28 November – Coronavirus Important update
FAO: All Education and Childcare Settings and Providers on the Omicron Variant
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This is your email to keep you updated on the government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19). If you have colleagues who would like to receive this email directly, please ask them to use this subscription form. Today’s email includes:
We have discussed this update with ASCL, NAHT and CST and agreed it would be helpful to issue today rather than wait until Monday. Information for all education and childcare settings on new measures in response to the identification of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the UKOn Saturday 27 November, the Prime Minister announced new temporary measures following the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the UK. The new measures will be introduced as a precaution to slow down the spread of the variant while we gather more information. We will continue to keep this under review as the situation develops. Face coveringsFace coverings should be worn in communal areas in all settings by staff, visitors and pupils or students in year 7 and above, unless they are exempt. Pupils or students (in year 7 or above) should continue to wear face coverings on public and dedicated school transport, unless they are exempt. TestingAll educational and childcare settings should continue to encourage staff and students to test twice weekly using lateral flow device (LFD) tests. Contact tracing and isolationThe current guidance on contact tracing and isolation remains in place. In addition to these, any suspected or confirmed close contacts of the Omicron variant will be asked to isolate for 10 days regardless of vaccination status or age. You will be contacted directly and told to isolate. VaccinationAll eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters. Vaccines are our best defence against COVID-19. They help protect young people and adults, and benefit those around them. Vaccination makes people less likely to catch the virus and less likely to pass it on. To book a vaccination, please visit: Book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk). Changes to the red list for international travel to EnglandIndividuals arriving in England from red list countries must follow the red list rules. South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe moved onto the red list at 12pm Friday 26 November. Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia were added to the red list 4am Sunday 28 November. Schools, out of school settings and colleges will want to consider whether to go ahead with planned international educational visits at this time, recognising the risk of disruption to education resulting from the need to isolate and test on arrival back into the UK. The information below has not changed since our last update Department for Education COVID-19 helplineThe Department for Education COVID-19 helpline and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Advice Service, (formally the Public Health England (PHE) Advice Service) are available to answer any questions you have about COVID-19 relating to education and childcare settings and children’s social care. Department for Education guidanceOur guidance to support education and childcare providers, local authorities and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic can be accessed using the links below: Unsubscribe from the daily emailYou will continue to receive this daily email if you have supplied your contact information as part of your formal Department for Education establishment record (for example, in get information about schools) or you are registered as a team leader in the Test and Trace service. If your contact information is not held formally by us, you can unsubscribe using this unsubscribe form. |
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