Covid-19 Lockdown Safety of Staff 2021-01-18
2021-01-18
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the safety of staff working at various educational facilities during a recent lockdown.
What steps he is taking to help ensure the safety of staff at early years settings, special schools and alternative provision during the covid-19 lockdown announced in January 2021?
Ensuring the safety of children, the workforce and families is our overriding priority. The early years and schools workforce are classed as essential workers for the purposes of accessing testing, and we continue to update our guidance to help specific settings provide a safe and secure environment for children and staff.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify concrete steps or commitments beyond general priority statement
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP criticises the use of unapproved rapid tests on students, expressing concern about children's health and safety.
Will the Minister confirm that no tests are being done on our children that have not met with regulatory approval, and will the Government commit to putting the health and safety of children first?
We have added NHS Test and Trace and Public Health England, and we have asked them to provide rapid updated public health advice on daily contact covid testing in schools. This is in the context of the current prevalence of the virus and the high transmission rates.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm regulatory approval or commit to prioritising child safety
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the safety of pupils and staff in nurseries due to lack of clear scientific evidence provided by the Government.
Does the Minister agree that this situation is unacceptable and that, at the very least, they deserve to see the clear detailed scientific evidence and advice that the Government have received about the safety of early years settings?
All the advice that we have been given has been made public. There are three reasons why we have kept early years settings open and they are all important. Early education gives the child communication and social skills that set them up for life. You cannot teach a small child online, and they cannot get those months back. Our public health advice remains that younger children play a lower role in community transmission, and the evidence at the moment is that the confirmed cases of covid among the very youngest children are the lowest of all age groups.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not agree with unacceptability or provide clear scientific evidence
Response accuracy