New advice to schools in bid to halt soaring Covid-19 rates
ALARMING RATES of Covid-19 among childen and increased pressure on health services have triggered new advice about keeping kids off school.
Calderdale Council has issued fresh guidance to schools and parents - different to Government guidelines - in a bid to reduce coronavirus cases.
The borough is seeing its highest case rates since the pandemic began, and was last week being reported as having the sixth highest rate in the country.
Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Health, Debs Harkins, said: “This is advice but we are appealing to people follow it and help Calderdale.”
It includes asking parents to keep children at home for three to five days if anyone in their household tests positive for Covid-19. They should then take a PCR test and only return if the result is negative.
Government advice is that anyone under 18 does not need to self-isolate if someone in their household has Covid-19 but they are advised to take a PCR test.
The aim of Calderdale Council’s
advice is to reduce Covid-19 rates in schools and beyond to relieve the pressure on hospitals and social care services, and have less children off school.
“We need to find the right balance between minimising the risk of infection, reducing disruption to our lives and ensuring our health and care services aren’t overwhelmed,” she said.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing real pressures within our hospitals at the moment. Contact tracing data shows that the high number of cases is being caused by the virus spreading in education settings, and we need to bring the situation under control.”
Despite high vaccination take-up, the increasing rates are bringing people into hospital with Covid-19. There are also staffing issues, with NHS and social care workers off if they test positive.
Mungo Sheppard, Head at Ash Green Primary School in Mixenden, Halifax, welcomed the advice.
The pandemic has been tough on education settings, he said, and is still taking its toll.
“My first phone calls of the day are always giving Covid-19 advice,” he said. “It’s just taking an inordinate amount of time.
“Staffing is a big worry, it’s been nightmarish for the last two years.
“I have 109 staff and on occasions we’ve gone into double figures with the number of people who were off.”
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