Isolation rules eased but masks to stay for secondary pupils and staff

By David Proctor

August 3 2021, 4:00 pm

The first minister announced changes to school rules.

Nicola Sturgeon has announced a raft of changes to Covid-19 rules ahead of schools welcoming back pupils, but face coverings will be staying.

The 10-day isolation rule for schoolchildren is being changed and will be replaced by a new testing regime.

Last term the stay-at-home for 10 days rule was in place for teachers and pupils who had been in contact with someone with Covid-19.

But with schools in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland due to return to classes on August 17 the requirement has been changed.

Teachers and pupils in secondary schools will have to wear coverings when they return.

In June, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the policy could be changed by the time schools return later this month.

Now the first minister has confirmed that isolation will be completely scrapped and instead there will be regular testing for close contacts of positive cases.

If someone aged five to 17 is identified as a close contact they will need to take a PCR test, however if they test negative they can end their self-isolation.

Previously, leading scientist Professor Hugh Pennington backed Scottish Government moves to review the 10-day isolation rule for pupils.

Face coverings to stay and funding for CO2 monitors

Staff and children aged 12 and older will continue to wear face coverings inside school buildings and while attending classes.

While teaching unions supported the decision to keep masks, a parents’ campaign group railed against pupils having to “stew in their masks all day”

Nicola Sturgeon said the safety measure would be reviewed but said it provided “important protection” for staff and pupils.

The first minister also said the government was “strengthening” guidance on ventilation in schools with CO2 monitors to be used.

The devices can assess how well ventilated a space is and how likely it is the virus will be prevalent.

Under the new guidance, all schools and childcare facilities must have access to the CO2 monitors and these should be used to assess the quality of monitoring.

The government is also going to make £10 million available to councils to support the use of the monitors.

Both pupils, teachers and other staff will be asked to take a Covid-19 test a few days before returning from the summer holidays, and then twice a week thereafter.

For up to six weeks – and subject to review – there will be a requirement for staff to keep at least a one-metre distance from each other and children while in school.

Teaching unions welcome updated Covid-19 guidance

The country’s biggest teaching union, the EIS, welcomed the update from Nicola Sturgeon.

In a statement, the union said it agreed with the continued use of face coverings, physical distancing and the moves to improve ventilation.

It said: “The EIS welcomes the Scottish Government plans for schools to reopen with broadly the same mitigations in place as when they closed earlier this year.

“We agree the continued wearing of facemasks, physical distancing measures, effective ventilation of classrooms, and good hygiene regimes need to remain in full force.

“The Scottish Government’s acknowledgement of the importance of strengthening the guidance around ventilation and the additional funding to close any gaps in this provision is extremely welcome, and a significant improvement to the current mitigations.

“The completion of vaccination programmes for all school staff is vital and the EIS believes that voluntary vaccination of 12 to 17 year-olds would be sensible, and may go some way towards making schools safer places and help to address the anxieties of some young people.

“The six week period of no further changes to mitigations will provide a degree of reassurance to school staff and some certainty as to what to expect when returning to classrooms.”

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary.

Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “The NASUWT had cautioned that removing all measures would be premature and that a more cautious approach is needed to better protect the health and welfare of pupils and staff, and minimise any further disruption to pupils’ learning.

“We welcome confirmation that Ministers have accepted the NASUWT’s arguments for maintaining current Covid safety mitigations when schools reopen after the summer break, including the requirement for face coverings to be worn by pupils and school staff.”

Campaign group slams continuation of face coverings in schools

But campaign group UFT Scotland slammed the decision to prolong the use of face coverings for older pupils and staff .

While welcoming changes to the isolation rules for schools, they believe the use of coverings is a step too far.

Jo Bisset, organiser for UFT Scotland, said: “While nightclubs reopen and football fans flock in their thousands to stadiums across the country, kids will still have to stew in masks all day.

“This means children will be forced to wear coverings for considerably longer than almost any adult doing any job – that’s unacceptable.

“In England pupils were able to ditch masks in May and that didn’t appear to cause any Covid-related problems.

“But in Scotland, children will still be wearing masks all day long until October at least, and who knows what will happen at that point.

“Kids have had two years of education marred by the pandemic and the Scottish Government has a chance to ensure that won’t happen for a third year.

“There’s no doubt there were some encouraging announcements today in relation to isolation policies and parents will be very grateful for that.

“But until the mask mandate in classrooms is removed, children will not be able to enjoy that sense of normality again.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaking to MSPs during a virtual sitting of the Scottish Parliament.

During her Covid-19 update, Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs: “We have also decided, after careful consideration, to retain the current requirements for face coverings in schools for staff and for children aged 12 or over.

“That includes asking young people and staff in secondary schools to wear face coverings during lessons and while inside school buildings.

“I am acutely aware that many young people find this difficult – and it will be kept under review – but for now, we consider this an important protection for them, and for others in school.”