This. Or more accurately, when do they reopen? What do you do with all the kids in the meantime?
Realistically we aren’t talking about shutting schools for weeks, we’re taking months (up to May / June) [source - Sturgeon quote]
This is true, but the numbers are much, much lower. Even the big squadrons aren’t anywhere near the size of most secondary schools.
Maybe we should be staying open to give kids who are off school something to do?
Parent(s) required to take time off from work to look after the kids = less work productivity, plus associated funding required to compensate parent(s).
Possible potential benefit of less risk to parent(s) of catching corona virus (less exposure at work / commuting, etc).
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It won’t be the size of the squadron that’s the issue. I would say that if schools close it would be churlish to keep squadrons open.
Then if any member of the squadron “self isolates”, what then? The place I work at has said if anyone self isolates we all have to be tested. So far not a sniffle or croak, even from those we’ve been expecting it from.
The issue with the squadrons is it’s not all kids from the same school.
We’ve got something like 9 or 10 feeder schools and a couple of cadets at some of the local universities. The squadron is the perfect mixing ground for people from across the city to get it from each other.
Having said that kids and young adults seem to be less likely to catch it so maybe it’s the staff who are more at risk than the cadets?
Kids are capable of spreading it without showing symptoms so it’s more staff and older people who they subsequently come into contact with.
If you shut schools, secondary school aged children are not going to be at home. They’ll be out and about, which defeats the point. A friend at work told me today that the Portuguese did this earlier in the week and everyone just went to the beach…
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We’ve been discussing delaying our annual dinner. The big concern isn’t the kids getting sick, it’s them infecting the older CIs.
Maybe, yes. I know I’d certainly stay home. Even if they did congregate, they wouldn’t be congregating in the hundreds like they do at school, and they’d have better access to hygiene materials.
But what about children who go and see their friends then stay with their grandparents because their parents are working? That’s unnecessarily putting the elderly at risk, and even more so if the closures last for weeks on end.
If you’re going to have to be watched by your grandparents you’d probably be seeing them on a normal week anyway. I’d say it’s better to limit possible sources of contraction to somebody’s immediate friends than an entire school.
Just seen Robert Peston saying that one of the big concerns with closing schools is that parents who work in the NHS or other key public sector roles would have to be at home to look after them which could exacerbate the problem.
Quote of the day
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As far as response goes the national government is lacking so far. In the US people are literally protesting government-provided healthcare and yet they’re still shutting things down.
Nope.
I’ve installed a wire brush and a bottle of Dettol in my shower room. No need for toilet paper, soap, anti-bacterial handwash or histrionics. Just grit the teeth and bear it. You’ll be smiling in the morning.
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I disagree, it is the size that is important. A small gathering = less chance of one person being infected, and less people for it to spread to if someone is. It doesn’t defeat the purpose of closing schools.
Take my local school as an example. One infected person could infect up to 2300 people. One infected person at my local detachment could infect up to 35 people. Big difference. As has been pointed out, unless a total stay at home lockdown is ordered for everyone, these kids are going to go out and mix with each other anyway. I would be in favour of only closing if unit members are showing signs of infection.
We need to follow the four stage strategy
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You were bang on the money. Just received an email from Group Captain North Region saying all overseas trips are off.
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8 AEF have just cancelled flying…
How long until we see everything cancelled. Someone needs to make a decision at some point.
On what basis have they cancelled?