Pupils shouldn’t have to isolate themselves if someone in their school bubble tests positive, England’s new children’s commissioner said.
Dame Rachel de Souza calls for the end of the current coronavirus bubble arrangements in schools, which means entire classes have to self-isolate if anyone in them catches COVID.
She said that “the experience of the lockdown has been a real trauma” for children and young people and that the current rules are “a very big deal”.
“With the bubbles, I think everyone would like that we could get back to normal, as soon as possible. Obviously we have to be safe, and we have to take advice, but it’s very, very restrictive,” a- she told the Daily Telegraph.
Dame Rachel said the children had “given up 19 weeks of their education” due to the blockages, adding: “They took a big burden on us.”
Current rules have led to a sharp increase in student absences, with the latest government figures showing 239,000 missed classes and the number tripled in the past week.
Reports in The Guardian on Tuesday claim ministers are expected to drop the current arrangements, with an announcement to be made in the coming days.
According to the newspaper, the government plans to replace the self-isolation requirements with testing from September.
In the Commons on Monday, the newly appointed health secretary Sajid Javid said he asked for “new advice” on the COVID-19[female[feminine situation in schools.
Former Health Minister Steve Brine told Mr Javid that “our young people have suffered enough”.
“Ten days of isolation is inevitable under current rules, even with a negative PCR test,” he said.
Mr Javid replied: “This is a very important question and it is something that I have focused on, from day one of my job.
“That’s why I asked for further advice on this. As he knows, the decision was made with the data available at the time.
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-28 23:55:00
