The contingency framework guidelines for childcare settings, schools, colleges and universities has been released.
Not much to see except that schools should seek public health advice if:
For most education and childcare settings, whichever of these thresholds is reached first:
• 5 children, pupils, students or staff, who are likely to have mixed closely, test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period; or
• 10% of children, pupils, students or staff who are likely to have mixed closely test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period
Additional measures might be onsite testing or reintroducing masks but is much more likely to be simply:
At the point of reaching a threshold, education and childcare settings should review and reinforce the testing, hygiene and ventilation measures they already have in place. Settings should also consider:
• whether any activities could take place outdoors, including exercise, assemblies, or classes
• ways to improve ventilation indoors, where this would not significantly impact thermal comfort
• one-off enhanced cleaning focussing on touch points and any shared equipment
Interestingly, 'mixing closely' includes students who have shared a classroom, not just those who sat within 2m of a positive case.
No reassurance for CEV pupils.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1011704/20210817_Contingency_Framework_FINAL.pdf