As England’s schools prepare to reopen this week, the government has introduced new COVID-19 testing and face mask requirements to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. High school students are now required to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to classes, with most schools set to resume on Tuesday, January 4.
In addition to testing, pupils will be required to wear face masks in classrooms until at least January 26. Ministers are also urging students to get tested twice a week, despite a nationwide shortage of testing kits. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi sought to reassure schools, stating, \”We have ensured schools & colleges can order more tests through a separate route to continue testing from home.\”
The new measures have left many schools and headteachers apprehensive due to the short notice and the potential for staff shortages. Official data from December 9 showed that 236,000 pupils were absent from classrooms due to coronavirus-related reasons, representing 11 percent of all children in state-funded schools in England.
There are concerns that the Omicron variant could exacerbate staff absences. Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned that the situation could become \”very challenging\” in the coming month. To mitigate disruptions, the government has appealed to former teachers to return temporarily to support the workforce.
Regions across the UK are implementing varying testing protocols. In Wales, both staff and students are being urged to test three times a week, while Scotland and Northern Ireland are requesting twice-weekly testing.
Despite rising infections, particularly among the over-50s, Zahawi indicated that no further restrictions are planned in England at this time. \”There’s nothing in the data at the moment that would make me believe we need to go further,\” he told the BBC, noting that COVID-19 infections in London are \”plateauing, if not yet coming down.\”
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England schools to reopen with new testing and face mask requirements
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