Secondary school infection rates have rebounded since half term
and it appears that the lockdown has done nothing to slow the
increase in infection amongst school age pupils.
The rate of infection amongst secondary age pupils has risen by
51 times since the start of September and they have a
significantly higher rate of infection than any other age group.
Primary and secondary age children are the only age groups with
an increasing rate of infection.
There were 124 confirmed outbreaks in secondary schools in the
week following half term. Secondary and primary schools were the
2nd and 3rd most commonly reported location by people testing
positive for coronavirus.
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union said: “The Government cannot bury their heads in the sand
about coronavirus transmission in schools any longer. There is
very clear evidence that secondary age pupils are catching the
virus in school and on their way to school, and then passing it
to their families. In these circumstances the Government cannot
expect schools to ran as normal with almost no measures to
protect staff and pupils.
"The Government's failure to break the chains of transmission in
schools means this period of lockdown will not result in cases
falling to any significant degree - we will be in the same place
on Dec 2 as we were on Nov 5 when we needed to introduce the
lockdown because cases were so high.
"Today’s missive to school leaders forbidding them to move to
rotas is another example of the Government failing to act to
suppress viral transmission in schools and from them to the
community. The Government’s refusal to give school’s any money to
deal with coronavirus this term speaks volumes.”
Editor's Notes:
Coronavirus Infection Survey - https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/20november2020
NEU analysis - https://www.dropbox.com/s/p3j8c7e7rek24um/ons_infection_survey_by_age_20201120.xlsx?dl=0
PHE Coronavirus and Flu Surveillance report https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936672/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_w47.pdf
