Covid Measures For New School Year Announced

Ministers have unveiled which Covid-19 safety measures will be in place when schools return in September.

Staff at schools, nurseries, colleges, and youth services will be offered a PCR test before they re-open.

They can be booked by calling the coronavirus helpline on 0800 735 5566.

It's part of the government's 'precautionary' approach to start the new academic year, after the end of last term saw hundreds of children test positive for COVID-19, and thousands more isolating as direct contacts.

Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat, says that was down to the Delta variant spreading:

"At the end of the summer term, we saw an increase in infection rates in education settings. This was a result of the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant together with the close proximity and prolonged contact in educational settings.

"As such, the proposed mitigations for the forthcoming academic year must be suitable and sufficient and must reflect the transmissibility of the Delta variant amongst school settings.

Dr Ivan Muscat MBE

“Children are at the lowest risk from COVID-19, however concerning signals remain about the pandemic’s effects. Being in school is important for children and young people’s learning and attainment, and their mental health and well-being. Given this context – and the importance of schooling - it is prudent that we maintain protective measures in schools."

As well as a PCR test in the last few days of the summer holidays, staff will take lateral flow tests twice a week during term time.

They will also be given lateral flow tests to use at home.

All secondary school students will also be asked to do a lateral flow test twice a week, rather than weekly as it was last term.

The LFTs will also be available to secondary students to use at home before they return to school. The government is due to announce more details next week.

Assemblies with multiple-year groups can return, but only for up to 15 minutes.

Class bubbles will no longer apply in the playground or other outdoor areas, with year groups allowed to mix during break times.

Primary school students will have to stay in their 'bubbles' when inside the school building, unless for short assemblies.

Headteachers will also be given the choice to remove staggered drop-off and pick-up times if it's deemed safe for their school.

Some restrictions will remain in place though - including secondary students and staff wearing masks in communal areas or on school buses.

"Throughout the pandemic, we have worked hard to minimise any disruption to students’ schooling. When children and young people miss out on school it isn’t just their learning that suffers. It’s also their social skills, and their overall mental health and well-being.

Children & Education Minister, Deputy Scott Wickenden

"The measures are intended to create a proportionate response for education settings; it’s much better for children’s education and well-being to have continued mitigations and to remain in school than to be significantly restricted and not in school.

"Updating and extending the measures we have in place will provide additional protection to our children and young people. But it will also offer additional protection for all the school, college, and nursery staff who have worked so hard to give children the best experience possible throughout this pandemic.” - Scott Wickenden, Children and Education Minister.

Any student or member of staff who tests positive from 6 September has to stay away from nursery, school, college, or the youth club until they get a negative PCR test.

These students are then being told to take daily lateral flow tests for ten days after their negative PCR result.

16 and 17-year-olds in Jersey are eligible for a coronavirus vaccine, alongside 12 to 15-year-olds who are vulnerable or living with someone who has a weakened immune system.

"All eligible young people should receive their vaccine as soon as possible before school restarts to provide the best protection against COVID-19 to themselves, friends, and teachers." - Dr. Muscat.