More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
The Government's plan to test school children for coronavirus who don't have symptoms by Christmas is a challenge, Kent County Council's leader has admitted.
But he insisted the council was "committed" to ensuring the tests would be available and urged schools to support the testing - although details about where and when they will take place are still yet to be revealed.
Cllr Roger Gough said today (Saturday): "It is a logistical challenge of considerable scale but we are committed to ensuring that tests are available and have urged all schools to support the programme."
He added: "Schools have worked hard to provide high quality education throughout the pandemic and we remain concerned about the high and increasing case numbers in Kent and the number of school-age children testing positive.
"It is right that pupils and families are offered a test to identify cases of coronavirus and ensure swift action can be taken as the festive break approaches.
"Along with other measures being taken to keep children and young people safe, these tests will help reduce the risk of people without symptoms transmitting the virus."
He stressed: "I want to remind everyone that there is plenty of testing capacity in the system for people experiencing symptoms and anyone with symptoms should book a test.
"We are still waiting for information but it seems highly likely that 'mass testing in schools' may be a very misleading slogan."
"In addition, I urge people to continue to abide by the rules of Tier 3 restrictions, limit your contact with other people, wear a mask in public places where appropriate and maintain excellent hand hygiene.”
His comments come after it was announced Kent is to get 12 new testing stations for schools over the weekend.
Despite attempts to find out where and when the testing will take place, no details have yet been provided. Two were due to have been set up on Friday, with the rest being made ready this weekend.
Kent County Council was directing queries back to the Department for Health and Social Care after Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement about testing in schools.
Meanwhile, Alan Brookes, who is chairman of the Kent Association of Headteachers, said he had not received any details about the testing and would have preferred for all secondary schools to shut from Monday.
"We are still waiting for information but it seems highly likely that 'mass testing in schools' may be a very misleading slogan so am holding fire on further comment until we have the details," he said.
"I remain convinced that a move to remote learning next week for secondary schools for all except the children of key workers and vulnerable students would have been a more effective move in reducing the infection rate and the number of families who will have to self isolate over Christmas, particularly in the worst affected areas."
