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Kids will have to take Covid tests twice a week when they return to school
Thoughts?
Boris Johnson laid out his ‘roadmap out of lockdown’ yesterday, which will see the gradual reopening of our country over four key stages.
The first of these begins on March 8th, with the full reopening of schools across England.
As part of this reopening, the government has confirmed that secondary school and college students will have to take two Covid tests a week.
Addressing the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister announced that the return of face-to-face teaching in schools would be ‘supported by twice weekly tests in secondary schools’.
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Pupils’ families will also be encouraged to take regular tests, as well as anyone in a support of childcare bubble, although it’s unclear at this stage how that will work.
The official roadmap out of lockdown document says: “In addition to the already established rapid testing regime and regular testing of staff, there will be twice-weekly testing of secondary school and college pupils, initially with on-site testing and then home testing.
“All households with school children, members of their support and childcare bubbles, and those in related occupations will also be encouraged to get tested regularly.”
According to the Department for Education, school children will be tested as they return on March 8th, with the guidance stating: “After an initial programme of three tests in school/college, students will be provided with two rapid tests to use each week at home.
“Staff in secondary schools will also be supplied with test kits to self swab and test themselves twice a week at home.”
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However, there have been some concerns over implementing a testing programme like this, including doubts over the reliability of results.
Glyn Potts, headteacher at Newman RC College in Oldham, told the MEN: “Schools have spent a great deal of time and money planning for mass testing.
“If we are to continue to be asked to offer tests to students in school, then the logistical demands, extra staffing and disruption need to be weighed against the benefits of what is widely reported as an inaccurate test.”
In regards to asking families to do the tests at home, he added that it ‘would call into question the validity and expectation of such tests thus making the goal questionable’.
This follows the news that secondary school pupils will have to wear masks in classrooms and corridors when they return.
The face covering rule will be in place for a ‘limited period’, which will include at least the ‘initial weeks’ when kids return to schools.
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One of UK’s largest care home groups says it won’t hire anyone who isn’t vaccinated
New staff must have received the Covid vaccine
Care UK, one of the UK’s largest care home companies, has put a ‘no jab, no job’ system in place.
It comes after Care UK, which runs 120 homes, has seen more than two-thirds of its staff vaccinated.
A spokesperson said: “Everyone applying for a role which requires them to go into a home will be expected to have been vaccinated before they start work.”
Barchester, which operates 220 private care homes, said it would be insisting on staff having vaccines, warning that ‘if they refuse… on non-medical grounds [they] will, by reason of their own decision, make themselves unavailable for work’.
Employment lawyers have warned that such a move could result in legal challenges for unfair dismissal. However, Barchester stressed it might be possible to find such people work in roles away from frontline care.
Mike Cain, an associate at Leigh Day, said employment tribunals would weigh the care home’s clinical safety obligations to residents against the civil liberties of any employee whose refusal to have the vaccine might not be an impediment to safe working.
Barchester explains they expect all staff to have the vaccine by April 23rd, excluding those who have medical – including pregnancy – grounds for exemption.
So far 82% of its staff have received a first dose. A spokesperson said: “We are very aware of concerns around possible discrimination which is in no way our intention.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure fairness while also delivering on our duty to protect our residents, patients and staff.”
Bupa has said it is considering a policy for staff in hospitals, care homes and dental practices.
The largest not-for-profit home chain, MHA, said it is ‘being explicit with new staff that we want all of our frontline colleagues to take up the vaccine’ but it will not require new starters to prove it.
Unison, which represents care workers, warned that a ‘hardline approach’ risked hindering take-up.
Senior national care officer, Gavin Edwards, said: “Hesitant staff need encouraging and persuading.
“Intimidation and threats won’t deliver the results necessary for life to return to normal.”
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