A teaching union has called on Jersey's government to make masks mandatory in all areas of schools again, because of the spike in coronavirus cases.

The NASUWT also wants whole school assemblies and in-person staff and parent meetings paused, and PCR testing for all close contacts reintroduced.

Secondary school children, pupils in higher education, and members of staff are encouraged to wear face coverings when moving around in corridors and communal areas because it's more difficult to stay apart from others.

PCR testing for direct contacts of coronavirus cases in schools, colleges, and nurseries was axed earlier this week.

The government said it was because of the disruption caused to education by so many students having to regularly attend PCR test appointments.

It's recommended they take lateral flow tests at home instead.

The NASUWT says if the government doesn't bring back these safety measures, children's education will continue to be disrupted and the safety of school staff, pupils, and the wider community will be at risk.

"Schools in Jersey currently have some of the lowest levels of Covid safety mitigations. Face coverings, though recommended, are seldom worn by pupils in communal areas. Carbon dioxide detectors have not been rolled out in the same way as in other jurisdictions and now the requirement for close contacts in schools to take a PCR test has been removed.

"At a time when we are seeing an exponential rise in cases, with many linked to schools it is prudent and essential that ministers take action.

"The focus must be on protecting public health and avoiding further damaging disruption to pupils’ education. Introducing and enforcing compliance with the proportionate measures we have set out in our letter will help in the fight to avoid a bad situation becoming worse in the run up to Christmas.

"Pupils, parents, and school staff must not be left to have to pay the price of a lack of appropriate Covid safety measures in the run-up to the Christmas holidays." - Dr. Patrick Roach, General Secretary.

44 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were found in schools on Wednesday 24 November.

321 pupils and 37 members of school staff tested positive for Covid-19 on the week starting 15 November.

Attendance on Thursday 25 November in secondary schools is 83.5%. It's 90.7% in primary schools.

The full letter from the NASUWT to Children and Education Minister Deputy Scott Wickenden can be read below:

"The NASUWT is extremely concerned by the current surge of COVID-19 cases on Jersey which appears to be being fuelled largely by cases in schools. This surge is having a significant impact on schools’ ability to operate as well as directly on the teachers in schools.

"Despite the surge in cases Jersey has some of the weakest mitigations in relation to preventing the spread of the virus in schools. Face coverings, though recommended, are seldom worn by pupils in communal areas. Carbon dioxide detectors have not been rolled out in the same way as other jurisdictions. There are precious few other precautions.

"Worse still, what little mitigations exist are being weakened, rather than strengthened. The recent removal of the need for contacts in schools to have a PCR test is a prime example, and one that has shocked and dismayed NASUWT members.

"The NASUWT is also deeply concerned that non-essential activities are continuing with staff expected to attend. There can be no justification for these to continue. In addition, figures from the Office of National Statistics in the UK show that education staff are more likely to test positive for Covid than staff in other sectors. It is highly likely this is replicated in Jersey.

"NASUWT members are reporting that the lack of robust protections in their workplaces leaves them at risk of contracting the virus and spreading it to their families. Schools are the only places now where large groups of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people congregate. No evidence-based justification has been provided for not applying precautions to education setting that apply in other similar locations.

"Teachers are also experiencing significant increases in workload due to staff absences and being required to undertake excessive cover. This, combined with fear of contracting the virus, is having a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of staff, and there is a clear risk that the COVID-19 pandemic will be followed by a work-related stress epidemic in schools, and one that will be made all the worse if significant numbers of staff are unable to travel off-island at Christmas due to infections contracted in school.

"Many other countries in Europe that have kept in place mitigation measures in schools, whilst rolling out a vaccination programme, have not experienced the surge in cases that we have seen in Jersey. The NASUWT therefore strongly urges the Government of Jersey to:

• Stop whole-school assemblies and in-person staff/parents meetings
• Reintroduce mandatory face coverings in all school areas
• Reintroduce PCR testing for all close contacts of confirmed cases
• Postpone/cancel any non-essential activities.

"It is important that Government issues these instructions in the interests of ensuring that all schools remain open safely and in order to protect public health. I look forward to your urgent response.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Patrick Roach

General Secretary