Revealed:
19 Oct 2021 09:00
Mitigations to be prolonged.
Current COVID-19 security mitigations in colleges are to stay for now, following recommendation from senior clinicians.
Pupils will proceed to be required to put on face coverings in secondary college school rooms as they start to return from the October break.
Secondary-aged pupils, and employees in major and secondary colleges, will even nonetheless require face coverings in communal areas or when transferring across the constructing.
The Chief Medical Officer has suggested that whereas there are encouraging indicators, a extra cautious strategy would permit extra time for 12 to 15-year-olds to take up the vaccination.
Confirming that college mitigations will stay in place for now, Schooling Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville additionally urged continued vigilance to guard pupils and employees.
Ms Somerville stated:
“In current weeks we’ve seen the earlier sharp decline in COVID-19 case numbers beginning to degree off, and that’s the reason we’ve determined to undertake a cautious strategy and keep security mitigations in class for the time-being. Progress with vaccinating 12-15 12 months olds has been exceptional and is already over 40%. Nonetheless, this was solely rolled out a couple of weeks in the past and permitting additional time will imply that that encouraging determine rises even increased.
“This choice relies on recommendation from senior clinicians and takes account of the newest information. We’ll proceed to watch case charges on a weekly foundation, with a view to lifting restrictions at earliest potential time.
“Whereas I absolutely perceive that this might be disappointing information for some younger individuals and their mother and father, as has been the state of affairs all through, the security of youngsters, younger individuals, and all training employees, stays the overriding precedence. There isn’t a room for complacency and we should all proceed to stay vigilant to scale back the unfold of COVID-19.”
Background
Reducing Risks in Schools Guidance
The federal government’s choices on college mitigations are knowledgeable by scientific and public well being consultants, in addition to the views of plenty of stakeholders. This contains the Chief Medical Officer, the Nationwide Incident Administration Crew and skilled recommendation and engagement with the Covid Schooling Restoration Group, which is made up of representatives drawn from throughout the training sector.
The minutes of the assembly of the Advisory Subgroup on Schooling and Kids’s Points and the related proof supporting this choice might be printed shortly.
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