Are we approaching another lockdown?

Yet mask wearing outside in the fresh air isn’t mandatory is it? I remember Jonathon van Tam saying passing someone outside carries an extremely low risk of catching covid. Different if going indoors (shops for example).

They’re not “passing someone” they are standing waiting, often too close together. Also even if not mandatory the school has repeatedly asked for it to happen. A bit of consideration for others and teachers would not go amiss surely ?
People are quick to jump on any group of people protesting outdoors without masks.......

Urmstongran: I agree about mask wearing outside but social distancing is required and sensible. If parents meet up in large groups and chat together, with or without masks, there's a risk of passing the virus which, in my borough at least, was identified as worthy of special mention. Personally, I keep my distance outside and where likely to meet a group of people, I wear a mask too.

Cunco I think mask wearing is sensible under those circumstances too, and considerate, and not difficult.

I do the college drop for my adult daughter and we were asked to wear a mask at drop off and pick up and everyone does it (taxi drivers, escorts, parents etc) it is impossible to social distance completely though from college staff as I have to quite literally hand my daughter over as she has a disability which makes that impossible.

I thought the advice re conversations was to keep them under 15 minutes in time but I may have dreamt that!

I'm not sure that made sense, it is impossible to social distance. I do put hand gel on both of us before we leave the car though and I think most of the staff and myself have received the first vaccine now - which must make a bit of difference...and we stay outside

I apologise Lucca I didn’t realise the parents were congregating at the school gates, chatting without masks and not socially distancing. I dare say that happens more at the afternoon pick up than the more speedy morning drop off, which was why your son’s comment confused me.

The morning drop is not speedy. The parents queue round the block for gates to be opened then go in

Also due to the layout of the school and nursery there is not a huge amount of space.

And anyway why not just be considerate ? I don’t get the objection,

Actually protesting outdoors also involves SHOUTING! not so long ago we were being told not to sing in church nor blow candles out on a birthday cake - so I fully understand the public’s annoyance of any kind of gatherings to protest during these unprecedented times!
?

I have no injections at all Lucca. I agree consideration for all is what we should be aiming for.

Duh. *objections!

Not all protest involves shouting, but that’s not the point,
I just do not understand why you have a problem with parents being asked to wear a mask. And I repeat dropping primary aged children off is not speedy and is not the same as passing people in the street.

We still are being told not to sing in church by the way except for one choir member.

Regarding protests and vigils outdoors, possibly safe if social distancing and mask wearing is adhered to. The bigger risk is the transportation to and from the events, trains, buses, taxis, shared cars.

Lauranorder good point. As far as I am concerned “the jury’s out” on protests. I just feel any large gathering is unwise.

Lucca

The morning drop is not speedy. The parents queue round the block for gates to be opened then go in

Oh and those non mask wearing parents would certainly moan if school had to close again....

This protest took place at the weekend in Bristol:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2021/mar/21/kill-the-bill-protest-in-bristol-in-pictures

But there will be no singing in church.
And parents may not speak to one another at the school gates when their children have been playing together all day.

Correction: playing in nursery
Working in school!

Of course they speak at the school gates, just wear a mask !

Sorry, “may speak”.

Crikey! You're all going to hate me for putting my spoke in but I'm afraid intermittent Lockdowns are here to stay. Boris has already extended the governments power to lockdown and Rishi has entended furlough to September. I think that say's it all. As far as the 'cases' are concerned, those numbers are easily manipulated by the world's governments, simply by using whichever test produces positives, false ones that is. They've already admitted, several times, that these tests throw up false positives but still they use them.

effalump I certainly don’t hate you, but I hope you’re wrong about lockdowns being here to stay.

I agree Lucca, large gatherings not advisable while we are still at risk from COVID-19

I also agree that large gatherings are inadvisable at the moment, despite the fact that it’s almost impossible to get infected outside in the open air.

Yes, parents should wear a mask at the school gates, even though the children have been together all day without wearing masks.

But no comment from anyone on the protests in Bristol? Gatherings in the street, no self-distancing, few masks, getting close enough to police officers on duty to break their arms, sit on their chests?

And gatherings for fun are just fine in Miami, apparently.

I despair and think that no matter how hard people try to obey the rules within our own individual circumstances, we will never be rid of the virus because so many are intent on breaking the rules and laws by having huge gatherings.

We'll have to learn to live with it and those who do care about our families and others will have to be the ones who change the way we live.