United Kingdom V: Son of a beach

[Dogg Thang]

Relevant to the US too (just replace 'Johnson' with 'Trump') but how could a Johnson government possibly be okay with a reopening plan when people are dying? How?! Ohhh... https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-52568948

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/may/07/no-10-scrambles-to-control-amid-fierce-criticism-of-lockdown-mixed-messages

The Government is said to be trying to regain control of its lockdown messaging after criticism that its plans to slightly ease restrictions will cause confusion and lead to rule breaking.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/may/07/coronavirus-lockdown-could-be-unpoliceable-next-weekend-warn-chief-constables

The police have warned that any attempt to ease the rules will make the lockdown unpoliceable from next week.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/may/07/coronavirus-uk-unions-warn-against-premature-reopening-of-schools

Whilst two unions have warned that no schooling should return before September.

[Dogg Thang]

... it doesn’t feel to me like any easing has been earned yet. It basically says - we’re fine with this many of you dying a day.

Following on from this thought, I saw a social media post from a paramedic cousin of mine that said something along the lines of - easing doesn't mean the pandemic is over. It just means they currently have room for you in the ICU.

That sounds about right.

[charlesr]

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/plan-to-open-schools-on-1-june-in-doubt-as-unions-say-safety-in-doubt

MPs plans to reopen schools from 01 June could be unravelling

[gordon]

My kids will be glad to hear that. Though, to be fair, there's no way I'm sending them back before September anyway. If this government had shown any signs of basic competence in how they're handling things I'd be more open to it, but they're hopeless. I've no confidence in their ability to quickly bring it under control or implement track, trace and isolate if they did. We needed a pessimist in charge of things, not that useless positive thinking idler.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/09/im-losing-my-teenage-years-young-contend-with-life-in-lockdown-coronavirus

Depressing. But not for the reason the article or its participants think it is.

[Asura]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...wn-coronavirus
Depressing. But not for the reason the article or its participants think it is.

I stopped reading at "have that summer everyone has".

[teddymeow]

It's ridiculous.

There's still plenty of time for getting drunk in a field and contracting an STI from a random at a festival.

[Golgo]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...wn-coronavirus
Depressing. But not for the reason the article or its participants think it is.

Deprived of your socializing routines and consumer entitlements for several weeks? Life over.

It's worth reading on: "They used to go to Wetherspoons to do their homework, says Charlotte."

[Dogg Thang]

Right, I’m sticking up for the teens here. Firstly, a huge amount of us have moaned about this situation. If you have at any point and are giving teens a hard time for doing the same, that makes you a hypocrite. It’s okay not to like this situation. It’s okay to be unhappy with it. It’s okay to think it sucks. It’s okay for it to make you feel really bad.

Here’s the thing - teens are stupid. Yes, I’m still sticking up for teens here. It is a gloriously stupid time of life and that’s what can make it really special. You are horned up to the eyeballs on hormones, trying to adult while being nowhere near ready for it and that makes for a wild, tempestuous time of life that is to be enjoyed with others. And it’s really short too. You never get that back. It feels long at the time but then so does the loss of it in this case. Spending even six months of your teenage years stuck at home is a big deal. It’s a great loss. And it’s a permanent loss.

I have two kids and, as it happens, the early teen is doing better than my younger kid but I can see the effect of the isolation on my younger kid and it’s not good. Even if this is all lifted today (and it’s not going away any time soon), I think the mental effects of this will last a long time in spite of trying (often failing) to parent well.

It’s a situation that sucks. It sucks for everyone. And things feel even bigger when you’re young. So let them moan. Let them feel bad. What do you gain by swiping at them?

[vanpeebles]

A good birching in front of the town hall would work wonders for them.

[teddymeow]

[MENTION=3144]Dogg Thang[/MENTION] I totally agree with your post.

The start of the article still annoyed me.

[Anpanman]

Our teenager is totally ****ed off with the situation, in small part because she can't see her friends of course but the main thing is she wants to get back to school, she's in year ten and she's right to be concerned that they probably have most to lose out of all the kids at secondary - well at her secondary anyway.

[Cassius_Smoke]

I think my entire teenage years were spent in total social isolation anyway. If I was 15 now, my life would be the same as it was. Curse these teenagers with friends and a will to learn!