Just heard we are moving into teir 3 on saturday

growstuff

The plan in schools is to have Years and 11 and 13 in school as normal (so far so good). Meanwhile, the other 7 and half million (approximately) pupils will be tested by parents and volunteers. Teachers are expected to use their Christmas holiday to organise this, in addition to tracing contacts of any pupils who have tested positive during the last days of term. It was announced at 15.45 on what is for some schools the last day of term.

This so-called 'plan' is just another ridiculous ones from our present government. So, the staff at schools, (at present struggling with numbers depleted with members being off sick themselves, or at home lookking after their own children), are now also expected to carry out all those tests each day. Of course, still continue, at same time, with all their double lesson plans (on-line and face-to-face).

No training in taking these tests - and it has been already shown that tests taken by untrained people have a very high inaccuracy rate).

Once again, the government have just earmarked a group to blame, to try to divert attention from their own total mishandling of everything to do with this virus in this country - which has given us the highest death rate in Europe as well as the worst financial outcome in Europe.

We just gave the family cheques and told them to order anything they wanted for themselves and the children We had no plans to see anyone.

If the folk of Wirral don't behave themselves we'll be shifted to tier 3 instead of the tier 2 we're in now. They've only got themselves to blame if they fall foul of the virus thinking they know better.

Weve been in Tier 3for quite a while in Bolton...cant imagine what covid figures are going to be after the 5 day mixing period...and New Years Eve...heck...parties will happen obviously...not here though...I love Christmas and New year, being with friends and family...but not this year...and it so annoys me thinking of all the people that will break the rules...

My daughters' Secondary school finished the term at 1 pm today - and all pupils sent home for the holdiays.
At 2 pm the Head Master received an email from Minister for Education informing him that Years 7,8 9 will have an extra week out of school.
So, now, on top of all the other work, they have the job to try to contact parents to inform them of these new arrangements. Many of these do not have access to internet.

I have been ruminating lockdowns whilst sat in the hairdressers and I honestly cannot see a way to effectively lockdown/legally restrict a population of 66 + million.

Does the delayed return to school maybe imply that we are going to get a countrywide lockdown from Dec 28th to 11th January 2021? ie 2 weeks.

Here's the thing. Lockdowns don't work, but it's the only thing they can think of

Heard two head teachers despairing of having this test thing thrown at them at this stage.....who is to administer the tests ? Schools will need to get permission from parents. Where will it happen.. secondary schools are already extra full with having to split year groups and give the. Their own “hub”. Where are the spare staff to come from to oversee it ? Parents and volunteers will they need the equivalent of CRB checks ?

Wish we in Wales were in tiers - we’re all having to pay the price for South Wales horrendous figures.

Lockdowns only work for limited periods and here in Conwy county we seemed to have lurched from local lockdown to Firebreak to curfew/abstinence in the last three months.

We’ve had approx 120 deaths due to COVID since March which for a population of 117,000 doesn’t seem a lot although I know it’s awful for families and friends who lose a loved one.

We go full on lockdown on 28th December for the foreseeable future decimating the tourist industry in North Wales.

The plan in schools is to have Years and 11 and 13 in school as normal (so far so good). Meanwhile, the other 7 and half million (approximately) pupils will be tested by parents and volunteers. Teachers are expected to use their Christmas holiday to organise this, in addition to tracing contacts of any pupils who have tested positive during the last days of term. It was announced at 15.45 on what is for some schools the last day of term.

Jaxjacky

Greenfinch there is a staggered return of senior schools in January, at the same time they start testing in those schools.

But what actions will be taken as a result of the testing?

petra

GrannyGravy
I thought it wasn't going to work from the very beginning.
We are social animals, not Chinese automatons.
I believe the vast majority were adhering to the rules at the beginning but not now.
I was in Leigh yesterday. It was just like a normal sunny day.
The restaurants were all being used. You could count masks on one hand.
And when you know of people in very senior NHS positions ignoring the rules: you know it's not going to work.

Maybe people shouldn't behave like sheep. Just because somebody else is breaking the rules doesn't mean anybody else has to.

Personally, I think we should have had a real enforced short, sharp lockdown with only truly essential workers out and about.

Wales has just come out of a draconian lockdown but the numbers are still rising there.
IMO it was too short, GrannyGravy, just 17 days and ended on 9th November.

The whole of Wales will be locked down from 28th December although case numbers vary from area to area.

Totally agree regarding NHS personnel, the house near us was party central during first lockdown both husband and wife very senior staff at one of the Local teaching hospitals.

Greenfinch there is a staggered return of senior schools in January, at the same time they start testing in those schools.

We are in Berkshire and have grandchildren living with us but until something is done about the schools Tier 3 is of no value to us and this risky lifestyle will contiue. DH has his jab tomorrow butI must wait as I am in Group 4. Megs36. His notification came by phone yesterday not post.

The Chinese aren’t automatons either, they are also very social. Yes, there’s more of a culture of rule following but that’s a bit out of order, I think.

GrannyGravy
I thought it wasn't going to work from the very beginning.
We are social animals, not Chinese automatons.
I believe the vast majority were adhering to the rules at the beginning but not now.
I was in Leigh yesterday. It was just like a normal sunny day.
The restaurants were all being used. You could count masks on one hand.
And when you know of people in very senior NHS positions ignoring the rules: you know it's not going to work.

Were in the same club Ilovecheese.
I`m sort of getting used to it tbh.

Totally agree growstuff

Part of me feels like we should just fully lock down until the vaccine can properly be rolled out, but I know it’s impractical. The hospitality and arts industries have been decimated, and so many people don’t have the option of working from home (frankly, those people should be getting paid a LOT more - the supermarket workers, bin men and delivery people have had to go above and beyond this year, and deserve a lot more than the fat cats higher up in the pecking order!)

I'm in one of the few parts of Essex which isn't in Tier 3, but Hertfordshire has just been put in Tier 3, so we're more or less surrounded. I can't see it working very well because so many people travel to work outside the district.

It's all very well putting people in tiers or having lockdowns, but not if people break the rules (and who's going to enforce them?) All they seem to do is cause problems for restaurants and pubs.

I'm in Hertfordshire too, so will be in Tier 3 from Saturday. I've hardly been out for months anyway so won't make much difference, but it is a bit scary how this has escalated so quickly.

I’m barely paying attention to the ones up here in Scotland, because I’ve barely changed my activities since the height of lockdown 1. My wife is in a vulnerable category, so I want to be extra cautious. At this point I’m more worried about reintegrating back into society!