Covid-19 - Why we should keep the schools open but stay away from gran and grandad.

Okay, I'll admit it.  The whole Covid-19 thing is blowing my tiny brain.  I have felt myself swaying between being a bit blase about the whole thing - I mean... what's all the fuss about?  And then hearing and seeing my husband, who is a Doctor and therefore knows a bit about this stuff, being very worried, which has got me very worried!

 Anyway, he's explained a bit about the science behind the UK government's decision making, which has finally made it make sense a little bit, so I thought I'd share.

Why we should keep the schools open but stay away from Gran and Grandad.

First, it's important to realise that for most people, when they get this virus it won't make them very ill at all, but while they've got it, they'll be able to pass it to other people.  Once they've had it, they will be immune and they won't get it again and therefore won't be able to pass it on to other people any more.

What the government are hoping is that the healthy people amongst us will pass it around between us, not get too poorly, but develop immunity.  Once enough people are immune, the virus will no longer be able to race through the community any more.  While that's happening (and they haven't really explained this bit very well) we should keep away from vulnerable people (the elderly, immune suppressed or people with underlying health conditions).  If they get it, they could get very poorly.  If they shut the schools, parents still need to go to work, so where will the potentially infectious (though not ill) children end up?  That's right, they'll be passing the infection to their elderly grandparents.

That's why the government are not "locking down".  The danger is that in places like Ireland, where they are locking down and keeping everybody home, fewer people are getting the infection and therefore fewer people are becoming immune.  As soon as they lift the lockdown the infection has the potential to spread again.

Bear in mind that the government scientists are constantly keeping this situation under review and may change the advice if they feel it makes sense to do so.

I don't pretend to be a scientist and would welcome comments and arguments but for the first time this is beginning to make sense.