Schools might not go back after the holiday - yippee!

[Chrysanthemums]

I just heard this on Sky news, which I don't normally watch but the dc's had it on somehow by mistake.

They said that in order to prevent it spreading further they might not open schools again in September. I wondered if this was being reported anywhere else and what people think about it.

I'm pleased as anything that makes it less likely people who are compromised or pregnant etc will catch it, is great.

I know most of us don't need to panic but those people are more at risk and therefore it merits a measure of effort to control it as far as possible, IMO.

no i understand the problems involved Lulumama. I didn't mean everyone who is worried about the proposal has an 'I'm alright Jack attitude' but I'm finding generally quite a lot of people feeling ok about it and being dismissive as it only really seriously affects those with 'underlying health issues' which is still quite a lot of people. AS I said, I don't think the govt will allow it, ,but if those in the know are seriously considering it, there must be some real substance behind their fears.

cool, i think i misunderstood you !

I am not remotely speaking from a position of authority FA!

wannabe, you need to read the govts pandemic planning stuff. School and childcare closures are seriously being considered, and local pandemic planning committees are supposed to be encouraing public and private sector employers to consider how they would manage that.

All businesses have been encouraged to work out how they would cope on a skeleton staff and which operations are 'essential'. For example, if the virus turns nasty, I can't imagine where I work (a university) will encourage students to return. So like schools we will be - I imagine - running virtual classes and working from home a lot.

But it is precisely the scenario of 10-50% of employees absent that has long been the major planning issue, not mass deaths etc.

And I think school closures should happen if there is enough evidence that the virus is becoming more dangerous. Education can be delayed if necessary; workplaces will have to adapt, even if at great cost to productivity.

just because the government think it's best, doesn't mean that it is

Education isn't the main issue here; schools have had to draw up plans already wrt closures/offering remote education etc, so that is do-able.

However if schools close then nurseries will have to close as well, and given that nurseries are there purely to provide childcare for the working parent this will have a detremental impact on the workforce, not only the companies who are operating on a skeleton staff, but also on those companies (nurseries and childminders) who are being put out of work by the government's plans.

Imagine you own a nursery, and that that nursery is your source of income, and the government close it for three, six, nine months. Ditto if you are a childminder. What happens to your family? There is no way the government will be able to pay in benefits what you would earn as a childminder/by running your nursery. So you can't afford to pay your bills. What happens then? Banks will not be obligated to ensure that your mortgage is put on hold, although some may choose to do that. How do you feed your children if your business has been forceably closed by the government?

Equally those parents who will have to give up their jobs to look after their children full time, how are they expected to cope?

I suspect that this has been suggested, but that it is by no means a certainty, primarily because of the huge implication of closing all schools.

just watched Krishnan Guru-Murphy interview head of obstetrecians on news. Ridiculous. He was haranguing him for providing advice for pregnant women on avoiding unnecessary travel/crowds and the poor man was hedging around and almost back tracking, obviously because the govt won't back him up. Some minister has probably been on the phone to him outraged. What really upsets me is that the health professionals involved may well recommend school closures, etc, but the govt will refuse, because of the economy. Ridiculous double standards emerging at present.

obstetricians even...

I agree entirely wannabe that it will be a social and economic disaster. But I guess if it is being considered, it is because the consequences of not doing it may also be a bigger social and economic disaster.

When pandemic planning for H5N1 started (bird, as opposed to swine flu) the upper possibilities of fatality levels were appalling. Some of the planning that is being done is terrifying. Children's places are one of the main routes for circulation of viruses. What it the govt's alternative but to propose this?

If the choice is between - say - the whole of, I dunno, Lancaster dying, or the govt intervene so they don't, which would you choose? One would only choose not to intervene if one didn't believe the risks they were talking about.

I was in hospital with dd3 last week (not sf) and i was told by one of the doctors that they have been told to expect a 2 week period at some stage when the whole country will shut down because there won't be enough people to run the services etc etc.

I hope schools don't shut down though - my work have told me I will get 2 days leave to look after my children if they get sick (have had one sick with SF already - 4 more to go), the rest will be unpaid. If the children can't go to school/nursery, I can't go to work, I won't get paid, and I won't be able to pay the mortgage. I can't believe that the schools will just shut down.

oh and I work for a charity, if it can't operate (most of the employees are women), then more people will suffer.

Ohyoubadbadkittn - sorry been offline for a few days. It would have been radio four and I have a very elastic memory so could have been eralier than a year.

I would love to know how I will manage if I am asked/told to close

I care for 16 children from 14 families - police/nurses/teachers/firemen - if I close large proportions of the local community are shortstaffed

I have 4 staff - if I am closed do I pay them? if so with what?

How do I pay my mortgage/council tax.....& that annoying necessity food?

I am scared.......of DH getting ill, of losing my job & my house

I am currently using the ostrich technique - my head is in so much sand you can't see my backside

I can't believe this could really happen. Surely, if they close all the schools they will have to also close all the nurseries and childminders too? Then all the SAHMs will start looking after their friends' kids to they can get to work - are they going to forbid that too? What about the softplay areas, libraries and swimming pols where we are all going to be driven in our desparation to occupy our increasingly feral children? The teenagers are all going to hang out for hours on end in the cinema and local shopping centre - also banned? It sounds like such a drastic measure might work short term but if there is an initial dip in the rate of infection, won't it just go back up again when children start spending time together in alternative settings?

I have been told by 2 teachers that they have been told it is a distinct possibility

I agree belgianbun it is shit.

But does 'all places of public gathering' also include supermarkets? If so, then how would we buy our food?

The country under house arrest sounds like the plot of a bad film; I hope it doesn't come to schools being closed.

bearing mind of course, that many of us would have to take our dc to the supermarket too - which would be an act of displacement!

I'm interested to know what happened in Mexico when they closed everything down for a few days.

I presume it's all up and running again now? Is there economy/infrastructure such that it wasn't too badly affected? I suppose it'd be a bit like an extended half term, here. We cope with the school hols, don't we. Or is that oversimplification...probably.

Mexico, good point. More relevent than Philadelphia, too.

Mercedes - thanks I thought it probably would be. I'll wait for the tv program on it.

it wasn't the whole country though was it? it was meccico city afaik. Which is the second most densely populated city in the world.

Also good point.

IIRC from my previous reading of pandemic planning docs, there would be staged, regional school closures. And they would re-open once a wave had run through a particular area. But I don't really know what current guidance is, this is only based on a lay person reading official documents available online. I really think we should ask MN to get someone on to tell us if poss.

VulpusinaWilfsuit - is there any plannning for small businesses that are forced to close (I know that is asking a lot of your memory)

Don't really know Katymac but I'd imagine your local chamber of commerce etc might have some advice?