18 March 2020 : Covid-19 Schools to Close

The schools are closing, thank you Lord......I know we need to remain open for critical services and vulnerable children, I work in education. I think this will reduce the spread significantly......but it is at this point that I want to thank all of those who work on the front line, NHS doctors, nurses, support staff, cleaners, porters .......police, fire officers, paramedics (my personal heroes), couriers, supermarkets, corner shops, .....remind me to tell you about my experience with those wonderful paramedics, totally unrelated to Covid-19 and quite a funny story.

However as much as I am happy that the schools are closing I think we need to do more, now before it gets uncontrollable. School staff are amazing, so amazing. They will continue to support our children, working from home, answering emails and doing online learning.

The most devastating news of the day was the GCSE and A Levels were postponed indefinitely. How utterly soul destroying for all those (staff and students) who have invested so much time and effort into this - I do hope the government come up with a fair system for these kids.

I worry about the mental health of our children. My kids have only been home two days from school and are isolating in their rooms with the mobile phones. Not going to hard on the mobile phone usage at the moment they have enough to contend with and don't need me nagging them to get off their phones it is their only way of contacting their friends....in a few weeks when things settle down. We do have dinner together (apart from the isolator) and we do family games after dinner. Be extra gentle with these kids......they are not ready for this.

I worry for all those small businesses that are being destroyed, self employed, zero hour contracts.....I hope the government do something - the impact of this will be huge.....check in on your friends, make sure they have enough.....money to get buy. My brother is self employed, he has just recovered from surgery so his immune system is low, he wanted to continue working but I gave him a complete rollicking and told him to stay at home.....

Not much humour in me today......