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.

@Pieceofpurplesky

Tableflowers I am over 50, asthmatic , overweight and a full time teacher as well as a carer for elderly parents (diabetic and heart condition). I haven't had my vaccination and my surgery tell me they are starting the next band in a week - so even if I get mine on day one (which is highly unlikely) I will still have 14 days with 32 x 6 kids every day. So no, not all vulnerable have been done

Well surely you won’t be expected to go back to work yet? Surely you’ve been told to Sheila by your doctor? (In the next group of shielded)

shield

Ok. I apologise. It just seemed a little petulant to say, 'well if they're all back, I'm just going to do what I want'

I am hugely fucked off by the fact that schools won't be having a staggered return. I'm tired and scared for medically vulnerable ds, who won't be vaccinated until there is a vaccine suitable for children. Tomorrow is going to bring another day, of sorting out a letter for school, home schooling and worrying about the fact that the dds will be going back on the 8th, despite it seeming far more sensible to wait until after Easter. And ds is up with reflux and I cant sleep because im too pissed off at the news, and I'm having to prop him up....anyway I am being an arse.

Whils group 6 may have some vulnerabilities the fact that 90% deaths ae groups 1-4 proves that people in group 6 are fa too paranoid about their actual risk

You may be more vulnerable to catching it but not dying or the figures would be massively different as group 6 is big

I just 100% don't believe that if I stay at home, like I have so far, that everyone else will do the same

See, I'm just doing me.
I can't control what everyone else is or isn't doing.
Should we all just think "fuck it" and do what we like?
No
Things need to start opening up, it makes sense for schools to need to go back.

What @manicinsomniac said.

Don't get me wrong, the government has fucked this up good and proper all along - but can you not see that if we all take your attitude, then of course infections are going to soar?? We're all sick to the back teeth of this but people who decide to do what they like because their boredom is apparently more unbearable than everyone else's are going to fuel infection rates.

My Dd is vulnerable and has just had her vaccination. Most of group 6 in our county haven’t. She won’t have had 3 weeks immunity build up by the time she goes back at this rate but at least she is 16 and can have the vaccine.
Finish group 6 add three weeks then start from that date.

The argument of "if our kids are mixing at school then I might as well mix with their mums as the risk is there regardless" only makes sense if Covid has a 100% transmission rate. But most estimates seem to suggest about a 50% chance that an infected person will pass it to the other members of their household i.e. to the people they are in the closest contact with.

So if Mum A has it, it could pass from her to Child A, to Child B at school, to Mum B but in each step, transmission might only happen 50% of the time. But if Mum A meets Mum B directly then that's another route for Mum B to be infected so it increases the risk for Mum B.

@everythingisstillginandroses

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.

Agree. People are misreading the op's post.

Absolute madness to send all the kids back at once. It's reckless, foolish and we'll all be locked up again in summer. Probably with mutant strains that the vaccines won't work against. Great.

Tableflowers I have never posed working - in school 3 days but in class
of 8. We were told if we wanted to be off we could take unpaid leave.
On top of all the other stuff I am a single mum and could not afford.

And no, not been told to shield as not on the list

Posed? Stopped

If the unmasked boy sitting shoulder to shoulder with my daughter in a class for a couple of hours a day happens to have a mum as a hairdresser, why can’t she come round and cut my hair?
I think this is the point the OP is making.

@BettyBoomerang

I just 100% don't believe that if I stay at home, like I have so far, that everyone else will do the same. I know how much mixing went on amongst my kids' friends and other families. Plenty of them are mixing now and schools aren't even back yet - they'll be all over it once they get what they see as the green light from the government.

Well you can choose either to do the right thing, or not. You can reduced the risk of further transmission by staying at home yourself to allow your kids to go to school, or you can join the herd if of other idiots pleasing only themselves and then you can know you've played your part in delaying further unlocks.

Don't forget that all future easing of restrictions are reliant on each stage going to plan, so actually how you and everyone else behaves now will determine how much easing there is in May and June.

@Curlywurly75

What *@manicinsomniac* said.

Don't get me wrong, the government has fucked this up good and proper all along - but can you not see that if we all take your attitude, then of course infections are going to soar?? We're all sick to the back teeth of this but people who decide to do what they like because their boredom is apparently more unbearable than everyone else's are going to fuel infection rates.

I just genuinely, honestly, 100% believe it's going to happen anyway. I've just hit a wall with sitting at home waiting for it to happen and watching it unfold.

I see it the other way. My autistic teen is desperate to be back to school. I can forego a hair cut or a squish of some towels for a little longer to see that be able to happen as safely as currently possible.

Exactly. It’s about health care capacity and the R rate. OP - Just stop digging and admit you’re fed up and got it wrong. No shame in being wrong or fed up right now.

I just 100% don't believe that if I stay at home, like I have so far, that everyone else will do the same.

Well I’ve seen quite a few people driving very dangerously on the motorway, so I’ll do the same and so should everyone else.

Or would that just result in a massive pile up?

@Zandathepanda

If the unmasked boy sitting shoulder to shoulder with my daughter in a class for a couple of hours a day happens to have a mum as a hairdresser, why can’t she come round and cut my hair? I think this is the point the OP is making.

Exactly.

And just also that the government considers it safe for my family to have very close contact with lots of other people on a daily basis. It almost seems lunacy to then sit at home and not have seen my baby niece more than once since she was born and just wait day in day out to see if any of them bring Coronavirus home to me.

Yes why just wait for them to bring it home to you - go out and seek it for yourself!

@lughnasadh @BettyBoomerang

I’m fed up of everyone saying the vulnerables have been protected . The issue is that most of those vaccinated so far ie the grannies and grandpas haven’t got kids at school or teach at them . Group 6 ( the vulnerables such as diabetics , those that have had chemo etc) are only just being started on here. Also under 16 vulnerables not vaccinated at all. Most of the younger ones won’t die but they might get very sick and they might have life changing consequences. So Granny has been saved but, say, diabetic mummy at the school gate hasn’t been yet . So please think about that .

We all want the schools to open - personally I think they should stagger it , it is reckless in my view to go back on the same day . However the attitudes of some on this thread shows just why we have had to have three lockdowns already .
I suspect that those that make these gung ho “I’m done/ enough” comments have no direct experience of a family member very sick with covid or have members who are vulnerable or perhaps live in an area that hasn’t been hard hit by a Covid . I can’t believe you would think like you do if you did

Ps don’t tell the vulnerables to hide away . Actually the sickest people I know with the most life changing consequences of Covid are 38-52 with no underlying . Sadly the people who will bear the brunt of your actions will be people like my family but some of you might too.

@Mockolate

Children need to go back to school though for their mental well being. Mine does anyway. Was coping just fine last year but this time round the lack of school and contact with people is starting to really affect.

Maybe but some are coping better. I get tired of this idea that all children are suffering. My DS is coping so well with online learning. Prior to the pandemic, he was missing so much school due to anxiety. He’s a smart kid and his attitude has really changed during this. He is contentious. He is focussed. Going back to school will take all of that away from him as he battles panic attacks all morning. Yes yes I know he “could be homeschooled” but he is coping so well with having live lessons from his school. Obviously, I want schools to go back (safely) but not all children are suffering because of this. School isn’t always a great experience for everyone. He is going to really really struggle with this. Btw, I have 2 others desperate to be back and one who is finding it really difficult. I just get tired of the narrative that every child is suffering when they are clearly not all suffering.

@Pieceofpurplesky

Tableflowers I have never posed working - in school 3 days but in class of 8. We were told if we wanted to be off we could take unpaid leave. On top of all the other stuff I am a single mum and could not afford.

And no, not been told to shield as not on the list

I do sympathise with your situation. You’re getting it from all angles, being a carer for elderly parents who are vulnerable, a single parent so has to work for financial reasons, have health conditions yourself.

I can understand why you’re not happy with schools opening, I would feel the same in your shoes.

^If the unmasked boy sitting shoulder to shoulder with my daughter in a class for a couple of hours a day happens to have a mum as a hairdresser, why can’t she come round and cut my hair?
I think this is the point the OP is making^

That assumes a 100% transmission rate, but the actual rate is about 50%. So you would be increasing the risk by meeting up with the boy's mum.

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
Yes it's that balancing act. Hiw much can you open up for the greater good whether it be education or businesses.
Re vaccinations I feel pretty vulnerable myself. I have asthma and I am obese but not morbidly so and will only receive vaccine with my age group (over 50) so sending my kids back to school will be riskier for me than my ECV dh who at least has had one dose of vaccine.
However I will do it because quite frankly homeschooling has broken me. But I sure as hell will be doing everything else to reduce risk.

I do too @BettyBoomerang but I just need to know I did my best not to contribute to another lockdown otherwise I would feel I had no right to complain when we go back into one.