United Kingdom to rely on mass testing to reopen schools

Other safety measures also put in place until at least Easter

As the United Kingdom charts its way to what it hopes is the final goodbye to COVID restrictions students can add corona to their list of tests to look forward too. 

The Boris Johnson government wants kids back to school as of March 8th. In order to do that all secondary and college students will take three corona tests in the first week at school testing stations. The results of the COVID testing will “enable their return to the classroom.” Presuming they clear that testing hurdle students will then have to do twice a week rapid corona tests at home. The tests will be provided to them. 

Teachers and staff will also utilize COVID rapid tests for mandated twice a week testing. 

As an added “temporary extra measure” masks will also be required for all secondary and college students in classrooms and all school areas. 

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says the mask requirement will be in place until at least Easter pending a review. 

“Public Health England continues to advise that the existing range of safety measures in place in education settings remains appropriate including bubble groups, staggering start and finish times, increasing ventilation and hygiene, regular testing and maintaining distance between adults where possible.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock says it is important to test everyone especially those that are asymptomatic.

“Around one in three people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and will be spreading it without realising it, so rapid regular testing offers a reliable and effective additional tool to help keep schools safe.” 

Professor Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse and Director of Maternity and Early Years, at Public Health England says the science is clear that children are not drivers of COVID infection rates. 

“Staff, parents and pupils can feel reassured by scientific evidence that shows transmission in schools is low and that children are not drivers of infection in schools or the wider community. The system of controls and the introduction of rapid testing programmes in place in schools offer further reassurance in the measures taken to maximise the safety of the school environment.” 

For university students “who need to access specialist facilities and equipment” they can return to in-person learning on March 8th with twice weekly testing made available to them. For all other university students a roadmap to return to class will be determined by the end of the Easter holiday. 

All nursery school staff across the country will also undergo twice a week COVID testing.

It isn’t just England. Recently Denmark also announced plans for mandated twice a week corona testing for all students in secondary school and up. The Danish Education minister even went as far as to say any student who refused to be tested can be expelled.

Austria, which reopened schools on February 8th, tests all students for COVID twice a week. According to AFP only a tiny percentage of parents have refused to have their children tested and those children are not allowed to return to school.