On the subject of vaccine passports, my understanding is that the review is looking at all possibilities from making them compulsory for certain things to making it illegal for certain establishments or employers to make them mandatory. I can't see supermarkets, for example, being allowed to make them mandatory but a restaurant may be given the option to do so if they want to. As I said earlier (maybe in the Lounge thread), they shouldn't really be necessary domestically if take-up across the adult population is as high as 90%.

 

Sky News saying Boris is considering having non-compulsory morning classes in summer and also Saturdays to help kids catch up, especially years 6, 11 and 13. Williamson is all for it apparently but teachers unions aren't. I foresee a big clash ahead. I think it's a good idea. Either that or cut the summer holidays by a week or two weeks. Say a week either end would work well I think.They're looking at both possibilities.

As is standard for this government, they seem to be proposing doing this on the cheap with each school getting a mere £6,000. Getting existing teachers to do it will be difficult. After all, I'm sure a lot of them will want to take the opportunity to go away over the summer if that is allowed. I'm sure they will be able to find staff from somewhere but the cost (including the cost of keeping the school buildings open and clean) will be more than £6,000.

 

I'm sure that teachers will agree that some sort of catch-up is needed. For years 11 and 13, there is the time when they would have been doing exams as well as time after that. If year 11 students spend that time only studying subjects they plan to do for A Level, they should be able to get reasonably close to where they should be at the start of those courses. Similarly, as SATs are also cancelled, year six students can spend time learning instead or revising for and sitting those tests.

Sky News saying Boris is considering having non-compulsory morning classes in summer and also Saturdays to help kids catch up, especially years 6, 11 and 13. Williamson is all for it apparently but teachers unions aren't. I foresee a big clash ahead. I think it's a good idea. Either that or cut the summer holidays by a week or two weeks. Say a week either end would work well I think.They're looking at both possibilities.

 

 

It’s a terrible idea and I’m so glad I’m my side of the border.

 

Firstly, which children want to sacrifice their holiday to be in a classroom. Particularly if everything really has opened up by then. Attendance would be appalling and limited to kids whose parents see them as an inconvenience.

 

Secondly, the extra money promised will barely scratch the surface, particularly in primary schools, when you consider they will need to pay teachers and other school staff extra for this to run. We don’t get paid for our holidays and will not be giving them up unless we are paid. And even then, would they necessarily want to give up well earned time off for money? We haven’t stopped during this pandemic no matter what spin is thrown out there.

 

Thirdly, the majority of children have been keeping up through remote learning. They are working hard now. This who haven’t engaged have either been let down by the government nor providing promises technology or likely would not have engaged even if schools had always been fully operational.

 

Fourthly, we need to stop this ‘behind’, ‘catch up’ and ‘lost learning’ rhetoric. All it does is increase stress for the children and make them feel inadequate. The government should be focusing on helping their mental health rather than causing more harm by promising more school. These children are worth more than their qualifications. Gaps have been there long before the pandemic but the Tories only care when the babysitting service has been put on hold.

 

And lastly, these children should spend their Summer catching up with family, friends and activities they haven’t enjoyed for almost 18 months.

Edited February 24, 20214 yr by T Boy

Agree 100%

Yeah I pretty much agree with what everyone has said here. The government should have used the time during Lockdown 1 to sort out Test & Trace, made schools safer by procuring more building spaces and teaching assistants to help with reducing class sizes, and perhaps even thought about having shorter terms/longer breaks during the winter. Anyway, they messed all that up and most families just want some well deserved time off spending time with those they haven't seen for the best part of a year this summer after the 12-18 months we've all been through, so you can forget about a summer school because it is not happening !

Going for my first jab on Saturday in Westfield, Stratford. Second one in May. Wife's going too Sat but later in day. Couldn't get two together.

 

They didn't send for us. You can now book online if you're over 60. You need your NHS number but can get that easily by entering your name and postcode and D.O.B. The only other venue was the Dome in two weeks so took the Westfield one.

 

Mine's 1.50 and wife's is 4.10.

Edited February 25, 20214 yr by common sense

Going for my first jab on Saturday in Westfield, Stratford. Second one in May. Wife's going too Sat but later in day. Couldn't get two together.

I know some people in that position have attended the first appointment together and both have been done together. It might be worth both of you going to your appointment and you might get lucky.

Yeah, it seems silly if you can’t just go together.

 

My grandparents are confirmed to be getting their second dose a week on Friday so it’s great that they’ll be fully vaccinated. If only they could persuade their daughter and son in law to do the right thing.

I know some people in that position have attended the first appointment together and both have been done together. It might be worth both of you going to your appointment and you might get lucky.

 

 

Okay thanks. We'll do that, go together then and hope we're lucky.

Edited February 25, 20214 yr by common sense

My dad had his first vaccine today and my mum is having hers tomorrow so I am somewhat happy about that. I would be happier if it wasn't for the presence of the South African variant in the UK, it seems like it will become the dominant strain in the UK by the summer and sadly it will probably have mutated again by then so I worry what will happen once most restrictions end after June 21st.

My dad had his first vaccine today and my mum is having hers tomorrow so I am somewhat happy about that. I would be happier if it wasn't for the presence of the South African variant in the UK, it seems like it will become the dominant strain in the UK by the summer and sadly it will probably have mutated again by then so I worry what will happen once most restrictions end after June 21st.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone so pessimistic before!

Cases really falling now and there are calls to lift restrictions much sooner than Boris plans.

So some very good news out today.

 

Firstly vaccination take-up. Well over 90% in >70 year-olds, and 99% in the SW of England!

 

 

Furthermore, a report/study on Addenbrooke’s Hospital backed up the earlier results from Israel showing that the first Pfizer vaccine dose dramatically reduces transmission of the virus:

 

The results also point to a four-fold decrease in the risk of asymptomatic Covid infection among healthcare workers who have been vaccinated for more than 12 days – suggesting the first dose will significantly reduce the spread of the virus.

 

Turn up the strobes!!

I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone so pessimistic before!

 

I just think this summer is too early to ease all restrictions, yes maybe it should be up to you if you want to take the risk going to a nightclub whenever they reopen on June 21st but in places everyone has to go like supermarkets if mask wearing and social distancing restrictions are eased people with underlying health conditions and the elderly's safety is compromised I think, even if they are are still wearing masks (masks protect others more than yourself and only work the best when most people in an inside area or room are wearing them).

 

Otherwise, with the South African variant and maybe mutations of it rampant, while hospitalisation may no longer threaten to overwhelm the NHS because of the vaccine, hundreds of people will probably still die of coronavirus each month, and no not all of them those who are 'very old and would have died anyway soon'.

 

On the subject of vaccine passports, my understanding is that the review is looking at all possibilities from making them compulsory for certain things to making it illegal for certain establishments or employers to make them mandatory. I can't see supermarkets, for example, being allowed to make them mandatory but a restaurant may be given the option to do so if they want to. As I said earlier (maybe in the Lounge thread), they shouldn't really be necessary domestically if take-up across the adult population is as high as 90%.

 

I don't think vaccine take up be anywhere near 90%, it would be lucky to be 80% I think as a lot of younger people I think will refuse the vaccine thinking the virus isn't that serious to their health, only to older people and those with underlying health conditions.

 

I think its unlikely that vaccine passports will be made law anywhere really because it will be deemed to be 'against the human rights' of those who refuse the vaccine.

Edited February 26, 20214 yr by Coldman

Cases really falling now and there are calls to lift restrictions much sooner than Boris plans.

Those calls, presumably come from the usual right-wing MPs. If Johnson has any sense (which is, of course, highly doubtful), he will tell those nutjobs where they can stick their calls.

The restrictions aren't getting lifted any sooner. The case rates are already slowly increasing in some areas due to fatigue, excitement and probs people thinking they're fully jabbed up. If we just ride it out for another couple of months then it does mean we could actually have a covid free summer almost.. (fingers crossed).

I don't think vaccine take up be anywhere near 90%, it would be lucky to be 80% I think as a lot of younger people I think will refuse the vaccine thinking the virus isn't that serious to their health, only to older people and those with underlying health conditions.

As a “young person” (well, 22), I can tell you that I don’t know a single person my age or younger that doesn’t want the vaccine. All the people I’ve seen not keen on the vaccine are between the age of 40 and 60. But this only represents a tiny minority of everyone I know (like 3 people lol). I can imagine take up will extremely high in the UK for all age groups.

Well that's encouraging to hear mdh, am surprised by that. I suppose there will be a positive impact from younger celebrities encouraging that age group to take the vaccine like the older celebrities have for the older age group.

 

The restrictions aren't getting lifted any sooner. The case rates are already slowly increasing in some areas due to fatigue, excitement and probs people thinking they're fully jabbed up. If we just ride it out for another couple of months then it does mean we could actually have a covid free summer almost.. (fingers crossed).

 

An almost Covid free summer depends on testing more than anything, South African varient cases and other mutations that could weaken the vaccine impact need to be identified and isolated starting from now. I don't think testing is widespread enough at the moment. Maybe testing should be compulsory for everyone once a month or so but that would probably not be allowed for infringing human rights.

Well that's encouraging to hear mdh, am surprised by that. I suppose there will be a positive impact from younger celebrities encouraging that age group to take the vaccine like the older celebrities have for the older age group.

An almost Covid free summer depends on testing more than anything, South African varient cases and other mutations that could weaken the vaccine impact need to be identified and isolated starting from now. I don't think testing is widespread enough at the moment. Maybe testing should be compulsory for everyone once a month or so but that would probably not be allowed for infringing human rights.

 

I’m not sure what you actually want to happen Snake. You say maybe we should do option A and then immediately backtrack and say we should do the opposite.

 

I think we just need to go along with what we know. There is a vaccine rollout and this is good news. As far as anyone knows at this point, the vaccines are very effective. We’ll see if this continues to be the case over the coming months but I really don’t think worrying about new variants is the right thing to do as you’re just stressing yourself out. No matter what happens, you can still choose to isolate yourself until you feel comfortable with the situation.

Some more good stuff coming out about the vaccine now - Israel are suggesting it lowers infection transmisson by 88%.

 

Looks like all of the positive stuff out of the UK with the AZ/Oxford vaccine is going to mean Germany (and hopefully other EU states) roll the vaccine out to over 65s and possibly increase the doseage length as well.

 

Fingers crossed and in a few months we will be in a much better place. But still a real case to get the poorer nations vaccinated.

Personal positive for me today, I went for a walk with my mum and she doesn’t seem completely determined not to have the vaccine. She’s still coming up with reasons why it would be bad for her but when I told her that Theresa May, slightly older than my mum and also diabetic, had had her first dose it was like it sounded better to her. She did go on about wanting the vaccine in the Autumn rather than now and I told her to speak to someone about it. My Nan has been on the phone to her asking why she doesn’t want it so I’m quite hopeful she will see reason. If she gets it, I know my dad will too.