Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NO ONE IN ULSTER TO HEAR SAGE WARNINGS Advisor says process critical to tackling pandemic
Teacher fears on distancing for students
SOCIAL distancing in schools could be almost unmanageable, a headmaster in Northern Ireland warned yesterday.
A limited number of pupils are expected to return to classes in August.
A rule that people stay two metres apart is intended to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Stephen Black, headmaster at Ballymena Academy in Co Antrim, said: “Social distancing is going to be very difficult to achieve.
“It would nearly be unmanageable for schools if it is as strict as that.
“Much more of our delivery will be online than if those requirements were to be reduced.”
Mr Black is a committee member at the Association of School and College Leaders.
He told Stormont’s education committee that clear direction was needed by mid-june on issues surrounding reopening.
Education Minister Peter Weir has said schools could accept pupils preparing for exams in the third week of August.
Mr Black added as much clarity as possible was essential to enable principals to gauge how many young people can be safely allowed in.
He said: “It is very clear to us it will be impossible for all the normal content in all the normal subjects to be taught to all the populations in the normal way, given the amount of time that pupils have missed from school.”
Mr Black expressed concern youngsters would feel anxious about the amount of material they had missed, and said harm was being caused by ongoing restrictions.
He appealed for a cautious approach while allowing pupils to return at the earliest possible point, adding: “There is a growing sense in the community at large that young people are perhaps those with most to lose following this pandemic.
“They could be the unwitting victims of this.”
NORTHERN Ireland had no representative on a top advisory committee when the decision was made to withdraw from the test, track, trace programme in March.
At the time, just 47 people locally had tested positive for Covid-19 and the contact team employed 12 people.
Prof Ian Young, who sits on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies committee, said he had been on sick leave when the decision was taken to end contact tracing here.
Yesterday, he added: “To the best of my knowledge there was no one present from Northern Ireland at those Sage meetings where those discussions took place.
“My preference would have been that Northern Ireland was actively involved in the discussions at all stages.
“The purpose of Sage is to review the science and provide advice. It’s not to make policy decisions.
“I think the decision to stop testing on the part of the UK Government was a policy decision and not based on scientific advice.”
Chief Medical Officer Michael
Mcbride stated in late April contact tracing had been stopped on March 12 as a result of guidance by “sound public health considerations”.
Committee chairman Colm Gildernew asked if it was the scientific advice from Sage was not to stop the test, track, trace process.
Prof Young said: “My view in terms of science is that testing is one very important component in terms of the approach to the virus, that we should conduct as much testing as possible.
“The challenge is this was a virus that had no test six months ago, so we are moving from a position of zero testing to one of huge demand for tests across the world.”
Mr Gildernew reminded Prof Young that Northern Ireland had an early capacity for testing of 40 a day, a situation that has since
STORMONT YESTERDAY
been scaled up. Prof Young said there were too many UK cases in March to implement the tracing scheme and “sufficient measures would need to be taken in the form of social distancing”.
But Mr Gildernew claimed experts should have known there was a need to “build up” the contact tracing capacity.
Prof Young agreed the test, track, trace process was “absolutely critical” to Northern Ireland’s ability to move forward.
He also said around 5% of our population was now assumed immune from Covid-19 but the target of between 70% and 80% would indicate the virus’ spread would be naturally contained.
The committee also heard the “R” number will be announced every week from today. It must remain under 1.0 to prevent a major spread of infection.
Prof Young said he hoped there would not be another outbreak of Covid-19 which would overwhelm the NHS but anything remained possible.
He added: “The risk will be greater in the winter and autumn months given the path of other similar respiratory viruses.” A further eight deaths have been recorded by the Department of Health, bringing its Covid-19 toll to 534.
In the Republic, three more people have lost their lives to the virus, bringing the overall number to 1,659.
Meanwhile, all travellers landing in Northern Ireland from overseas are set to be required to self-isolate for two weeks.
It is understood passengers travelling via Dublin Airport will also be subject to the new rules despite the Republic being in the Common Travel Area.
Belfast International Airport boss Graham Keddie said the Executive’s decision was made “without consultation with the industry” at a time when the rest of Europe is opening up.
And he warned the quarantine rule will inflict further damage on our struggling tourist sector.
He said: “These measures will have very severe economic and social consequences not just on our business but also on the wider aviation and tourism industry.”
Health Minister Robin Swann told the Stormont Health Committee: “The conversation is ongoing [until] we develop our own form asking people to self-isolate for 14 days.
“The conversation is going on North and South to make sure the two systems are compatible.
“There are guidances that will be specific to each jurisdiction but self isolation will be a requirement for both.
“It’s not mandatory yet but it’s being worked on at Executive Office level.”
“An incredible amount of work has gone into making this cutting-edge testing facility a reality in a relatively short space of time. Effective testing is the most effective way to save lives and promote a timely return to a more normal society.”
The company is recruiting staff across science, engineering and manufacturing. They will also be involved in the construction of 200 diagnostic analysers which will significantly increase testing capacity.
Secretary of State Brandon Lewis visited the site on Tuesday, adding: “This investment will help support the UK’S effort to fight the coronavirus.”