We should have locked down earlier

It was my suggestion. But not written in tablets of stone?.

Just something put into the mix to be given consideration.

Whitewavemark2

It was my suggestion. But not written in tablets of stone?.

Just something put into the mix to be given consideration.

I like suggestions WWM2, they challenge the mind and allow ideas to flow!

The idea that children are empty vessels to be filled up with specific knowledge is somewhat outdated. Children may have “missed” learning the six wives of Henry VIII or algebra this year but there’s no reason why this cannot be rectified in the future if needed, a repeat year is totally unnecessary, any teacher worth their salt will build on previous learning. This isn’t easy with a diverse group of abilities and experiences, but ‘twas ever thus. Bleating on about how deprived children are missing out by not being in school, when this group have been poorly served in the past by inadequate and decreased funding, seems to be somewhat hypocritical.

Some posters have mentioned the unused Nightingale hospitals and thoughts crossed my mind.

My region should be going under rapidly in this pandemic:
A large number of the population are over 65
There are many many care homes
Hospitals are few and far between
ICU beds are limited
In terms of employment, there is no surplus of nursing staff to call upon like in the South East
There are issues with distances and rural communities
Schools take pupils from large areas, the children travel daily on coaches
And also the region receives many outside visitors, some from tier 4 who bolt down here to their 2nd homes

All the above applies to Wales too.

Yet, our region has some of the lowest rates in the country and I can see one main difference.
Our Nightingale hospital is open and covid patients have been taken there since November. The general hospitals have the highest bed capacity in the country. They have been able to carry on with other operations and procedures while covid patients are treated elsewhere at a specialist centre.
Surely this is no coincidence?
So why are the other much needed Nightingales being mothballed or taken down?

Are you in North or West Wales Ellianne, I’m guessing you must be, because although there’s extra capacity been created equivalent to field hospitals in the South Wales Valleys, including a whole new hospital in Gwent, they have still had to cease elective activity in some of the Health Boards due to the number of Covid patients occupying beds, it’s all reported on the news. There are also very serious staffing problems due to staff catching Covid or having to self isolate, to the extent that staff on leave have been forced to return to work. Unfortunately numbers are rising elsewhere in Wales as well now, so let’s hope the lockdown prevents the position being replicated there.

We are in Devon Casdon.
Yes, staffing is the biggest issue here too, but the Nightingale in Exeter is somehow managing to take some of the load.
I'm just wondering why it is the only one that has been allowed to function all along to good effect?

Sorry, that explains it Ellianne. I think those nightingales that operated in the first wave closed because they weren’t needed over the summer months thankfully, but in the areas where there has been a big increase in patients in recent weeks some have reopened, or other ways of increasing bed capacity have been found like opening the new hospital in Gwent early. South West England has managed to keep the number of cases quite low comparatively, which is probably why elective work is still happening- it’s only been in the last couple of weeks that it’s stopped in South Wales due to the Covid tsunami. I hope your local situations remain under control, and that those areas in lockdown improve.

vegansrock I think the big issue is that pupils are judged by their exam results at 16 and 18, which open doors to higher education, which then lead on to better paid and more prestigious jobs, etc. However, that's been a growing problem for years.

Nevertheless, there's no reason why universities can't be a bit more flexible about entry standards or, if necessary, pupils could resit.

Keeping schools fully open isn't helping these pupils. There's plenty of evidence that being in school is causing anxiety about catching the virus and passing it on to families. Nobody ever seems to ask the pupils themselves what they think. I find the constant bleating about pupils' mental health very difficult to stomach because few spoke up when CAMHS funding was slashed and pupil funding, especially in poorer areas, has been cut. I honestly feel the government is more concerned about schools' childminding role.

Local authorities in Essex have declared a “major incident” as the number of coronavirus cases threatens to overwhelm health services in the county.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/dec/30/major-incident-declared-in-essex-as-covid-threatens-to-overwhelm-health-services

West Essex/East London is where I lived, so please dont take this the wrong way.
Friday and Saturday nights were always party nights in our town, and I mean excessive drinking and sometimes fights (stabbings), both requiring hospital care. Ambulances and A & E were always over stretched.
With that in mind, re opening pubs, restaurants etc should be the last thing to happen as the NHS simply can't cope with multiple emergencies at the same time as this pandemic.
I would be happy to see a complete nationwide tier 4+ slapped on today to avoid any new year festivities and gatherings. Remove one potential disaster area to save another.

And me ellianne

Why on earth why I take it the wrong way? - it's irrelevant. Most of Essex isn't like West Essex and East London. The London boroughs aren't even part of Essex now.

I find stereotypes a tad tedious.

Sorry government! You should have asked Gransnet, although even on here there is no consistency in what posters think is best.
Lockdown.
Close schools and home school.
Unfair to those without the tools or the ability to support children using it and dishing out quantities of technological equipment is not going to happen whichever government is in power.
Parents stay home; can’t work to earn money to live, pay rent or mortgage, never mind buy equipment.
Retailers can’t earn money to pay workers or pay property rent and rates.
Stupid people ignore safety ideas and claim that they know how to keep safe and don’t need the government to tell them what to do.
Infection comes in waves.
Don’t lockdown? Stupid people ignore safety ideas and still claim they know how to keep themselves safe.
Infection comes in waves.
The media alternates between population bashing for their stupidity and government bashing for their inability to control the people.

growstuff

Why on earth why I take it the wrong way? - it's irrelevant. Most of Essex isn't like West Essex and East London. The London boroughs aren't even part of Essex now.

I find stereotypes a tad tedious.

Oh lordy, I can't even post a comment with a caveat without your jumping on me growstuff. What IS wrong with you?
Thank heavens I have the ability to laugh.

Epping Forest most definitely is Essex growstuff.

growstuff are you feeling cross today?

Casdon

Are you in North or West Wales Ellianne, I’m guessing you must be, because although there’s extra capacity been created equivalent to field hospitals in the South Wales Valleys, including a whole new hospital in Gwent, they have still had to cease elective activity in some of the Health Boards due to the number of Covid patients occupying beds, it’s all reported on the news. There are also very serious staffing problems due to staff catching Covid or having to self isolate, to the extent that staff on leave have been forced to return to work. Unfortunately numbers are rising elsewhere in Wales as well now, so let’s hope the lockdown prevents the position being replicated there.

The new hospital in the Aneurin Bevan HB area was opened early and declared full practically as soon as it opened. Whether it was full or as full as staff numbers permitted I don't know.
DH did question whether or not the new 400 bed unit in Cardiff, which is to replace the field hospital at the Principality Stadium, was built yet.

None are convenient for people in North Wales.