Coronavirus: Premature for schools to shut – Health president
CLOSING Guernsey’s schools now in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak would be premature, the president of Health & Social Care has said.
Heidi Soulsby was responding to the Guernsey branch of the National Education Union.
This followed a letter sent by the union’s joint general secretaries to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
As of yesterday, schools in the UK remained open despite the number of deaths from Covid-19 increasing over the weekend. The union said that its members were asking daily why the government has not followed the lead of other countries and called for periods of school closure.
It was a similar situation in Guernsey, said the local NEU: ‘What can we tell them [school staff] to reassure them that their health, their family’s health and the school community’s health isn’t at risk?’
Deputy Soulsby said HSC was focused on what was appropriate for the Bailiwick.
‘We are in containment phase with no evidence of community seeding unlike the UK,’ she said.
‘As such, closing schools at this stage is premature. With a 14-week cycle it would mean kids off school for three months at least.’
Consideration also needed to be given to who would care for the children if schools closed.
‘Often it is grandparents who are in the most vulnerable group, or, if no carers available, parents who may be those key workers like nurses.
‘It is quite possible schools may need to be closed, but it is premature at this stage given the info we currently have.’
Guernsey has one confirmed case.
In total 131 samples have been tested, with 26 still awaiting results.
Director of public health Dr Nicola Brink has advised islanders to avoid all non-essential travel and take social distancing measures – reducing the contact we have with each other.
Over 65s with underlying health conditions have been advised to avoid non-essential closer contact as much as possible such as not going to group meetings, dances, meals out and shopping.
