pie is smaller today than it will be in 2 weeks when further drops have occured.

ENgland though are all in - our slice of the pie that we have for March (next steps are the 29th March) has gone on schools. That is all. Whether that should be the priority is a different argument but the only bit we have is on making sure all children go back to school.

Doing anything else will mean we are trying to get pie that simply doesnt exist at the moment. All the school playground interaction between parents should be under 15 minutes SD and masked. Very different from being able to meet.

Kettlewentbang because of the above approach there is no more wiggle room for adults to mix. CHildren mixing takes up all the leeway we have at the moment. As long as that doesnt cause it to go over 1 it will continue to shrink (albeit slower) and we then have more pie to allocate.

No one is saying that opening up schools wont cause the R rate to rise (even the GOvernment tbf if you listen) just that we now have enough room to do this and only this

Awalkinthefreshair · 22/02/2021 11:25

I get that children need Education, but they need healthy parents even more. I write this as a single parent (literally all my children have as they have no extended family) who suffers from asthma and has not yet been called for the vaccine.

Shenadoah · 22/02/2021 11:26

Could you not, for one moment, think about those working in the NHS? Unlocking in stages is not about you, it's about them.

IloveFebruary · 22/02/2021 11:27

You know loads of schools already have more then 50% attendance right now?! All they are doing is allowing the remaining children isolated at home to join them.

Doomsdayiscoming · 22/02/2021 11:28

Less in hospital than when we lifted November lockdown.

Less cases (especially when you take number of tests done) when we lifted November lockdown.

So Christmas trumps all?

edgeofsuburbia · 22/02/2021 11:28

I think there is pressure because schools are going back in the devolved nations.
But isn't it correct that Wales have vaccinated far more of their population? I thought I remember hearing that they were going over 16s now?
I think in the next 2 weeks the government are going to have to change something to ensure that the mass hubs are running at maximum capacity and not funnelling all of group 6 through GPs (who in some areas are having to do group 5 as well due to 'distance' from the mass hubs - this being over the ridiculous limit of 45 minutes, which also needs removing).

InsaneLockdowner · 22/02/2021 11:28

Agree. Load if bollox from our government again. Just in it for a popularity contest.
All the bullshit if we need to lift carefully, we've only one chance to get this right blah but under the relentless pressure to get ALL kids back at school yesterday, they cave in.

Well, if that's the case open up aviation so thousands of people can get their jobs back.

Absolutely sick of the double standards and conflicting messages.

ineedaholidaynow · 22/02/2021 11:29

@IloveFebruary and many schools have had bubbles burst so how do you think that will improve if all pupils go in

fairydustandpixies · 22/02/2021 11:30

Good luck out there infecting each other. I'll just wait here and stick by the rules - I've been alone for almost 12 months so reckon I can hold on a bit longer.

*settles in and waits for lockdown #4

HipTightOnions · 22/02/2021 11:30

You know loads of schools already have more then 50% attendance right now?! All they are doing is allowing the remaining children isolated at home to join them.

The vast majority of schools don’t though. Secondary schools are huge and currently have very few pupils in. This isn’t a question of adding in a few more.

DeathAndTaxis · 22/02/2021 11:30

The failure of the general public to understand cumulative risk knows no bounds 🙈

hamstersarse · 22/02/2021 11:31

I think it will be very welcome news if he opens up the schools fully and I will be massively disgusted if he doesn't.

@Awalkinthefreshair I am not sure you do get "that children need an education" or that you are looking at the stats rationally. Well controlled asthma is no greater risk, you are clearly under 40 and so your risk of dying is very very small which means the education of your children can be your priority

Shenadoah · 22/02/2021 11:33

DeathAndTaxis Mon 22-Feb-21 11:30:18

The failure of the general public to understand cumulative risk knows no bounds 🙈

Thank you; this literally sums it up!!!!

snowballer · 22/02/2021 11:34

@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.
This is mind blowing. So your response to being angry about being back in the "firing line" is to further increase your exposure. And from a secondary school teacher too 🤦‍♀️
MrsHusky · 22/02/2021 11:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

faerin · 22/02/2021 11:34

@snowballer

How would the way people people lived their lives before the restrictions NOT factor in to how well people are able to comply with restrictions put on their lives?

You didn't offer an actual rebuttal to my point.

In June of 2019, this was published:

"Nearly half of Brits socialise once a month or less" - www.independent.co.uk/life-style/loneliness-week-friends-socialising-once-month-sainsbury-s-living-well-index-a8961686.html

Does it not seem reasonable that if you were one of these people who lived a particularly boring, quite lonely life that you were adjusted to before lockdown, you would fall into the category of people for whom lockdown has not changed much?

It's absolutely my stance that the bracket of the population who are currently - almost a year on - still foaming at the mouth with "selfish!" at people daring to visit their own flesh and blood, were likely well-adjusted to lonely, boring, uneventful lives pre-2020.

BessMarvin · 22/02/2021 11:35

I really don't understand people saying that if the government proceeds with the first stage of opening up, which will inevitably lead to some kind of increase in infections, they are going to actively go out and try to make as many extra transmissions as possible in other ways.