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Reuters
There is not much evidence that coronavirus is transmitted in schools, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said.
Mr. Williamson said the government was led by the best science because it accelerated plans to open new moon schools for all pupils in England.
Government advisers have warned that the nation has reached the limit on what can be safely restored in society.
But Mr Williamson suggested that an upcoming study would support the government’s position on reopening schools.
His remarks came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said reopening schools, after months without personal education, was the government’s “national priority”.
The prime minister, who is expected to visit a school later, is understood to have made it clear that schools will have to close last in all future local lockdowns, to businesses such as shops and pubs.
‘Growing confidence’
The association of leaders of schools and colleges has said there is a lack of clear guidance from the government, and schools are making their own plans for contingency.
But the secretary of education claims there was “growing confidence among parents that their children were returning” to class.
In a statement issued on Sunday evening, he said: “This depends on the hard work of school staff across the country who are putting in place a variety of safeguards to prepare for the welcome of all pupils at the beginning of the term.”
Mr. Williamson also referred to the “latest study, which is expected to be published later this year – one of the largest studies on coronavirus in schools in the world”, and said it “makes it clear that there is not much evidence that the virus was transmitted at school “.
He is believed to be referring to an upcoming report that will be released by Public Health England.
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Reuters
Gavin Williamson said there was growing confidence among parents about their children returning to school
The Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, has called for regular testing of coronavirus in schools.
And National Education Union Deputy Secretary-General Avis Gilmore said: “Robust rail, tracking and testing in addition to health and safety checks in schools and colleges are necessary.”
School Minister Nick Gibb, however, rejected the idea, telling Times Radio on Sunday that he does not support routine testing for teachers and students who have no symptoms.
Schools in the UK will close on March 20, except for children of key workers or vulnerable children. On June 1, she began with a limited opening for students for young years, Reception, year 1 and year 6.
The current plan is for most children across the country to be back in class next month.
Guidance on renewal has been published for England. There are also separate plans for Wales, Northern Ireland and also Scotland, where schools will have to return from Tuesday.
‘Improve test and trace’
Some government scientific advisers are calling for improvements in the testing and tracking system before reopening schools.
Eins said prof. Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, a “short window” before schools have to “use wisely” again. In the observer, he wrote: “Urgently we need to clean up tests”.
Meanwhile, Labor is calling for a “rapid reform” of the testing and tracking system, suggesting that local teams for health protection are more effective than the national call centers.
Figures released last week by the Department of Public Health and Social Care showed local teams continue to be more successful than workers in call centers when it comes to achieving close contacts from people who test positive for coronavirus.
In a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth and Shadow Cabinet Secretary Rachel Reeves expressed concern that the current model was “not fit for purpose”.
On Sunday, the United Kingdom reported that eight more people had died after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total to 46,574. A further 1,062 people tested positive for Covid-19.
In another development, gyms, swimming pools, holiday centers and play centers could reopen in Wales on Monday, further reducing the lockdown restrictions.
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