Numerous COVID-19 outbreak across the UK are forcing schools to shut down, a week after they were reopened. Over 60 schools across the country have already taken the decision of closing down staff or students tested positive for the virus.
On September 1st, schools in the UK returned back for the in-person classes. However, less than a week into reopening, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that schools had started going into lockdowns again after numerous COVID-19 outbreaks had been recorded.
COVID-19 outbreaks
Data from DfE showed that more than 60 schools had experienced COVID-19 outbreaks. Most schools, however, have made the decision to remain open, only directing students and staff that had been affected by the virus to self-isolate. These schools indicated that these students would continue receiving their education through distance, but in order to keep everyone safe, the infected needed to stay at home.
Schools such as Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill, Suffolk, however, took a different approach and decided to shutdown. This is after the school recorded five cases of COVID-19 from their teachers.
Assurances from the DfE spokesperson
A DfE spokesperson indicated that the small number of schools that were asking some or all of their students to remain at home were following the government protocol that had been set up prior to reopening. He continued by saying that these student’s education would not be interrupted as schools had done proper preparations to ensure that education continues through distance learning.
The spokesperson continued by saying that swift action was being taken immediately a COVID-19 case was detected. The contact tracing team would immediately contact students who came into contact with the infected students or staff and ask them to self-isolate. He also indicated that the Public Health England’s local health protections teams were also in standby and were advising schools on proper measures to take to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Labour’s shadow education minister Kate Green has expressed concern about the level of sacrifices schools have been forced to make to remain open. She indicated that schools were weighing on the cost of keeping the students safely at schools and curbing the spread of the virus, a sacrifice Green said headteachers should not be making.
Featured image by Pixabay
