Covid Hundreds of pupils isolate as schools are sending children home
HUNDREDS of children and teenagers across Bristol are understood to be self-isolating as schools have been sending pupils home due to confirmed or suspected Covid cases.
According to the latest data from the council, coronavirus cases were confirmed in 68 schools across Bristol as of June 23 – compared to 25 two weeks earlier.
Educational settings to have confirmed covid cases in recent days include the city’s universities, Air Balloon Hill Primary School – which has recorded one case – and Bristol Grammar School – which confirmed “a small number” of cases among pupils and sent home all Lower Sixth (Year 12) students in a bid to “limit any further spread”.
Fishponds Church of England Academy has sent home pupils who are in the nursery class, reception, Year 1 (Butterfly Class) and Year 4.
And a number of coronavirus cases have been confirmed at a Withywood secondary school.
Children in Year 7 will now have to learn from home after the positive tests at Merchants Academy, which were confirmed on Monday.
The news comes after the Mayor of Bristol said “everything is on the table” with regard to the soaring number of cases in Bristol schools.
Data from Bristol City Council shows how infections are rising across the area – with 925 Covid cases confirmed in the seven days to June 22, compared to 405 in the week ending June 11.
The data also shows how infections have soared across the area, with 766 Covid cases confirmed in the seven days prior to June 18, compared to 189 in the week ending June 4.
According to the latest data from the council, coronavirus cases were confirmed in 68 schools across Bristol as of June 23 – compared to 25 two weeks earlier.
Educational settings to have confirmed Covid cases in recent days include the city’s universities and Bristol Grammar School – which confirmed “a small number” of cases among pupils and sent home all Lower Sixth (Year 12) students in a bid to “limit any further spread”.
Recent figures showed more than 100 Covid cases were recorded at the two universities in Bristol in just over a week.
The University of Bristol recorded the highest number of cases in the seven days to Wednesday, June 23, with 91 cases confirmed.
At that point, the vast majority of cases have been recorded among students, with only four staff members testing positive with Covid-19.
In comparison, the University of the West of England had 14 cases between Tuesday, June 15, and Monday, June 21.
The University of Bristol was the first university in the city to confirm an outbreak back in October and more than 2,000 coronavirus cases ended up being confirmed there.
The semester at the University of Bristol finished last week, while UWE’s summer term finishes in August.
The Government is reported to be preparing to announce new Covid rules for schools in England.
Bubble arrangements and selfisolation for school pupils should end as soon as possible, the new Children’s Commissioner for England has said.
Dame Rachel de Souza said there was an urgent need for children to get back to normal as lockdown restrictions had been a “real trauma” for many young people.
Her call came amid reports that ministers are preparing to overhaul the system for schools in England when they return in September following the summer break.
An announcement may be made in the coming days to allow schools time to prepare, with the requirement to quarantine expected to be replaced with a new testing regime.
Currently children have to selfisolate for 10 days if another pupil in their bubble tests positive for coronavirus.
It has resulted in a sharp rise in pupils off school for Covid-related reasons, with the latest official figures showing 239,000 children in England missing classes – as the numbers trebled in the space of a week.
A senior government source told The Guardian newspaper: “We will have a different system when schools return in September which combines proportionate protections when someone tests positive with trying as much as possible to keep schools open.”
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Dame Rachel said the need for children to go in and out of isolation was “a really big issue” and was proving “incredibly frustrating” for pupils and teachers alike.
“With bubbles, I think everybody would like it if 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,” she said.
“The experience of lockdown has been a real trauma, and I think we shouldn’t underestimate it. Children are really troubled, and it’s right across the board.”
Dame Rachel said young people, who had seen their normal childhood disrupted in order to protect older people, were now struggling with their mental health.
“They have done a huge amount for us, I mean they really were the least at risk of this and they’ve given up 19 weeks of their education, they’ve had all this anxiety and concern and exams cancelled; they’ve taken a big burden for us,” she said.
BORIS Johnson’s Government faced claims of creating “one rule for those at the top and another for everyone else” after announcing that some foreign tycoons will no longer need to quarantine when arriving in England – if their trip is likely to be of significant economic benefit to the UK.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said the announcement “takes the p***” and is offensive to lower-paid workers.