The Government has its own 5 tests before relaxing the
lockdown.
Below we outline our own 5 tests we think the Government
must meet before moving to the further opening of schools.
5 Tests
We want to begin to re-open schools and colleges as soon as
we can. But this needs to be safe for society, for children and
their families and the staff who work in them.
We have these five tests which the Government should show
will be met by reliable evidence, peer-reviewed science and
transparent decision making.
Test 1: Much lower numbers of Covid-19
cases
The new case count must be much lower than it is now, with
a sustained downward trend, with confidence that new cases are
known and counted promptly. And the Government must have
extensive arrangements for testing and contact tracing to keep it
that way.
Test 2: A national plan for social
distancing
The Government must have a national plan including
parameters for both appropriate physical distancing and levels of
social mixing in schools, as well as for appropriate PPE, which
will be locally negotiated at school-by-school and local
authority level.
Test 3: Testing, testing, testing!
Comprehensive access to regular testing for children and
staff to ensure our schools and colleges don’t become hot spots
for Covid-19.
Test 4: Whole school strategy
Protocols to be put in place to test a whole school or
college when a case occurs and for isolation to be strictly
followed.
Test 5: Protection for the vulnerable
Vulnerable staff, and staff who live with vulnerable
people, must work from home, fulfilling their professional duties
to the extent that is possible. Plans must be specifically
address the protection of vulnerable parents, grandparents and
carers.
Commenting on the launch of the five
tests, Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin
Courtney, Joint General Secretaries of the National Education
Union, said:
"We believe that these test must be capable of being passed
in order to create the necessary confidence amongst parents and
staff.
“Teachers, parents and staff have responded with the utmost
seriousness and professionalism to the Covid-19 crisis. They need
to be confident that public health is the first priority in all
considerations concerning how we move forward and together combat
this terrible virus. If confidence and clarity are lacking, there
is a risk of chaos and greater spread of the virus.
“The National Education Union is very clear that for
schools to reopen we need to have sound scientific evidence that
it is safe to do so. The NEU's petition to that effect has over
200,000 signatures. (1) The strength of support is a clear
indication that parents as well as school staff do not want the
Government to rush into decisions that could cost lives.”
ENDS
Editor’s Note
-
https://actionnetwork.org/forms/open-schools-when-it-is-safe
