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.

Why are we then opening each month one thing and not allowing going clubbing or abroad ? Why not open everything then

Ones necessity, the others aren’t (yet).....

I think OP is trying to point out the complete contradiction between schools opening and a lot of other restrictions staying in place (I'm happy for you to correct me if I'm wrong, OP).
I'm with you, OP, if that's the case. (And if so, I totally feel your frustration and confusion as to why in some cases mass mixing is okay, and others it is not.)
I can't see how schools opening full on without any testing beforehand is going to help the transmission rate at all.

Of course she knows that. We all do but that doesn't stop that childish voice in your head saying "fuck this shit". I feel the same. Why should we keep making sacrifices because the government keeps fucking up. Why should everything be sacrificed at the alter of schools. I agree obviously they're vital and the kids need to go back but fucking hell everyone else knows that a phased return is the most sensible course of action. The thought of having to do this all again is unbearable. All because they couldn't just do things slowly. And if it doesn't cause a spike then it will at best prolong the agony of anything else being opened up. For childless people and hospitality that's got to be shite. But...after saying all that...yeah please don't. If schools all go back big bang style the worst thing we can do is "say fuck this shit."😩😩😩😩😩

I think the OP understands the issues just fine, and will do what is right. She is just understandably fucked off that our useless govt is hoping to get away with rushing things and putting everyone back in the shit. After having conveniently taken some steps to protect its core vote, of course.

Read what she is saying.
Stop attacking her for pointing out that absolute contradictions that we are being faced with.
She's a human being and deserves a bit of compassion.

Why should I consider myself both not at risk (from the mixing at schools) and at risk (from any other mixing). It literally makes no sense.

I work in a school, because of that risk which I can't avoid I have been super strict elsewhere eg no eat out to help out or holidays when it was ok. Simply because I want to limit where possible my risk, it's not a given I will catch it at work, I haven't so far.

That's not how our school works. Other than the very youngest, there's strict bubbles, one way system, social distancing and masks in rooms where they need to move around (like art) and between classes. All the kids will be tested twice before returning and teachers tested every week. Only one positive case in 800 students since September, though some may have had it without a test confirmation.
Parents are by and large sticking to the rules too - the kids are not mixing outside of school and neither are the parents.
My daughter is in her gcse year. The pressure is now constant as every piece of homework, class participation, test etc is regarded as counting towards their grade, and mocks will take place after Easter.
While it is arguable about some years, it is crucial for years 10-13 to be back at school ASAP.
And I will also follow the rules. It isn't hard, though if you have a sick or elderly relation I recognise it can be. I'm a new grandmother and I won't be able to see the baby until he is five months old- and not hold him even then. That is too bad - but not worth the risk. If I make exceptions for myself then I am no better than people who break the rules constantly.

@TableFlowerss

All the vulnerable are vaccinated. The shielding groups are bigger now, so anyone younger and obese will no doubt have had a letter from GP.

Even care homes are going to be allowed visitors, the NHS isn’t overwhelmed anymore and shouldn’t be thanks to the vaccine roll out.

So what’s the issue? Why would otherwise healthy adults be scared to death?

All the vulnerable ARE NOT vaccinated yet

@TableFlowerss

*Why are we then opening each month one thing and not allowing going clubbing or abroad ? Why not open everything then*

Ones necessity, the others aren’t (yet).....

Sorry. I think I misunderstood your comment

I'm happy to sacrifice the option to mix more as an adult, to give our society's limited capacity for increased infection to our children. The government has treated them utterly shamefully throughout the last year. Schools definitely should be the first things to open. Haircuts and coffees with your friends can wait.

I agree.

@minipie

If it's safe for my kids to go to school, then everything is safe.

This isn’t how it works. We can afford a certain level of transmission for hospitals not to be overwhelmed. We cannot afford a greater level of transmission. Opening schools will produce a certain level of transmission, which is projected not to overwhelm hospitals. That doesn’t mean we can go off and do other stuff which will raise transmission further.

But I think you know that.

This.

Opening schools first then other stuff is the phased reopening. It's not hard to understand. Schools aren't the only things that need to open so they want to do it first and at the safest time while continuing to immunise more. If you ever want to open society you can't take months opening schools. If you want to ignore the other rules that's up to you but if you care about children being back in school you'll reduce your risk as they reflect community transmission.

Stop attacking her for pointing out that absolute contradictions that we are being faced with.

Are they contradictions though?

She's a human being and deserves a bit of compassion.

The trouble with this angle is so are they other posters, don't they also deserve compassion? maybe they are struggling too!

All the vulnerable ARE NOT vaccinated yet

So why are the banging on about all the vulnerable groups being vaccinated and now they’re moving on to younger people?

By the 8th Match hopefully they all will be!

Some of you are so bloody lovely. Thank you for getting it.

I've honestly been the most scrupulous, careful person for a year now. I can say hand on heart that I've had the minimum social contact possible and done the absolute most to reduce my risk of catching or passing the virus. I have been in a supermarket only 3/4 times in the past year (all times just to get a prescription).

But it makes no sense anymore. I exist too. If it's OK for members of my household to attend group social gatherings every day then why is it not ok for me? Especially if the people I gather with are also gathering with the other people that my household members are gathering with?!

Dh is in critical, non nhs worker, he has worked every day since last March in his vital role. No measures were put in place for him to keep safe, he deals with members of the public in difficult face to face situations everyday. He could have brought the virus home to us. Teachers on here complaining about being unsafe when thousands of other workers have been in exactly the same situation. Our dc need to continue their education, it's gone on too long now. I fully support a full return to school and I say that as a teacher myself

Yep

@gigity

Stop attacking her for pointing out that absolute contradictions that we are being faced with.

Are they contradictions though?

She's a human being and deserves a bit of compassion.

The trouble with this angle is so are they other posters, don't they also deserve compassion? maybe they are struggling too!

This. Those of us that have followed the rules ... and will continue to do so , don’t we deserve compassion as well? Don’t you think we want this to finish ASAP as well so we can all have a happy 2021 and we fear a new lockdown because of actitudes like this ?

The trouble with this angle is so are they other posters, don't they also deserve compassion? maybe they are struggling too!
Of course. But it's not okay to come to a thread where someone is obviously struggling and beat her up.

Did anyone else see the figure today of over. 1400% increase in traumatic head injuries in children seen by Great Ormond Street?

The majority of kids need to be in school for their happiness, well being, future socialisation and mental health.

A lot need to be in because tense and traumatic home situations are injuring and killing them.

If everything else gets sacrificed on the altar of our children’s future I’m not happy about it, I’ll hate it, I’ll feel trapped by it. But I’m an adult and it’s the right thing to do.

So rage rage against the machine, I will be internally, but ultimately be a grown up and accept that transmission needs some mitigation’s. I hate the government, but I also couldn’t do the job better and wouldn’t want to.

She's angry. I see no indication of struggle, beyond the struggle to understand the perfectly simple logic of the decision

Everything manicinsomniac said and then some.
If we want schools to reopen as normal in March without causing another lockdown, we have to do everything possible to hold down infection rates in other parts of the community.

I think OP is trying to point out the complete contradiction between schools opening and a lot of other restrictions staying in place

But there's no contradiction. The increased transmission it will cause will only be at a manageable level if schools are the only change.

*This isn’t how it works. We can afford a certain level of transmission for hospitals not to be overwhelmed. We cannot afford a greater level of transmission. Opening schools will produce a certain level of transmission, which is projected not to overwhelm hospitals. That doesn’t mean we can go off and do other stuff which will raise transmission further.

But I think you know that.*

This. Absolutely. Everything can't open up again all at once. So the government are opening schools first, as they said they would when this lockdown started. It's not a surprise is it?!

More than happy to still have everything else shut if it means schools are open, unlike the summer term, when I could take my children all over the place but not school