The Chief Minister has suggested the government will not be reintroducing PCR tests for children who are direct contacts of positive Covid-19 cases in schools, colleges, and nurseries.

Two teaching unions have asked for it, following the sharp increase in infections in schools in recent weeks.

Ministers must urgently reintroduce Covid safety mitigations in Jersey & Guernsey schools, amid soaring case numbers which appear to be driven by infections amongst pupils and staff.https://t.co/OAoywssfmlhttps://t.co/TWmU2fLcnr

— NASUWT (@NASUWT) November 26, 2021

Close contacts are being urged to take Lateral Flow tests for ten days instead.

The National Education Union says it's concerned that this substantially increases the risks to pupils and staff.

But Senator John Le Fondre says the clear aim was to prevent disruption to education.

"The Lateral Flow test availability does give a very appropriate alternative to the PCR side.

In principle, therefore, if somebody is a direct contact, they should be getting very regular LFTs for a period of time, whereas the PCR did end up in a disruption to that child's education.

That's what you're trying to protect.

The anecdotal feedback I've had from parents is that they very much welcomed that change and, indeed, I had understood from one of the other unions that they also welcomed that change."

The Children and Education Minister said last week that the end of PCR tests for direct contacts in education settings was vital because of the high number of cases in schools and disruption being caused to direct contacts.

But the National Education Union says removing them is allowing asymptomatic cases to increase quickly.

District President Mark Oliver says while he agrees with the Ministers on the disruption caused by having to constantly go to PCR appointments, the rising case numbers in schools tells a story.

"We are relying on families, who are busy, who are rushing, to do these tests in the morning before the children come to school each day and to track those cases at home and fundamentally, the data suggests that actually, that's just not happening.

The number of cases are going up and by removing PCR tests for direct contacts, you're allowing asymptomatic cases to grow rampantly in your schools without any way of tracking or measuring it.

On 15 November, there was 126 cases and ten teachers in that, the following Monday was 141 cases with only 17 teachers, and today they published there was only 31 cases and one teacher.

Either they've got a grip and the number of cases has dropped dramatically, or we're no longer picking up those asymptomatic cases by testing direct contacts using PCRs."

311 pupils and 42 members of staff tested positive for Covid-19 on the week starting 22 November, compared to 321 pupils and 37 members of staff across the week starting 15 November.

The Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ivan Muscat, says regular Lateral Flow testing for children who are direct contacts in school is more effective than going for one-off PCR swabs.

"It's worth reminding ourselves that a single PCR within the context of the acquisition of infection and picking it up will, in that period of time, only pick up about 50% of infections because it misses a developing infection and incubating infection.

Whereas Lateral Flow tests undertaken on a daily basis for ten days will pick up nearly 100% of emergent infections.

So in that sense, the system of using lateral flow tests actually makes it more sensitive than simply using one PCR test.

It is important to remember that the whole point of the lateral flow test is to pick up infectious disease, and that is what it does, and if it does so at approaching 100% of times, then that is really a very good test to have."

The NEU and the NASUWT have both called for mandatory mask-wearing in classrooms, because of concerns raised by teachers and school staff about staying safe.

It is strongly recommended that secondary school children and students in higher education wear face coverings when in communal areas.

Senator Le Fondre says the Children and Education Minister is considering his response to the unions.

"I would certainly like to see more masks being worn where appropriate and if it's not sufficient in schools, then I'm sure Deputy Wickenden will be considering that and whether he feels anything needs to be done further, bearing in mind it's about three weeks until the end of term."

The Chief Minister also says he can see no reason why school nativity plays can't go ahead in Jersey, as long as precautions, such as using Lateral Flow tests, are taken.