Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Schools at tipping point
» Union calls for Christmas circuit breaker to curb virus » Some pupils back to remote learning due to staff shortages
SCHOOLS in Northern Ireland are sending whole year groups home because of staff shortages caused by Covid, a teachers’ union has warned.
NASUWT national official for Northern Ireland Justin Mccamphill has called on all schools to cancel mass gatherings over Christmas amid growing concern over a lack of available substitute teachers.
He also said the Department of Education may need to consider a circuit breaker closure of schools to stop the spread of the virus.
He added: “I think there should be a circuit breaker over the Christmas period. I can see how taking a few days off at the end of December may help.
“The thing is it can only be part of a wider package.
“If we do it and then still allow everyone to mingle and socialise together over Christmas, we are actually going to be facing a worse situation in January. Schools can’t just be looked at in isolation.”
The BBC has reported that the Belfast Boys Model and Lisneal College in Derry have moved some pupils to remote learning due to staff shortages.
Mr Mccamphill said: “Over the last 28 days 1,072 school staff have contracted Covid. On top of that there are teachers who will be self-isolating, who may have to look after their own children and we are also into the normal flu season. “The system would normally cope with normal colds and flus but there is a shortage now of substitute teachers and many schools are having to send classes or whole year groups home.”
The union official called for clear instructions for schools on how to prevent the spread of Covid.
He added: “All mass gatherings should be cancelled.
“We know there are schools still planning open nights, open days, carol services.
“We think we have to decide, do we want these peripheral events or do we want teachers in schools teaching children?
“I think the department needs to keep a circuit breaker under review.
They should be monitoring the number of teachers in schools and they will have to make an assessment as to whether schools can be kept safely open.”
However, the Department of Education said “there are no plans to close schools early for the Christmas period”.
A spokesperson said: “Any decision to do so would be taken by the Executive and would be based on medical and scientific advice. We all know that the best place for children in terms of mental health, wellbeing and education is in school.
“Departmental guidance requires schools to continue to implement a range of mitigations to reduce the risk of Covid-19.
“The department is aware of the pressures schools have been facing throughout the pandemic and the difficulties faced by some schools in securing appropriate cover as a result of staff absence. We are actively considering how best to support schools in responding to the issues they currently face and are liaising with DOH colleagues while continuing to follow medical and scientific advice.”
Meanwhile, children over five who have poorly controlled asthma should be offered a Covid-19 vaccine, scientists have warned.
A Lancet study found around 110,000 UK children with the condition are six times more likely to end up in hospital if they catch the virus. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation commissioned analysis of health data on 752,867 children aged five to 17 in Scotland, by researchers at the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Strathclyde and St Andrews. Study lead Prof Aziz Sheikh, of University of Edinburgh, said: “Our national analysis has found that children with poorly controlled asthma are at much higher risk of Covid-19 hospitalisation. “Children with poorly controlled asthma should therefore be considered a priority for Covid-19 vaccination alongside other high-risk children.
“As with any medical intervention, it is important to consider both the risks and benefits from vaccinations.
“Emerging evidence from children aged five and older suggests that Covid-19 vaccines are overall welltolerated by the vast majority of children.
“It is now for policy makers to decide how to act on these data.”
The study is a result of the JCVI request to investigate the risk of hospitalisation in school-aged children with poorly controlled asthma.
The results are published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Around 1.1 million children in the UK are estimated to have asthma.