Feeling totally forgotten in Wales

[PutTheCakeDOWN]

I’m fed up now. No, actually I was fed up before Christmas. I’m not sure what I am now.

I’m very angry at the Welsh government. I feel like this is all pathetic political point scoring. We need a plan - rates are low, the most vulnerable have been vaccinated, and still no one knows what on earth is happening or when we will be released from house arrest. My kids need to be back at school. I need to be able to have time to work and breathe. We need to see family.

I also incredibly frustrated with it all I could scream. The wet lettuces in government talking about caution and data make me want to throw things at the radio.

Having a down day with it all. It’s gone too far now, we need to be given a plan out of this - like England have!

Whoops, Reopening I mean.

@OnceIWasAnApe

There are no set date because we don't know what is going to happen with covid. There are still parts of Wales that are at their peak. The only way that the UK government has surpassed the Welsh Senedd is in its publicity drive. I'm sorry that you're frustrated but people are dropping like flies in my area. I had nothing to say to Drakeford before. I would absolutely vote for him now.

No, people are not dropping like flies. Don’t be daft.

@Frazzled2207

im welsh living in England now but most of my family lives in wales so this affects me too. The numbers in December in Wales were horrifying but the lockdown has brought things right down so very low levels. I am just incredulous that for starters the no driving for exercise rule hasn't been loosened. What else do they expect to happen?

I am no fan of Boris but the dates we are given give us all a bit of hope and optimism and something to aim for. Wales has nothing other than potentially letting all the English tourists in? Is disgraceful.

Isn't it false hope though?! Everyone is fixated on the 21st June and what if it doesn't happen? Look at Christmas and he had to pull that right back and then look at what happened after. It is a shit show. I'd rather go slow and steady and never have another lockdown instead of rushing towards the 21st June and back in lockdown

With working vaccines there shouldn’t be any reason for another lockdown.

Otherwise what is the point of the vaccines!?

Phrases like “dropping like flies” are based on small scale anecdotal evidence.

It’s impossible to rationalise with people who take this information and extrapolate it to apply to a whole nation.

*Phrases like “dropping like flies” are based on small scale anecdotal evidence.

It’s impossible to rationalise with people who take this information and extrapolate it to apply to a whole nation.*
Maybe. But it's factual that some areas os Wales are only now peaking. Or do they not count because they're not close to you?

I understand differences of opinion regarding lockdown, but I am regularly surprised at the insensitivity and lack of kindness towards anyone who does share a sad anecdote on a thread like this. I respect your opinion, and yet, apparently my opinion and my experience is "daft". It isn't. It's fucking grief.

Be nice.

8-11 year olds are going back on 15th

The rationale is I think that they'll go back in 3 week batches with the reminder after Easter

She said it would have been sooner if that didn't go into the Easter holidays

@PutTheCakeDOWN yes the plan is to get all primary school children back by 15th march

We aren't actually moving particularly more slowthan England, it might feel like that for people with the last group to go back to school and I get that would be gutting.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/19/pupils-in-wales-set-to-return-to-primary-schools-on-15-march

I think the Welsh Government have done a good job and I will be voting for them at the next assembly elections. Kirsty Williams did announce last Friday that ks2 are going back on the 15th as well as exam year secondary pupils. She also said in the coronavirus briefing on Monday that schools had asked for some flexibility to get year 10 and 12 back on a part time basis too.

If we have to wait for 3 week intervals between school returns, I understand that this is to allow time for any increase in the R rate to become apparent and quantifiable?

If that is the case, why are we risking further increases in the R rate by opening retail, hairdressers, and holiday accommodation before Secondary Schools are open?

I can’t see any possible argument to stack up in support of that.

I'm just annoyed that I can't return my not fit for purpose office chair to Argos until lockdown is over unless it's in a Sainsbury's of which there are none near me! So feck knows when that will be. In the meantime, do I buy another chair or make do with the wonky back breaker?
First World problems.....

That's a fair view, a lot of people are annoyed about that and she for asked that a lot on the Facebook q&a earlier.

She just said it would have been sooner but for the holidays that she will get them back ASAP and that they are following the advice given on schools.

But I suppose they have make these calls - non essential retail would be mad as well to wait longer.

No idea what the right answer is, but seems as though kids are not a priority. Mine is Key stage 2, but completely unable to engage with online learning due to his disability. He is quite independant and fairly happy in his own company, but no social contact with anyone outside the household (he is an only child) for over 2 months, it just seems wrong! He was crying the other night, and just couldn't explain why.

Of course it is not just about school either, for us it's no bike rides and no scootering as we live on a busy main road with a narrow footway and it is just not safe. I have written countless letters about how the 'exercise from home' rule discriminates against those with disabilities (and children in general) but I'm guessing that's not a big priority either.

I'm not sure opening all schools tomorrow at normal capacity would be the right answer either, but either provide my child with an education, or give me the tools to meet his needs myself (ie less restrictions).

My local council will use ANY excuse not to open schools. Either the rates are low, so they might go up. Or local outbreak. Or rates are high in other parts of Wales, so we must be cautious. Or can't open schools until rates stabilise. Or our rates have stabilised but they are the highest in Wales (current excuse), therefore we can't risk opening schools.

I can't actually imagine any scenario when they feel opening schools would be the right step!!!!

Argos are twats IMO.

There really is no way that WG could win with this. They have been pressured to get schools open as well as businesses etc, what are they supposed to do?There is still some way to go with the vaccine rollout so we can't open up yet surely? (Speaking as someone desperate to sit in a library of all places!)

@landofgiants

I’m so sorry to hear about your poor son. We’re in such a similar position. Rural road, poorly kept pavements and racing traffic if we stray outside of our little road to walk. I’ll walk there but makes my DD nervous.
My DD is an only child. Goes to school in the next town. No friends nearby to walk with. She is truly broken. Only children really have suffered in all of this; it’s been particularly cruel and I suspect their mental health has been greatly affected as a cohort.
This exercise from home is so town/city centric. Drives me crazy and I have started to ignore it, as the Police quickly lost interest in their weekend interrogations around here. If they’re opening up for tourists before they open schools properly, then they can get stuffed.
I’ve not broken a single rule in all of this but this is one I’m happy to start breaking now, or I’ll watch my DD lose her mind, as she’s seen nothing outside of this road since before Christmas.

@OnceIWasAnApe

*Phrases like “dropping like flies” are based on small scale anecdotal evidence.

It’s impossible to rationalise with people who take this information and extrapolate it to apply to a whole nation.*
Maybe. But it's factual that some areas os Wales are only now peaking. Or do they not count because they're not close to you?

I understand differences of opinion regarding lockdown, but I am regularly surprised at the insensitivity and lack of kindness towards anyone who does share a sad anecdote on a thread like this. I respect your opinion, and yet, apparently my opinion and my experience is "daft". It isn't. It's fucking grief.

Be nice.

No areas of Wales are peaking. Are you referring to Anglesey's increase in cases, which can't really be classed as a peak?

@OnceIWasAnApe

*Phrases like “dropping like flies” are based on small scale anecdotal evidence.

It’s impossible to rationalise with people who take this information and extrapolate it to apply to a whole nation.*
Maybe. But it's factual that some areas os Wales are only now peaking. Or do they not count because they're not close to you?

I understand differences of opinion regarding lockdown, but I am regularly surprised at the insensitivity and lack of kindness towards anyone who does share a sad anecdote on a thread like this. I respect your opinion, and yet, apparently my opinion and my experience is "daft". It isn't. It's fucking grief.

Be nice.

Couldn’t have proved my point more perfectly.

@landofgiants sorry to hear you're having such a hard time of it. There is a specific allowance for people with disabilities to drive somewhere else to exercise though if the area accessible from home isn't suitable.

@OnceIWasAnApe

*Phrases like “dropping like flies” are based on small scale anecdotal evidence.

It’s impossible to rationalise with people who take this information and extrapolate it to apply to a whole nation.*
Maybe. But it's factual that some areas os Wales are only now peaking. Or do they not count because they're not close to you?

I understand differences of opinion regarding lockdown, but I am regularly surprised at the insensitivity and lack of kindness towards anyone who does share a sad anecdote on a thread like this. I respect your opinion, and yet, apparently my opinion and my experience is "daft". It isn't. It's fucking grief.

Be nice.

It is NOT factual that some areas are only just peaking. It’s factual that there’s a localised outbreak. Which is something we’re going to have to accept moving forwards. Covid isn’t going away.

Saying people are ‘dropping like flies’ IS daft. Fucking daft scaremongering in fact.

And I can’t even get started on the ‘be nice.’

Just no.

@Lupinhere37 and @landofgiants just get in the car and drive them a few miles. Everyone else is.

We should not be expected to sacrifice our children’s mental health for arbitrary and pointless rules.

I think Drakeford is doing OK.I don't agree with everything he has done, but I admire the fact that he is not scared to be unpopular, unlike Johnson.

The English roadmap is good in some ways as it gives people hope, but it is also a hostage to fortune. So many in England are now assuming everything will be back to normal on 21 June, even though the roadmap doesn't even actually say that.

[quote Lupinhere37]@landofgiants

I’m so sorry to hear about your poor son. We’re in such a similar position. Rural road, poorly kept pavements and racing traffic if we stray outside of our little road to walk. I’ll walk there but makes my DD nervous.
My DD is an only child. Goes to school in the next town. No friends nearby to walk with. She is truly broken. Only children really have suffered in all of this; it’s been particularly cruel and I suspect their mental health has been greatly affected as a cohort.
This exercise from home is so town/city centric. Drives me crazy and I have started to ignore it, as the Police quickly lost interest in their weekend interrogations around here. If they’re opening up for tourists before they open schools properly, then they can get stuffed.
I’ve not broken a single rule in all of this but this is one I’m happy to start breaking now, or I’ll watch my DD lose her mind, as she’s seen nothing outside of this road since before Christmas.[/quote]
Please do drive your daughter to somewhere she can go for walk safely and ideally see a friend. These rules are insane and inhuman.
Am pleased that the local police have relaxed a bit. I’m staggered that they don’t have more important things to do.