MORNING SERIAL
THE UK Government had announced that from June 15 face coverings would be compulsory on public transport with the exception of people with certain health conditions, disabled people and children under the age of 11. The same measures were not introduced in Wales until almost six weeks later on July 27.
By this point many parents at their wits end with regard to home schooling were given a light at the end of the tunnel when Education Minister Kirsty Williams announced that all pupils would be able to return for limited periods during the week from 29 June. This came with the caveat that only a third of pupils would be allowed into school at any one time, in order to maintain social distancing. In some ways this was very welcome news, however though parents wanted their kids to return to school, their overwhelming desire was for them to do this safely.
Ms Williams announced the end of June reopening on Wednesday June 3, during the Welsh Government daily briefing. The next day Wales’ Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton was up for the daily presser and said that the June reopening was actually the “second best option”.
He said: “When I was discussing this with the Education Minister my preferred option would have been to reopen the schools perhaps towards the end of the summer in August to give us a little bit more time. I understand that was not attractive to the unions and so we’ve got a second best option which is that we’re going to re-open the schools towards the end of June for a short period of time with very different arrangements so that can be done safely. I think we can do that safely. We do need to monitor it and track it. It will be for a limited period of time. That will give us the summer to understand what has happened to levels of infection and it will basically give us more information which is what we need to manage this pandemic.”
Lockdown Wales by Will Hayward £9.99 www.serenbooks.com/ productdisplay/lockdown-wales ISBN 9781781726013