How much will Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact Aston Villa's season?

[Ad@m]

My daughter is a teacher too. She thinks primary schools will return in May.

Not gonna happen according to a government minister.

I know. That's really raised my hopes they'll be back open very soon!

[paul_e]

I think I posted this on the OT thread before but everything I've heard suggests schools will be closed until half term and then it will be a phased return, with primaries back before secondaries and potentially schools running unusual hours, etc.

[old man villa fan]

I see they are still kicking the can down the road.  Decision making still seems to be beyond many in this country.  It still seems to beyond many to actually prepare fully to be able to make a decision when it is required.  Failing to ask the right questions because you do not want to hear the answers.

All we seem to hear about are 'opinions' of people or 'source close to'.  Too many people need a story to run so they can make money off it.

Getting sick of it all.  This is not the football that I have followed most of my life.

[PeterWithe]

A local comprehensive has been open daily with between 4-8 kids attending. Which makes you think there must be more cost effective solutions?

[Legion]

A local Primary has 4 kids in.

[thick_mike]

Some schools are a part of multi academy trusts, where secondary schools and primary schools are a part of the same pyramid. In those schools they just open one of the schools and teach all the children of key workers and vulnerable children in one school and close the other schools in the pyramid. It’s a far more efficient way of doing things.

[paul_e]

Some schools are a part of multi academy trusts, where secondary schools and primary schools are a part of the same pyramid. In those schools they just open one of the schools and teach all the children of key workers and vulnerable children in one school and close the other schools in the pyramid. It’s a far more efficient way of doing things.

If LAs still existed in any meaningful sense I suspect this could've been organised much more effectively and universally.

[CyprusVillain]

When and how schools fully reopen will be an important indicator of the context within which the PL season will either proceed or terminate.

As others have commented, many schools have remained open - I've been in school every week since the lockdown, catering to a maximum of five pupils along with two other members of staff. There is certainly very little expectation that we will see a significant return of pupils until June 1st at the earliest. And even then the priority will be Year 10 and 12 pupils who will (probably) be sitting national exams in May/June next year. Further, it is likely that the return will be phased in a number of ways;

1) Areas (apparently) less effected first, major conurbations second.
2) Splitting of the school week - we have 800 pupils normally on site - they cannot all be accommodated and social distancing practised if they are in at the same time.
3) There is speculation that teaching unions will not recommend members re-enter the school until we are provided with adequate PPE - given shortages and and the fact that health and social care workers must currently take priority - union consent for any plan until this is resolved is unlikely to be forthcoming.

Balanced against this is the obvious need to reopen the economy as well as getting young people back to education in a safe and secure environment.

Its worth saying that the outcome of the lockdown, and the curtailment of face-to-face education, is the anticipated aggravation of profound socio-economic inequalities in our city. I work in an inner city school in Birmingham - half our pupils are eligible for free school meals - an indication of relative poverty. Whilst pupils in more affluent areas, and with parents who have the means to mitigate the worst effects of the isolation induced by the lockdown, consequently they find themselves better able to cope with these difficult circumstances. The longer the lockdown continues the greater the educational advantage accrues to those pupils.

I'll be blunt - Britain is not an unalloyed meritocracy. Progress in school and exam driven attainment is primarily delivered not by individual effort and resulting merit but by the family you come from........and thus is dependent on the socio-economic status that your family enjoys.

In short, and on the whole, working class kids get working class jobs and the current lockdown we are living through only reinforces this outcome the longer it goes on.

So, here is my dilemma.

I refuse to return to full-time work in school until I am convinced that my employers can discharge effectively their duty of care towards me.

However, the longer the school remains shut to most pupils the greater their chances of social mobility are significantly undermined and the right to participate as a free and equal member of society is compromised.

Reproduce this on a mass scale and you are storing up considerable problems for the future.

To sum up......

Private self-interest verses the public good.

As someone once said - contradictions are the stuff of life.
 

[sid1964]

The schools will not reopen fully before September - the Unions will make sure of that!

[frank black]

Bundesliga, looking to return next month, teams already training and all games behind closed doors in 2020.

[Drummond]

If they did try and resume, all it would take would be one involved individual, be that player, coach etc to get it and the whole thing would have to stop all over again. Then imagine that person dying. Football would be in a very dark place again.

[OzVilla]

Exactly, this all stoped when Arteta was diagnosed so if they keep to those standards just one positive test us all it would take.

They talk about integrity but at the same time peddle behind closed doors at neutral venues. Imagine a team in deep trouble having a player test positive with a few games left, like this won’t be called into question.

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

I think I posted this on the OT thread before but everything I've heard suggests schools will be closed until half term and then it will be a phased return, with primaries back before secondaries and potentially schools running unusual hours, etc.

Mrs MDC claims to be ITK and has heard the same

[john e]

Exactly, this all stoped when Arteta was diagnosed so if they keep to those standards just one positive test us all it would take.

They talk about integrity but at the same time peddle behind closed doors at neutral venues. Imagine a team in deep trouble having a player test positive with a few games left, like this won’t be called into question.

Surely that would mean no football until they have found a vaccine and everyone has been vaccinated as the virus won’t suddenly disappear

[OCD]

If there was enough testing going on, all players, staff etc. could be tested before each training session/match.