Just in tiers with it all now ....

[dancemom]

New Thread, same old situation....

[OldRailer]

No, it's the direction of travel.

[GoldenOmber]

It feels like it’s going to be a rerun of the blended learning row back in summer.

Government: “We can’t have all students safely back in school just now.”
Public: “Okay, best be careful.”
Government: “We’ll do some kind of blended learning.”
Public: “Most of us aren’t following this too closely but okay, I’m sure that’s sensible, let’s be cautious.”
Government: “Now here’s what blended learning actually looks like in practice, and it’ll probably be in place for most of the school year.”
Public: “What the actual fuck is this?”
Government: “um... er....well, ‘blended learning’ was obviously never plan A, haha no, all schools are going back full-time and we never said otherwise. Moving on...”

[WouldBeGood]

Professor Woolhouse, professor of infectious diseases and epidemiologist says NS could move faster and children back to school soon.

[RaspberryCoulis]

The whole thing is just shite, isn't it? Who really believes that they are "following the science"? Because they're not. The levels of Covid infection are way down but we're still all at home. Because every time something good happens like the vaccine success, they come up with another excuse why we can't do X, Y or Z. It's all such total bollocks and I've started ignoring her. Constant shifting of goalposts, changing targets, zero covid, suppress covid, save the NHS. Whatever. Done with it.

I'll do the stuff which the law says I have to - I will wear my (utterly useless) paper mask in Asda because I don't want some old boy giving me a hard time over it. But the rest of it? Nah. DD having a friend over tomorrow, and I'm meeting a friend for a walk and takeaway coffee, won't be taking my tape measure or walking the other side of the road from her either.

[RaspberryCoulis]

@Bytheloch

Checking in to new thread with a question - what’s the plan for COP26, the global event due to be held in Glasgow in November?
Presumably the thousands of arrivals into Scotland for that will have to quarantine/or will not be permitted to travel across the unicorn border🧐?

Or can we take from the fact it is still going ahead (is it?) will we be free to party like it’s 2019, by say, October?

Well they're still recruiting volunteers. I know, because I've applied.

[Gil55]

@RaspberryCoulis totally agree. I was a big fan of NS but after watching my SEN child gradually regress this last year due to not being in school (SEN schools everywhere else in UK have not closed) and now this latest crap about zero elimination, it just confirms to me that she's put politics firmly before people. The vaccine's working, the R number is below one, death rate and hospitalizations are falling every day. It's now about control - nothing else. I'm done complying.

[anon444877]

What's happened with special schools here in some councils is outrageous. I don't understand why so much pressure was put on parents to keep kids at home who really needed the continuity of their routines and learning and they should be the first back, not the last.

[Bytheloch]

Well they're still recruiting volunteers. I know, because I've applied.

So this is interesting, as pp starry said it wasn’t go ahead as originally planned, but is it still akin to the commonwealth games?
I’m really interested to know how many thousands ARE still coming to Glasgow. It’s outwith ScotGov/NS control, so how will this work in reality?

[Bytheloch]

Going ahead, not go🙄

[Bytheloch]

I'll do the stuff which the law says I have to - I will wear my (utterly useless) paper mask in Asda because I don't want some old boy giving me a hard time over it. But the rest of it? Nah. DD having a friend over tomorrow, and I'm meeting a friend for a walk and takeaway coffee, won't be taking my tape measure or walking the other side of the road from her either.

I don’t know anyone who ISN’T doing all of the above. Heaven knows what we’d be like if we weren’t using common sense.

[Rae36]

What are the chances of me being stopped if I drive along the M8 from Edinburgh to see family just off the M77? I'm sick of not seeing them, they've been vaccinated, I had covid in August. Motorway or sneaky back routes? It's ds's birthday in a week and he would be overjoyed to see his grandparents. It's all he wants for his birthday

[Bytheloch]

Don’t speed/have deflating tyres/be uninsured or not paid tax and you won’t be stopped for anything. You can only be stopped for driving offences. Other than that, fill your boots and have a lovely time.
My close neighbours (in their 70s, both now vaccinated) have travelled most days to meet their GC, driving Stirling to Perth.

[NotAnActualSheep]

@kurtrussellsbeard

I've been really busy today and so I feel I've missed something. I just keep catching snippets of threads. Are the SG definitely saying that even after everyone is vaccinated the restrictions won't be lifted?

The panel report does seem to suggest that (my emphasis):

"The Scottish Government should reinforce the need for restrictions even when vaccines are rolled out to the majority by explaining the reasons for this approach, such as, risk of mutation and vaccine escape. We feel there is a need to set expectations in relation to the consequences of eliminating the virus. We are concerned that members of the public who expect everything to go back to normal once the vaccination program is complete will be disappointed and potentially may not adhere to future restrictions."

Elsewhere it says the elimination strategy should be followed" for 2021", and that the SG should "enforce social distancing and face coverings for all sectors until vaccination rates are very high." Also, on travel it says international travel should be "limited" (ie not totally forbidden) with clear messaging and guidelines (compulsory testing, vaccine passports, guidance on who is allowed to travel etc) - though no timescales.

So it doesn't seem totally clear, but I assume the SG will take from that what they want!

[ladylunchalot]

@anon444877

What's happened with special schools here in some councils is outrageous. I don't understand why so much pressure was put on parents to keep kids at home who really needed the continuity of their routines and learning and they should be the first back, not the last.

Totally agree, I'm appalled that ASN schools are just not on SG radar at all.
Ds' school messaged us today to say only 8%of s4 and s5 pupils can be in (2.5hrs per day) for technical subjects only. Certainly no mention of more pupils being allowed back.
I'm fed up emailing SG and msp's about this as they don't give a rats ass about it.

[NotAnActualSheep]

@Bytheloch

Well they're still recruiting volunteers. I know, because I've applied.

So this is interesting, as pp starry said it wasn’t go ahead as originally planned, but is it still akin to the commonwealth games?
I’m really interested to know how many thousands ARE still coming to Glasgow. It’s outwith ScotGov/NS control, so how will this work in reality?

Yes, I questioned this earlier. If it is subject to the zero covid restrictions it won't be able to go ahead, surely. People will have to be banned from coming in person, presumably, unless they have the money and time to quarantine. It will be a disaster for Scotland in terms of directly lost revenue, lost standing internationally (I'm sure other countries will understand but they won't see the city, invest with businesses exhibiting etc etc) and lost "community spirit" that was building through the volunteer network and so on. It also won't go down well with the rest of the UK in terms of lost reputation, and for the world to be affected by our "internal squabbles".

I'm sure the negotiations around targets could proceed online, or with the delegates who have quarantined, but it definitely won't have the "buzz" around it,, or presumably the international interest. Though I'm not sure of the wisdom of such huge in person conferences requiring thousands of international flights, geared around tackling climate change anyway, really!

[Pootle40]

@Rae36

What are the chances of me being stopped if I drive along the M8 from Edinburgh to see family just off the M77? I'm sick of not seeing them, they've been vaccinated, I had covid in August. Motorway or sneaky back routes? It's ds's birthday in a week and he would be overjoyed to see his grandparents. It's all he wants for his birthday

Crack on. I would too and so would many others. There was however a 'twilight zone' thread on MN which was taken down today. The abuse that people were getting for letting their mum step over the front door. Bonkers absolutely bonkers. These are the people I worry about most sometimes.

[AgentCooper]

I was speaking to my DSis today (teacher in ASN secondary for complex needs) and she’s heard nothing about who is coming back and when. The head has been in touch and apologised for not knowing what’s meant to be happening next week because he doesn’t. 20 places are available in the school currently for those children deemed to be the most in need and there’s a teaching rota, meaning DSis is in school one day a week. She doesn’t know if she’ll be in an extra day or several extra days next week. Communication from the govt and the council to schools like this is absolutely fucking disgraceful.

DSis is so worried about how her students and their parents are coping with all this coming and going and uncertainty.

[AgentCooper]

I can’t believe that Sturgeon is basically willing to cut us off from the entire world for something that scientists are saying isn’t likely to be possible. This is just about fucking control now and I’ve had it.

We are never going to be New Zealand. She’s had a bee in her bonnet about NZ for ages. One thing that struck me over the summer was that after Jacinda Ardern made a video listing her achievements as PM in 30 seconds or whatever, Nicola was hot on her heels to do the exact same. Aye Nicola, but her country’s Covid free, do you not have a pandemic to focus on?

Sorry to sound petty, just absolutely scunnered.

[Lockdownbear]

@Rae36

What are the chances of me being stopped if I drive along the M8 from Edinburgh to see family just off the M77? I'm sick of not seeing them, they've been vaccinated, I had covid in August. Motorway or sneaky back routes? It's ds's birthday in a week and he would be overjoyed to see his grandparents. It's all he wants for his birthday

None what so ever. Go and see your family.

I had a business trip south last week. Not a cop in sight. Not even at Carlisle.

[StarryEyeSurprise]

@AgentCooper

I was speaking to my DSis today (teacher in ASN secondary for complex needs) and she’s heard nothing about who is coming back and when. The head has been in touch and apologised for not knowing what’s meant to be happening next week because he doesn’t. 20 places are available in the school currently for those children deemed to be the most in need and there’s a teaching rota, meaning DSis is in school one day a week. She doesn’t know if she’ll be in an extra day or several extra days next week. Communication from the govt and the council to schools like this is absolutely fucking disgraceful.

DSis is so worried about how her students and their parents are coping with all this coming and going and uncertainty.

That's terrible. I'm not an ASN teacher but we were taken through what's happening with our ASN children today (those teachers directly involved knew earlier).

[anon444877]

It's awful the comms have been so bad agent for special schools. I saw Ian Rankin and Jo Wiley also campaigning about elderly care homes not being the only care homes and the vaccine priorities too.

I've seen tweets to politicians @ladylunchalot but no responses on special schools, flummoxed. Someone needs to ask questions about this in parliament because Scottish provision looks like it may have been about the worst in the UK (or prove us wrong if that's not the case).

[polarisation]

I'm so cynical about the whole thing now that I expect that the elimination strategy is plan A, which I expect to magically be deemed a great success sometime around... hmm, I don't know... the 1st of May, when some main restrictions will suddenly be lifted and we can all thank our dear leader at the ballot box.

But like I said, I've become very, very cynical about the current state of ScotGov.

[Lockdownbear]

Rae36 All I would say is sort out in your head your excuse for travelling, vulnerable parents, worried about your Mums MH or something. You won't be stopped for travelling but just incase you're involved in an accident and they ask the question.

[OldRailer]

Just how does major community mixing down at the polling station fit in here?

[StarryEyeSurprise]

Scottish Covid catch-up spend for schools is the highest in UK ( info below).


SCOTLAND has put more money into education catch-up for pupils than any other part of the UK, a study has found.

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) found this week’s Holyrood commitment of an extra £60 million for teachers and classroom support staff means that the Scottish Government has laid out more cash to help pupils cope than their counterparts in Westminster, Stormont or the Senedd.

The total Scottish Government spending on education catch-up of £200-per-pupil – £140m overall – compares with £174 each in England, £88-a-head in Wales and £82 for every learner in Northern Ireland.

The think tank called the uplift in Scottish Government funding “significant”, with the cash commitment just £114-per-head before.