Pic of the week 15/3/20
The end of days!
At least, that’s what it feels like at the moment.
We are in the first phases of an epidemic, and there is very strange feel to life at the moment.
Thursday saw a “Cobra” meeting and the PM, flanked by two grown ups (Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer) announced plans for the nation. For now, schools are not closing. In fact, the government hasn’t introduced many mandatory measures, taking the line that these will need to come, but keep them in the pocket for when we really need them – i.e. at the peak of the crisis, rather than now – as people will only tolerate draconian restrictions for so long.
I think it is a sensible approach, but we are the outlier amongst western European nations, most of whom have gone into lock down already.
Anyway, we are where we are. School remains open, but pupils are leaving for foreign shores at an alarming rate. By yesterday, I think circa 160 had already left; I suspect that number will increase over coming days. I understand the desire of parents to get children home, and of students to go home, but I do think it a big risk for Year 11 & 13 students who have GCSE and A level exams this summer (assuming they are still on.)
It will lead to challenges as to how we (I) teach – but whilst I’ve still got students in my classroom I reckon I’ll teach pretty much as normal, but provide electronic access to worksheets etc.
Strange times indeed – it is starting to dominate our lives, certainly our newsfeed. On a personal level, I’m not too worried about contracting the virus – I think we should all pretty much expect to at some point, and it’ll “just” be a cold for a few days. Who knows, we may have it now, or have had it. What worries me is the extended disruption to our lives and the impact on the economy. I do worry for Sam and his exams – I hope they are still on this summer.
I think the best analogy is waiting for a big dumping of snow – you know its going to happen and cause disruption, but there is that element of uncertainty of when, and how much, but with snow at least you know you can have some fun with it, and it a couple of days it’ll all be over. Alas, we can’t say that for the virus.
Anyway, on Saturday, Becky & Sam went to Bristol (apparently the shops were deserted – unlike Becky’s reports of Sainsbury’s today), hence the snap of Sam in the snazzy shirt (he didn’t buy it!)