Virus chaos hits 340 schools
Schools could send tens of thousands of kids home Warning class disruptions will get worse through winter
TESTING TIMES Huge queue at Covid test centre in Southend, Essex, at 8am yesterday
SCHOOLS could be forced to send tens of thousands of pupils home just a fortnight into the new term as the coronavirus testing fiasco deepens.
Parents are struggling to get kids checked, while teachers unable to get tests warn of staff shortages as they are forced to self-isolate.
And it emerged at least 339 schools in England and Wales have already shut completely or sent kids home after positive results.
Downing Street says 99% of schools in England reopened this month with a “very small” number remaining closed due to outbreaks.
But Association of School and College Leaders chief Geoff Barton warned: “We are regularly hearing reports of groups of pupils and staff having to self- isolate in response to positive cases.
“The concern is this disruption will worsen as winter approaches. It is essential the Government improves the capacity of the testing system.” With budgets overstretched after Tory austerity cuts, heads have no spare cash for supply staff. Thousands of school leaders have warned Education Secretary Gavin Williamson warning of “partial rolling closures” and disruption to catch-up studies.
Heads’ unions reported calls from 400 members with suspected cases after just one week of full reopenings in England. Moz
Bulbeck Reyno lds , 45, said daughter Matilda was turned away by her West Berkshire school as she has cold symptoms. She said she had tried to get a test “a “almost constantly” through the of official website, adding: “I’m furiou furious at the Government for their in incompetence.” And Samuel
Austin, 35, of Faversham, Kent, said he had been trying to book a test for 48 hours after his boy started showing symptoms on Sunday.
He said: “The testing process is not fit for purpose.”
One teacher was offered a test 17 miles from home – and the head of
a Sussex primary said the tests shortage is the single issue that would derail reopenings.
He said: “A high proportion of my staff are also parents of school-aged children. As soon as one of them has any likely symptoms, I’ll be losing staff.” He added that five pupils were off with suspected Covid-19 symptoms and could not get tests.
It was also claimed one family in Twickenham, South West London, had to pretend their 16-year-old son was from Aberdeen to get him tested.
The lad’s mum, named as Gaynor, told Radio FiveLive they tried to book a test for three days before just going to a centre five minutes from them.
She said: “My husband said, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have an appointment’. The steward said, ‘ No worries’. Then they tell him, ‘ We have to put in an Aberdeen postcode to get a QR code’.
“They put that in, so the man said, ‘ You are eligible, drive back in’. We had to put in a code for Scotland. The centre is empty practically every time we drive by, yet we cannot get a test.”
Munira Wilson, MP for Twickenham and Lib Dem spokeswoman on health, raised it with Health Secretary Matt Hancock in the Commons.
She said: “MPs are being inundated with complaints. Mr Hancock claims this system is world-beating – in fact it is barely functioning.”
Mr Hancock defended the scheme’s record and said the “average distance travelled for a test is 5.8 miles”.
A government spokesman said: “We are seeing significant demand for tests. It is vital children and staff only get a test if they develop symptoms.”