Teachers told to turn off test and trace app, union claims

TEACHERS in England have been told to disable NHS test and trace systems and ignore isolation instructions, a union has claimed.

The NASUWT teaching union said it had received messages from teachers who claimed that certain schools had urged them to disregard i solation orders to lessen the number of staff needing to self-isolate.

Current government guidance only permits teachers to pause the app alerts when their phone is stored away in a locker, or if they are wearing personal protective equipment suitable for a medical setting.

However, the NASUWT alleged that some head teachers had asked staff to disable the test and trace app throughout the whole of the school day.

Dozens of schools either closed or sent entire year groups home after just one pupil or member of staff tested positive within a couple of weeks of reopening in September.

The Association of School and College Leaders has said that schools felt “let down” by the contact tracing system after the resumption of full-time education.

“A key aspect of controlling the virus is an effective test and trace system, of which the app is an integral part,” said Dr Patrick Roach, the NASUWT general secretary.

“Schools and authorities overriding advice are putting at risk the safety and the lives of teachers and pupils and risking much larger outbreaks.”

Dr Roach called on ministers to “act swiftly and with clarity” in order to ensure that schools adhered to the correct guidelines around contact tracing and isolation.

The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.