{"id":24019,"date":"2020-04-22T22:17:16","date_gmt":"2020-04-22T21:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=24019"},"modified":"2023-04-12T08:46:03","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T07:46:03","slug":"dvsa-covid-19-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=24019","title":{"rendered":"DVSA: COVID-19 Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I received an email today from DVSA. This one has no web link, and since it is addressed and worded to me personally (as in, all ADIs ought to have received similar), I won\u2019t reproduce the entire thing here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It refers to the suspension of driving tests (except for key workers) \u2013 which we all know about along with advice on how to deal with any key workers we might be teaching, and suitable sanitisation procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a bit about how they are working with the political wing of this industry (\u2018the associations\u2019) to keep people informed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s reference to the forthcoming grant for the majority of instructors \u2013 if anyone didn\u2019t know, those eligible will be contacted by mid-May(ish) and payments will be made early June(ish).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, a couple of interesting bits, which I will<\/strong> reproduce. Firstly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If your ADI registration expires by the end of June<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your ADI registration is due to expire by the end of June 2020, you can choose not to renew it right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You then have up to 12 months to re-register without having to take the qualifying tests again. However, you will not be able to charge money (or monies worth) for instruction while your registration has lapsed.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

To my mind, this suggests that no one is realistically expecting life to get back to normal anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly \u2013 and even more telling:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you renewed your ADI registration in March<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you renewed your ADI registration in March 2020 and have stopped working, you can apply for a refund of your registration fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email padi@dvsa.gov.uk<\/a> with your name, ADI registration number, date of birth and postcode to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll then need to cut up your ADI certificate (badge). You will not be able to charge for instruction after you do this, but you can re-register as an ADI up to the end of March 2021 and start work again without retaking the qualifying test.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So, anyone who got their latest badge in March can apply to get a full refund. I honestly don\u2019t think they\u2019d be doing that if they were realistically expecting tests \u2013 and, therefore, lessons \u2013 to be starting up in the foreseeable future. No figures or dates are given, but if anyone was expecting the lockdown for driving instructors to last less than 4-6 months, would DVSA be offering refunds? I would doubt it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All I can go on is what I see, and what I understand. Frankly, there is no realistic end in sight to not being able to give driving lessons just based on the passing of time, or people \u2018getting fed up with it\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of this is still developing by the day. It\u2019s as serious now as it was when the lockdown first came into force, but there is a growing number of people who, even if they belatedly realised the seriousness before, are falsely trying to play it down now. I\u2019m seeing an increasing number for whom \u2018I\u2019ve got to get back to work\u2019 is becoming a mantra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of my background, I know full well the only way out of this is a vaccine. The good news is that Oxford University\u2019s candidate \u2013 which they have already said they\u2019re 80% certain will work, and hope to have ready as at least a million doses \u2018by the Autumn\u2019 if it does \u2013 begins human trials tomorrow. Imperial College has one that will begin its human trials in June. Labs in Germany, China, and USA are also ready to commence (or already have) human trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m following this<\/strong> news above all else. Because only it<\/strong> will get us out of this in any way which doesn\u2019t lead to even more COVID-19 fatalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Update:<\/strong> If you\u2019re on Facebook, ignore any f**kwits telling you either you can\u2019t<\/strong> get a refund, or \u2013 possibly worse \u2013 that you shouldn\u2019t.<\/strong> In the unlikely event that we can<\/strong>  officially work at any point in the next three months, ask yourself seriously if you really want to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you get infected, you will pass it to all the people you meet, and all the people you live with. The virus isn\u2019t going to go from full throttle to engine off overnight on June 12th or any other date some prat has heard one of their pupils has had a test moved to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a brand new ADI, you got this far without having to take people on lessons, so why risk never getting the chance in future?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can<\/strong> get a refund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n