OT. Schools...normality and Coronavirus.

[ramAnag]

Still no football and someone had to put their head above the parapet to raise this one so it might as well be me.
I obviously wear several ‘hats’ with this but I’ll save that for later.
Currently listening to Michael Gove talking complete nonsense about schools and setting that alongside the very sparsely populated House of Commons (place of work) that he, increasingly occasionally, attends.
Clearly it is desirable that children go to school for the purpose of being educated. Equally clearly it is crucial, from an economic recovery point of view, that schools kick-start their ‘child minding’ function allowing parents to possibly return to work.
What however are the dangers? Children have been largely ‘self isolating’ for the last seven weeks or so. Now suddenly there is talk of them returning to school in about 15 days time.
The average class size in this country is between 25-27 although there is no way that we will see an imminent return of those numbers before September at the absolute earliest.
Much more likely is that children - and remember that in these circumstances it is no longer compulsory for parents to send their children to school - will be taught in groups of 15.
That means there will suddenly be 17 individuals placed in close and confined proximity during the school day, mixing (to an admittedly reduced extent) with a great many other individuals who will then all go home to their families at the end of the day.
I fully recognise the need to reopen schools, but at a time when my local (medium sized and many times the size of an average classroom) supermarket restricts the number of customers allowed in at any one time to 30, and at a time when I’m not allowed to stand within two metres of my own grandchildren does it make sense to reopen schools and how should we go about it? Thoughts?

[Geoff Parkstone]

I'd love to have an answer to that question, but I dont have one. Seems to me that everything is a bit trial and error, suck it and see. But if we don't take calculated risks then the economy and so society will collapse with inactivity. As noted elsewhere people are becoming furlough addicts - and why not take 80% for doing nothing and staying in your little bubble.

This is what I said a couple of months ago - the key is managing unlockdown as that involves risk. Let's hope that risk has been adequately assessed, although I suspect you think it hasn't been.

I have a little more faith / hope / optimism but equally I can see how transmission rates might respike.

The point is we have to do something, we cannot just sit here and watch society walk off the cliff. Returning to work will be central to stopping the cliff being too high. If only women had not been integrated into the workplace, they could stay at home and let the menfolk work 😉😉

[Trickytreesreds]

It is crunch time as far as I can see.
We were put into lock down to make sure the NHS wasn't swamped.
We have succeded in that. We have how ever created a back log of other medical needs that we will pay for in the long run.
It has been suggested that over 25 000 cancer patients will now die as a result of reduction in care in the lock down.
Keep sitting on our back sides and the NHS which is public funded, is going to find itself seriously facing cut backs due to lack of cash. How many die then as a result for a variety of medical reasons?

Two things stop this now. A vaccine and natural immunity.
I have watched many reports lately, that the ones pushing for this lock down to continue are mainly the left/unions etc,
The ones that suffer the most are always the poorest in society and if they think the state is going to keep paying wages, they are deluded.

We should get back to normality with conditions. No big crowds/ social distancing/ get ill means isolation/protect the elderly.
If we don't get the economy going soom, your coronavirus deaths, are going to pale into insignificance.

It's harsh, but a reality. No one asked for this outbreak, but have it we do.
Nature will always throw these grenades at us. But sometimes you have to bite your lip and get on with it.

NB. As an example. A friend of mine lost her mum. Very sad and much tears and wailing has ensued about bloody corona etc.
I didn't have the heart to say to her, she was 92 dear! Anything could have killed her at that age. But we seem to have been whipped up into a coronahysteria fugue.

We need to get on with it now. For everyones sake.

[macstheman]

Mmmm TTT's reappeared, have you apologised to rA yet??

[MadAmster]

Exiting lockdown was never going to be easy. Taking baby steps, evaluate what happens, if the stats are still improving then take the next step. No improvement should signal the status quo. A worsening of the stats and you reimpose some or all of the relaxed measures.

There is no other way as herd immunity is a way off and I have never thought there will be a reliable, effective, safe vaccine before the whole thing blows over as happened with CV-19s forefathers.

[ramAnag]

Exiting lockdown was never going to be easy. Taking baby steps, evaluate what happens, if the stats are still improving then take the next step. No improvement should signal the status quo. A worsening of the stats and you reimpose some or all of the relaxed measures.

There is no other way as herd immunity is a way off and I have never thought there will be a reliable, effective, safe vaccine before the whole thing blows over as happened with CV-19s forefathers.

Always interesting and valid to see what is happening elsewhere. What’s the situation in Holland, MA?

I understand from personal experience that children in the area of Berlin will be returning from 26th May but only for half a week allowing smaller groups access to 50% timetables.

On the east coast of the USA there is likely to be no return, but then they have huge summer holidays there so they’d be due to break up in about three weeks anyway. No Summer Camps to fill the ‘gap’ this year though.

The first week of June looks more likely in England but again in reduced, voluntary groups and I don’t blame the authorities in places like Liverpool and the North East for their reluctance to open schools and ease the lockdown.

Speaking entirely personally, I haven’t been able to be within touching distance of either my English based children or grandchildren since early March. Once they return to school I can only see such ‘contact’ becoming less likely because, imo, the risk of possible infection will inevitably rise even though it may be carried asymptomatically. Multiply that by hundreds of thousands and the problem is obvious.

P.S. Still waiting, Tricky.

[Trickytreesreds]

Mmmm TTT's reappeared, have you apologised to rA yet??

Never.

On that day, Satan will be skating to work

[macstheman]

Never.

On that day, Satan will be skating to work

Says it all really!!

[ramAnag]

Never.

On that day, Satan will be skating to work

In which case, taking into account your accusations of the 11th and 13th May, your complete inability to substantiate those accusations and your latest refusal to withdraw your comments and apologise, I would regretfully suggest that it is time for the moderator to intervene.

[Andy_Faber]

Never.

On that day, Satan will be skating to work

I’ve asked another forum member to moderate their behaviour on the forum so now it’s your turn. Quote what you want off the internet, share your views but DON’T get personal. It’s p***ing people off so pack it off or Satan will be Skating over to the moderator control board and wielding the ban hammer