On the 7th April the government updated their advice on implementing social distancing in education and childcare settings and many news outlets reported with headlines of how PPE would not be provided to schools because it isn’t needed.
The rationale for this is that children, although becoming infected at roughly the same rate as adults, often experience mild symptoms.
This fails to consider adequately the potential implications on school staff required to support the children of key workers. Not only is it possible for school staff and children to become very unwell from this, due to many of the children currently in school having daily contact with NHS and other front-line staff, they are increasingly likely to pass on the virus.
In secondary schools it is easier to maintain social distancing whilst the numbers are reduced. Thought must be given to primary, EYFS and child minding settings where this is much more difficult, if not impossible due to the age of the children in their care. Some specialist provisions where personal care is required or students have medical needs will struggle to maintain any semblance of social distancing.
I am not arguing that all schools should have PPE, instead I firmly believe that those working with younger children or where close contact / personal care is necessary they should be viewed in the same way a social care setting is. Teachers and other school staff are sensible and none would wish to divert much needed PPE away from the NHS. But they are best placed to judge where some level of PPE might be necessary and should be trusted to reach that decision.
[…] There would also need to be greater work around how schools can better protect their staff and students from the virus before a full reopening could occur, including a further review of the need for PPE is some settings. […]