Next few days ‘crucial’ in fight to stop Covid spread

Masks are returning to classrooms and plans are being drawn up for possible absence levels of up to a quarter of public sector workers as Omicron continues to spread across the country.

The moves come after a health boss warned the "next few days are crucial" in the fight to reduce the impact of thehighlytransmissiblecoronavirus variant, as NHS staff work "flat out".

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi acknowledged thevariant"presentschallenges", but said the Government is taking steps to "bolster our support for schools" in an effort to minimise disruption when students return to their desks after the Christmas break.

Face coverings will return forsecondaryschoolpupilsin England's classrooms.

But the supply of 7,000 new air purifiers for areas of schools where good ventilation is difficult has been branded "completely inadequate" by NEU teaching union joint general secretary Dr Mary Bousted, who said that with"over300,000classrooms in England they (the Government)havefailedtoprovidean effective solution".

Education committee chairman Robert Halfon said mask-wearing would have a "significant impact on children's wellbeing".

IncommentsintheSunday Telegraph, the Tory MP said: "The Government needs to supply the evidence. If masks are not required in offices or restaurants, why are we getting young kids to put them on?"

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said ministers should have acted sooner.

"We are really pleased that Government is talking to us and trying to work out how to get some support into schools now," Mr Whiteman told the BBC.

"We'reratherdisappointed that we're having the conversations this side of Christmas when we could have been making these arrangements earlier on. The other thing we're going to need is a very flexible approach from Government that means as we begin to understand the picture more and more, they're prepared to make other changes very quickly."

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office said that although disruption caused by Omicron has so far been controlled in "most parts of the public sector", leaders have been asked to test plans against "worst case scenarios" of 10%, 20% and 25% workforce absence rates.

It follows a call in December from Mr Zahawi for ex-teachers to help with Covid-related staff shortages in the new year.

Boris Johnson has tasked ministers with developing "robust contingency plans" for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks.

As the roll-out of boosters continues, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hailed the delivery of 132million vaccinations acrosstheUKthroughout2021 as "astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work ofourNHSanditsvolunteers".

Mr Javid has warned that restrictionsonfreedom"must be an absolute last resort", but on Saturday NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson

said the Government "must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're

needed".