Late evening dog walk. Normally a time of beauty, quiet and peace. A much needed feeling of solitude for Hawklad. But not this night. The sound of the farmer had at work as the light gives out. No sound of silence tonight.

Another day has started and the Government ‘schools are perfectly safe’ campaign is in full swing. Children are are very low risk of getting ill from COVID. Crossing the road is much more dangerous. So all children should return to school immediately and there is no need for any COVID mitigation strategies in the the classroom. Forget your masks and go for it. This even applies to Extremely Clinical Vulnerable children. A Government Health Agency has just wrote to over 55000 families to inform them that now their extremely clinical vulnerable child should not shield anymore. They are expected back at school. Previously they have been informed to fully isolate due to the health risks associated with COVID. Now it’s suddenly become safe. Reassuringly the Head of that Agency also claimed last year that the UK had a world leading COVID strategy. Also argued that effective track and trace of cases was not needed. Also claimed that Large Scale Mass Public Gatherings carried no risk at all (days before they were stopped on safety grounds). Argued that the UK would not suffer significant deaths (currently 132000). OK….

Covid is such a difficult area to manage. I accept that. But children are catching Covid. Are suffering from severe and long Covid. They are in intensive care. Too many have died. It’s time my Government was honest with us. We are averaging well over 30000 new cases per day. We have 26x more cases than this time last year. Most days sadly over 100 people die. Most other countries are vaccinating children. Most other countries are installing improved ventilation in classrooms. Most other countries are maintaining sensible precautions in schools. My Government has decided to drop all precautions. Let’s be clear the Government and it’s officials know this. They have an level of child illness, suffering and death which is acceptable to them. They will see that as manageable.

But then rather than trusting children and parents with making a decision on their families safety (which will be different for each family), they are forcing the issue. Forcing families into sending children back into school regardless of the individual circumstances. Threatening legal action. Sending Government Officials after families. Regardless of family health risk profiles. Regardless of any mental health concerns. The only view that matters is the Government’s.

Parent views only matter with this Government when they provide a convenient excuse for the friends of the PM to justify the few ignoring the rules while everyone else has to obey them. One rule for them, one rule for us.

And on top of that the Government is now saying that responsibility for controlling covid in schools is purely the responsibility of parents and teachers. It has nothing to do with the Government. I wonder why that is…

Hawklad will go back to school when he is ready. He knows best. I trust his judgement. It is his health and well-being. Sadly I don’t trust those in power who are supposed to be on his side. They don’t care.

61 thoughts on “Twilight walk”

  1. I’m just thinking, that one of these two sentences are true:

    A) “I want you to go back to school”

    B) “I don’t want you to go back to school”

    In decision making, people like to hear what others are thinking and can still make up their own mind.

    Liked by 4 people

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      1. So perhaps:

        C) “I want you to go back to school part time”

        D) “I want you to go back to school for a short while”

        E) “I want to eat cake, draw pictures of dolphins on my hand and can I phone a friend?” {{{giggles}}}
        Sorry, I just got the giggles out right, but in my defence I’m happy after eating home cooked chips 🍽 stir fried fresh peppers with salad sprinkles and drank some Ribena. 🍷

        Liked by 2 people

  3. I don’t know what the demographics for Delta in the UK, but here the median age for the current outbreak is under 30. And it’s estimated that between 10% and 30% of all covid sufferers go in to have long covid. You’d thing that even if they weren’t interested in people’s health, they’d be concerned about the on going social and health costs of long covid

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      1. There’s 6 children under 1 year old who have contracted the delta variant in this latest outbreak here so it’s a nonsense for anyone to claim it’s a disease of the old. My biggest concern is so many young people might be facing a lifetime of long covid.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. I am glad Hawklad has a dad who puts him first. These are hard decisions compounded by the distrust that officials have earned! It is very hard and worrisome. I am sending you Hawklad lots of care and wishes for ongoing health and safety ♥️.

    Liked by 8 people

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  7. The delta variant is attacking kids. Throughout the US, schools are returning to masking at all times… even suing governors who try to ban them (and winning).

    Calif has great options for home study, at no cost and they were established long ago.

    I’m sorry you don’t have the same!!

    Liked by 5 people

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      1. That sucks! Esp when delta variant is killing kids and the “herd immunity” idea has generally been accepted as impossible due to new variants.

        Did you see that SA had detected a mega variant that’s even more contagious than delta? Is the UK dealing with delta yet? Our hospitals are overwhelmed again but everyone’s acting like it’s no big deal. Last week some guy died of pancreatitis because there were no ICU beds avail anywhere.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. In Alberta our ruling party decided mostly the same as in England. Not only the parents, but the teachers and school boards rebelled and held protests until the government backed down and said no precautions are necessary, but individual schoolboards can write their own Covid rules. School starts in 2 days here, and 90% of school boards are demanding masks, social distancing as much as possible, and vaccines for all kids 12 and over. (What the hell is the difference between 11 and 12? What changes happen between your last day as an 11 year old and your first day as a 12 year old?) Anyway, most government officials, including our so-fearless Premier, have disappeared from the public eye since the walk back. Their silence would be wonderful, if it wasn’t for the fact there is no leadership when cases are at their highest since sometime in 2020. It’s like they’ve abdicated, except they are still cashing their paycheques for not doing any work!

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      2. Because they are mealy-mouthed spineless cowards who are trying to please the aggressively loud “denier crowd” instead of caring about the citizens who prefer to live peacefully and quietly. But at some point, the sheep have to realize they are being led to the slaughter, and stand up to the wolves who care only for power. What good is power if there is no one to have power over?

        Liked by 2 people

      3. It stinks. It really does. Spineless leaders passing in their responsibilities and failings to others. The latest strategy is that even if you have a covid case in the household, a child still comes to school. A class has to have something like 10% of the class with covid before the class is sent home. Plus until that threshold is reached schools are not allowed to inform parents of cases in the class.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. :(…new mandates came out from our CDC last night that all K-12 kids have to wear masks again while in classroom..but not if they are playing sports ( outside or inside) nor must they be worn on the school buses. However they havent re- mandated masks anywhere else except in medical facilities. Madness indeed.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. I have to ask, if crossing roads is more dangerous than getting Covid, why are kids being forced to attend classes in person? How many children in Great Britain are going to cross how many roads to get to and from school? And when they arrive, if they arrive, the Covid part of that equation will still be lurking in the school”s classrooms and hallways? Your gov’t doesn’t know its own ass from a blackened teakettle, does it?

    Liked by 3 people

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      1. 😊 Glad you have something to help the insanity. We have masks requirements here for schools and parents outraged because of it! Nobody wants to admit that we really are in a pandemic! There your gov doesn’t, and here our gov admits it but the people don’t. Stop the insanity!

        Liked by 2 people

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