Commenting on a Consensus Statement on Covid-19 by SAGE, written
on 11 August and made public today (1), which argues that
“exponential increases will be seen” after schools open for the
new term, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the
National Education Union, said:
"This statement from SAGE is a rebuke to . Next to
nothing has been done to prepare for the possibility of large
numbers of cases which will lead to lots of education disruption
as children and staff have to isolate because they are positive -
or stay off because their covid symptoms go on longer.
"It is only right to recognise that a large percentage of the
school community is unvaccinated, and that this will remain the
case for a while yet. We cannot just assume a return to normal
from the start of term. The bringing together of a school
community of several million will inevitably lead to a rise in
case counts.
"During the summer term was
conspicuous both by his absence and his silence, when cases were
riding so fast in schools. It is perfectly clear to education
professionals that the current safety requirements for schools
and colleges are not sufficient to prevent a rise in cases come
September.
"The CO2 monitors are welcome but far too late - contracts have
not even been assigned for them yet. And they will be rolled out
over many weeks, and will only diagnose a problem, not solve it.
"To prevent a sharp rise in cases, the watchwords must be
ventilation, air filtration, masks, vaccines and vigilance.
"Gavin Williamson needs to support schools to consider face
coverings from day one of term, alongside social distancing where
possible, and special consideration for vulnerable staff.
"The danger is not that schools and colleges will be slow to act,
but that Government is."
Editor’s Note
-
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1013533/S1355_SPI-M-O_Consensus_Statement.pdf
