For everyone who's bending the rules!

Franbern, schools in Scotland are closed.

Do not forget that most schools are still open, and the numbers attending increasing almost daily.

So many children do not facilities in their homes to take on 'remote' learning. They do not have broadband, and/or do not have a laptop, tablet, etc. Many do not have anywhere they can sit quietly to do school work.

Even in reasonably good homes, there may be two or three or more siblings, all trying to find a space and machine on which to work. Many of the parents may be at home, but are desperately trying to work from home, and cannot supervise what their children are doing.

We are not in the Janet and John times. (Dad in the garage with John cleaning the car, Janet in the kitchen with Mum, baking)!!! Reality of life in 2021 is very different. And, so many live in very cramped conditions, where even the idea of home exercise is laughable.

It is so very easy for retired folk, all getting in their pension money regularly, with no jobs to worry about to make sweeping statements about closing schools, having tighter lockdown, stopping people go anywhere at any time - just staying at home.

During the first lockdown, home violence and abuse spiralled, as did suicides, - with this one in the winter, it will be even worse. Death comes in many forms, not just via Covid.

Is it because people have so much time on their hands that they are so judgemental about everyone else???

Reporting on neighbours, family, friends - absolutely horrifying in my opinion. The German Nazi party supported this sort of action, as did the Stasi.

nanna8, online teaching is certainly a means of trying to continue teaching the basic curriculum. Home schooling in my LA is available online, but to a limited extent.
The teachers I know are willing, but the unfortunately infrastructure isn't quite up to coping with what is required. My son who is very IT literate, told me that the many devices they own, don't seem to be very compatible with the platform they are using. This is a very forward thinking LA, I know this because I was one of their IT masterclasses, so if they can't get it right, heaven help us.

Do you know how much preparation a virtual lesson involves?
I used to manage and deliver linked maths lessons between three feeder primary schools and the secondary school, it wasn't easy, I can tell you!

Working in an area of high deprivation, many pupils didn't have access to technology, neither devices nor broadband. Social services provided laptops to help with homework and some parents immediately sold them on for drugs. That was the reality of it.
The LA are providing laptops, but some parents can't afford to pay for broadband nor do not have the inclination or confidence to work with their children. The very children who need the most support will suffer.

Yesterday I had the privilege of working remotely with my granddaughter on a talking and listen lesson, provided by the LA. She was lucky, she had me to do it with her, as her daddy was snowed under, trying to work from home.
I then took the opportunity to work on her phonics and number skills. I was exhausted after it and that was only one child.

I do believe that closing the schools is the right thing to do and should have been done much sooner.
Get that part right, then we can start on education recovery, once it is safe to go back.

Yes- kids carry it but often don't get sick themselves so they really shouldn't be out in the midst of a surge in cases. I feel sorry for the teachers who are putting their lives at risk. With all the technology available shouldn't home schooling via a laptop or tablet be available? It was so strict here that one of my grandchildren's classmates got told off for only wearing his school uniform on his top half online. The teacher made him go and take his PJ bottoms off and put his proper trousers on which I thought was funny, gave me a laugh. It is a Lutheran school so maybe they are more strict that way? It was timed for all the normal lessons and they had a lunch break at normal times and then had to come back online for afternoon lessons. Terrific and hats off to the lovely teachers for making it all possible.

M0nica

Franbern when I expressed the ideas in your last paragraph, I got flamed.

Too many people are assuming, that the whole country are doing whatever they can see from their bedroom window.

If everybody were doing what I can see from my garden window, the virus would be long gone. I don't assume anything, but the virus doesn't spread like magic. It spreads because people are in contact with each other. I don't go out, but nobody has to be very bright to realise what's going on.

For a start, schools should never have been forced to carry on as normal. People stuck their heads in the sand and the reality of the number of infections hardly made it into the popular press, which was too busy demonising teachers.

Alexa

Marydoll, I hope you have recovered and are safely home again.

There will always be stupid people as long as there are people. It wont be long now before the vaccines make a lot more people immune to this filthy virus.

Yes, there will always be people who won't face reality. Unfortunately, there are also some who can't afford to self-isolate when they know they should and the government should consider how they could be supported - urgently. Those who can afford to do the right thing, really should and have no excuses.

Please don't think that a vaccine will make people immune.

Thank you all for your good wishes. You are all very kind.
Having had first hand experience of being in hospital, I would urge everyone to do as they are asked to stay safe and keep others safe.

I've mentioned on another thread that someone I knew well was admitted to A&E at the same time I was. He died of Covid yesterday and his family are now in fourteen day isolation!
They thought it wouldn't happen to them!

Marydoll, I hope you have recovered and are safely home again.

There will always be stupid people as long as there are people. It wont be long now before the vaccines make a lot more people immune to this filthy virus.

It seems the pandemic brings out the best - and worst in people. Stress levels are high and people can’t go out and mix with friends as a pressure valve so I guess they start sticky beaking on their neighbours for something to do ! We are lucky we can’t even see our neighbours because of all the trees here so we only greet each other a few times a year and relationships stay friendly.

How to win friends and influence people. Buy a house in a settled area during a pandemic and start grassing up your neighbours before you even meet them or know who they are or anything about them.

I expect in a year or two this household will move on complaining about how cliquy and unfriendly their neighbours were!

I am glad you are home Marydoll and hope your recovery continues.

Marydoll

*Sparkling*, What are on earth are you talking abou?. No way was it meant to be offensive.
I have been shielding for nine months. All of my neighbours have been here for twenty five years. They know my circumstances. A new neighbour reported me to the police for having visitors during lockdown. The police arrived and were horrified to find the visitors were actually my daughter and son in law, who are my carers and bringing essential shopping and medication!
That was what I meant by curtain twitcher. ?

I find your post offensive! Perhaps think before you jump in to attack someone who is just home from hospital, after suffering a heart attack!!

Marydoll, I am sorry this happened to you. I think that anyone who snitches on someone should be ashamed of themselves. In your case I would find it very difficult not to confront your curtain twitcher of a neighbour. These people are normally sad people who have nothing better to do. Don’t let people get to you. Get well soon.

We need to take care of ourselves, Covid-19 will not leave our lives soon

Franbern when I expressed the ideas in your last paragraph, I got flamed.

Too many people are assuming, that the whole country are doing whatever they can see from their bedroom window.

Unlike many of on the one hand report how people broke all the rules in the summer - then, say, that they have not left their homes since March!! I was out and about most days during our lovely summer months.

Out an about in my seaside town on my mobility scooter. Enjoying the very fresh sea air. Also enjoying being able to see families enjoying themselves, in such a healthy atmosphere on the beach. We have a long area of beach, and -at no time - did I see any of these families close to each other. Indeed, spread out with large spaces between them.

Of course, newspaper photos of the same scene, using special lenses, falsely showed them all close together. Indeed, a local professional photographer actually took photos at the same time, in the same place as these newspaper ones, - showing how far apart each of these groups were. Yes, there were some queues at ice-cream places, etc. However, the over-whelming majority carefully socially distanced in these queues.

I had visits from some of my family (with children) during those months - all totally well within the rules. They went on fairground rides, etc. All were well sanitised, etc.

I am quite certain that for many of those families coming to the beach from cities where they had suffered in high rise, small flats for months - the health benefits of those days at the seaside well outweighed anything else.

STOP BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE. I find it quite fascinating how many people say they are not going out of their homes, yet then report seeing so many people breaking the rules!!!!

Most of us are doing our best. Except for the idiots protesting that it's all a hoax.

Sparklefizz - why does it matter that they are Asian?

We have had workmen in several times during the various lockdowns. In fact I have three workmen digging a trench in the garden as I write.

On every occasion we have been able to isolate ourselves from them completely. Either they were working outside or if inside, they were working in one room and I was able to set aside a loo entirely for their use.

We live in a very old house, quite a large surface area and a rather quirky layout, so it is very easy to keep ourselves entirely separate from workmen, while going about our usual lives.

Sparklefizz

An elderly Asian couple across the road from me, who must be in their 80s and seem to be quite frail, hobbling along when they walk, have had tradesmen in their house for days, no masks.

They are intelligent people, retired pharmacists, who would know better, one would think..... but no.

It could be emergency work, eg plumbing, essential structural work and they could be keeping well out of the way of the workmen.

Last lockdown we had a leak and the plumber came so we stayed in another room while he did the essential work.
We also had to have two windows reglazed; I went nowhere near the workmen.

Violettham, I am glad that you cannot believe that I said that I did not see all the people breaking the rules in the Summer on the beaches and Parks because nowhere on this thread have I said that.

I suggest you go back and read them slowly and carefully and then produce the evidence if that is what you think I said.

MOnia I just cannot believe what you said did you not see all the people breaking the rules in the Summer on the beaches and Parks, As someone who did not leave my house from March until a few weeks ago when I had to go to outpatients for an eye problem I am insulted by your comments I am not congratulating myself I was scared being very elderly and at risk you should be ashamed of yourself. Marydoll I hope you are OK.

An elderly Asian couple across the road from me, who must be in their 80s and seem to be quite frail, hobbling along when they walk, have had tradesmen in their house for days, no masks.

They are intelligent people, retired pharmacists, who would know better, one would think..... but no.

Perhaps he got lost.

Barmeyoldbat

So now we have Boris travelling 7 miles to ride his bike in some park. Disgraceful leadership, I hope he gets fined as the two women who travelled 5 miles to walk in at beauty spot. Its one rule for them and another for us. I suppose he was doing another Cummings.

I gather he cycled 7 miles, he didn't travel 7 miles in order to ride his bike.

So now we have Boris travelling 7 miles to ride his bike in some park. Disgraceful leadership, I hope he gets fined as the two women who travelled 5 miles to walk in at beauty spot. Its one rule for them and another for us. I suppose he was doing another Cummings.

Lucca

People talk about the briefings on tv and what we are told but it occurs to me that a lot of the people flouting the rules would never watch bbc tv much less a news programme. What they need are celebrities - reality stars rappers influencers etc - going on social media telling it like it is
.the briefing advice is surely often preaching to the converted

Well they did have Mark Wright on Good Morning Britain today talking emotionally about his dad and uncles who are ill with covid. He has a large following as a celebrity, footballer, Essex lad and is also married to Michelle Keegan. He made a heartfelt plea to everyone. It remains to be seen if people took notice.