Spain are beginning to lift theirs, but their lockdown was much stricter than ours to start with. I suspect when we start we’ll go the same way though… allow certain kinds of business, see the effect on the infection rate, that kind of thing.
The covid tracking app they’re developing is an interesting route… with accurate contact tracking you could relax the rules a lot… but you’d need a significant percentage of the population to buy into that.
We can hope. Johnson’s brush with death might change the whole government outlook, I suppose.
I’m hoping that we ignore the manipulated statistics/results coming out of China.
Quoted from the Sun:
A huge split has broken out about when the lockdown should be ended, it was reported yesterday.
Some want to begin to lift the restrictions after the first May bank holiday on Friday, May 8.
But others think that any changes should wait until after the second May bank holiday on Monday 25, and for other social distancing measures to stay in place for months to come.
Not the most reliable of sources I know, but maybe an idea.
(full article here)
8th May would be before France who are seemingly ahead of us and dealing with things better.
I won’t lie to you, the situation is pretty dire at the moment. Once you take the virus out of the equation, the knock-on effect to the economy is going to take years to repair. However, what I would say is, I don’t think it matters too much how old you are, we’re all going through this for the first time. I’ve got at least 20 years on you and I’m also finding it really difficult. We’ve all been thrown into an unfamiliar situation without really knowing how to make the best of it, or when it is going to sort itself out.
The main thing to remember is that you’re not alone in feeling that way and we really are all in this together.
I would seriously look at moving out though when lockdown ends though. It’ll be a great way to boost your confidence and give you your own space.
Completely agree. I think in a couple of years we’re going to be looking back and thinking how stable the last decade has been, even though it definitely didn’t seem like it at the time.
We’ll be alright though! There are tough times ahead, but I have faith in my fellow humans. Some of the things people have been doing over the past month have brought a tear to my eye.
I have first hand experience of war, terror attacks a global financial crisis, Brexit and now the ongoing pandemic.* There’s one thing I’ve learned from all this that I would love to have passed on to my teenage self:
No matter how bad things look, even when you think it is quite literally the end of the world as we know it ** you will be astonished at the resilience of people and systems across the world and how quickly things bounce back to ‘normal’.
This is an unprecedented situation and to be honest nobody can predict with any accuracy what’s going to happen in 3 days/weeks/months/years. However I would be bold enough to say that, although I don’t know when or how, things will be okay and sooner than we might think.
*I’m 30 years old for crying out loud! 
** I’ve genuinely felt that the world/society was ending three times in my life. It never has.
It will be interesting to see if schools are able to open for the final summer half term after spring bank holidays.
I suppose we won’t know much until the end of April as has been said all along.
Not enough data to decide what the future looks like.
Some say the world will end in fire. Some say in ice.
I think, if the numbers go well they may consider opening up primary schools to more than key workers, but I agree - any semblance of “normal” school life if unlikely before September.
The trouble with reopening “just” primary schools, is that it’s still 4m kids!
That’s millions of parents doing drop off, pick up, having chats in the playground, teachers, support staff etc etc for all these kids. All the touch points.
They might not suffer with the virus, but they can still spread it. Schools are done until Sept now at least.
I said more than key workers, I didn’t mean all parents. I agree, I think the schools will remain shut until September but I think there is a slim chance that they may want to get people working again before then, to prevent further damage to the economy.
The problem is, those working from home are already contributing to the economy. It’s those who are unable to do so who are (through no fault of their own) contributing to the squeeze on the economy.
I’m sure it’s similar around the country but my girlfriend is a teacher and she was on a rota to cover key workers’ children. They estimated 150ish kids a day. It’s been about 30 at peak.
Whether that will increase from Monday when parents have had enough of them and can’t wait to get them back to school, we will soon find out! 
It will have to be a gradual thing, but at the first chance Weatherspoons are going to be open, if they see a clause that means they can open, they will. And every single one will be absolutely packed! That’s what needs to be avoided.
Is that because (like in our household) both parents need to be keyworkers in order to be eligible otherwise they just refuse?
A couple of pubs near us have reopened but not to the public. They are adapting to the market and are offering takeaways.
You can order pub food to be collected or delivered. You can even get a flask filled with beer or buy bottles. Wonder if this is their plan too? 
I think the numbers were counted if either parent is a key worker (or other criteria) then the child can still have a school space.
But in reality, one parent might be at home, they are old enough to look after themselves, they have a bigger brother/sister etc etc
A couple of local places tried to turn themselves into a takeaway but it didn’t last 
That a shockingly large amount of people? 
Case of headline not matching article there!