Covexit - how would YOU manage it?

My daughter and daughter in law are both Primary School teachers

They've both expressed concern with regard to distancing

Young children will be incapable of keeping apart. They also touch anything and everything.

There was a virologist on TV this morning who thinks children do contract the virus but with very mild symptoms

I don't think there should be a rush to open schools

just had a delivery of bedding plants. The driver arrived, left everything on my drive. All masked up [unlike the numerous delivery drivers that have been delivering to my neighbours over the past few weeks]. Wasn't expecting it to be delivered so quickly though. I guess it's too early to plant bedding plants. How long should I leave it for?

The garden centres sell bird seed much cheaper than online. You can get ordinary bird seed elsewhere but dehusked is harder to find. Selfish....maybe. But the birds and squirrels in our garden entertain those who are having to totally isolate as well as us and, these days, any distraction helps.

Many of them are now being allowed to offer a contactless payment delivery service. I do think it's important that people can grow flowers and vegetables at the moment.

I thought garden centres were desperate to open to shift all those spring plants which they have in stock and will be heading to the compost heap unless we buy them?

Why in heavens name do people feel the need to get garden canters opened?? I only want to drive to the lakes for a picturesque walk with nobody else around but that's not allowed! So instead I'll go back to work, risking the virus all because somebody wants a few flowers? Surely gardening is hardly "essential" people's priorities are all shot and may I say... A bit selfish! Most decent garden centres are "destinations" and are definitely not essential journeys. They've extended the mot's on vehicles at the risk of dangerous cars being on the road for another 6 months, and no doubt driven by the same selfish gardeners? Come on, just keep your gardens tidy, and hold out for a while longer. People are really dying in big numbers and opening up retailers just make your house look pretty is basically a crime. So before you go out there on your jaunts for a home makeover, please consider the folk who won't be given any choice but to face you guys with your pansies. We won't be given any decent ppe to deal with you! Think on...

As a very active and fit 73-year-old, I know I am fitter than many 50-year-olds, I would resent being locked up until autumn 2021. I would still be careful, observe social distancing, not go out to pubs, restaurants or any gatherings etc. However, if other age groups are allowed out and about I would like to visit my Granddaughter. It should be judged on fitness, not age.

oh and schools asap....

Open garden centres, DIY stores, NT and something like Eden project and some shops while still distancing... then let people go on holiday in this country as holiday destinations will fail, but don't allow busy beaches ( life guards could manage that). Allow families to see/visit each other. Hotels, Restaurants and pubs last if distancing of tables can be done! Lots of people won't be in a hurry to go out anyway judging from the lack of smiles/hellos everyone looks scared to death of everyone else! Distancing may take a while to get over...... oh and let our elderly have family visits....

1 What's the alternative to very vulnerable people being shielded for 12 months? If you have an alternative which doesn't involve exposing people with a very high risk of being seriously ill, maybe you could tell us all what it is.

2 There's plenty of evidence that Johnson missed five meetings. Even the government and
Dominic Cummings Whitehall source are saying he didn't attend.

Where on earth are you getting your information? It sounds even more dodgy than Whitehall sources to me.

Can't believe people are actually believing what they have read in the SUN newspaper - all the crap about vulnerable people having to isolate for 12 months is just that - crap. There is no evidence that Boris missed 5 meetings, and no evidence that the purported traffic light system that came from "a source" is anything other than make-believe. Come on people - don't be so gullible! As an aside, Rupert Murdoch is clearly spearheading a hatchet campaign against Boris, the Sun plus the Times - let's just say we should be extremely sceptical!

Would you provide the teachers and other staff with protective clothing Hilly? I find it difficult to imagine being able to keep the youngest primary school children two metres apart and I think staff would find it difficult to interact with them at a distance, especially those with special needs. Schools aren't a childminding service, especially if staff are at risk.

I wonder if primary school children could go back for 1 or 2 days a week on a rota, so that parents could catch up with work or get stuff from their offices so they could then continue to work at home. Then teachers could divide the classes into small groups and space the children out around the classroom.
I think dentists should re-open for emergency treatment, using full PPE to carry it out and cleaning their rooms between patients. Making people suffer indefinitely with toothache is so cruel.
I know we will all be desperate to have our hair done, but I don't see how anyone can cut and style hair from 2m away, so unless they also have PPE I don't think that will be a priority.

Eglantine for Prime Minster!

Thank you Lyndalou and sad grandma for sympathetic posts.
Merysteeep, you my well have said That worrying is a waste of energy before but that doesn’t stop me feeling emotional this morning.

Spraying with indelible ink is a great idea. Wish I had thought of that. We could all get out own back on the hoarders and not social distancing.
All those rushing to front of queue. "get to the back"
All those buying all the paracetamol
"you got a headache, good"
A those having parties
"hope your balloons burst"
All those driving their cars for pleasure
"you got sugar in your tank, oh! who put that there?"
All those buying the antibacterial items.
"agh.... What's that crawling on your hands"
All those stockpiling the loo rolls
"so you're constipated. No Brooklax in the shops. Serves you right"

I would like to answer this in a different way, if I may ?

I have started to feel as if I don't want to communicate with anyone except my husband and children. I get feelings of dread about ringing friends but I think if they dump all their negative stuff on me it will drag me down so much that I won't be able to cope. Very odd as I am normally a very confident and positive person.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Three months after the last confirmef case. Not before.
Ultimately everything will go/ back as before.

Lucca
As I've said before: worrying unnecessarily is wasted energy.
As for lockdown for more than a year it's absolutely pointless to look that far. It's meaningless.
I take one day at a time. I might be dead tomorrow, next week, next month, who knows, but I'm certainly not going that far ahead in time.

That is one very good idea Whitewave2 what goes around comes around.

If only they would Jersey girl. Maybe they could allow Grandparents who don't have underlying health problems to see theirs but not people who are shielded as they are most at risk.

I think they should let all grandparents see their grandchildren.

Lucca, I know just how you feel. I often want to cry too. I am 74 but reasonably fit and well, as is my husband and I feel I can put up with almost anything except not being able to see my daughter and granddaughter - WhatsApp is not the same. We have looked after our granddaughter two days a week since she was nine months old, she is now two and a half, so we have a very close bond. We have already missed some key stages in her development and we are so worried that she will gradually start to forget us. She seems to have figured out for herself that we are on holiday, but I don't know how much loger she'll think that.