Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CLASS RETURN IN DOUBT
Minister says school closures could be extended
SCHOOLS could stay closed after this week’s half-term if Covid-19 infection rates do not drop, it was warned yesterday.
Communities Minister Caral Ni Chuilin said “ideally” the R value would be below one before children return to classrooms.
She added: “Today we have over 30 people in intensive care fighting for their lives. We still have a big job of work and we need to get infections down.”
But, writing i n the Mirror today, children’s rights champion Koulla Yiasouma said: “We must protect our children’s right to an education.”
THE Covid-19 reproduction number would “ideally” need to drop below one before schools reopen, the Communities Minister has said.
Caral Ni Chuilin said the R value – the average number of people an infected person will pass the virus on to – was between 1.4 and 1.6 when the Executive made the decision to close schools for two weeks.
The minister, who is selfisolating at home after a family member tested positive, also warned about the behaviour of some w h en leaving and collecting pupils at school.
Schools are to open again on November 2 following an extended mid-term break.
Ms Ni Chuilin was asked whether the Executive has set a R value target before reopening schools.
She told the BBC: “Ideally we need to get it below one. The measures schools staff have adhered to have been great but we need to look at behaviour when we are dropping kids off and picking kids up.
“I know that schools have done their best but the issue is still with us. Today we have over 30 people in intensive care fighting for their lives. When we made those decisions there were 26 people.
“We still have a big job of work and we need to get
that R rate down.” She added it is the Executive’s intention to keep schools open.
Ms Ni Chuilin said: “However, given the statistics, and behind those statistics are families who have been impacted by Covid, we need to ensure we get our medical and scientific advice and evidence. Regrettably that’s the position we have been in.
“Let me assure everyone it is our intention to keep schools open and lessen the restrictions as the numbers of people impacted by Covid decrease.”
She reiterated comments made by Deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill, who said a potential extension of the region’s four-week circuit-break lockdown cannot be taken off the table.
While the current regulations do not prevent fans attending elite sporting events in limited numbers, Ms Ni Chuilin repeated her calls for supporters not to attend football games. The GAA has stopped spectators attending matches while Ulster Rugby will also play its home games behind closed doors until Stormont reviews the measures again in mid-november.
However, the IFA has allowed spectators to attend games in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, deserted high streets and city centres are hampering
Britain’s jobs recovery, new research suggests.
Urban areas are bearing the steepest declines in vacancies, the Centre for Cities found.
The think tank and jobs site Indeed found vacancies have failed to return to preCovid levels in all 63 towns and cities analysed. Aberdeen recorded the steepest fall with a 75% year-on-year decline, followed by Edinburgh on 57%. Belfast and the west Sussex town of Crawley were next with both found to be on 55%.