Hackney Council to host a webinar to address parents’ concern over Covid take-home testing kits for school pupils
Regular Covid testing for secondary school pupils in Hackney will be expected in order to ensure a safe return to in-person learning next week.
Students will initially be tested in school from 8 March but will then be provided with home testing kits. The tests must be taken every three to five days.
Hackney Council’s education and public health team are hosting a webinar on Wednesday 3 March at 5pm for parents to ask questions and voice their concerns.
In a statement to Hackney Council, deputy mayor Anntoinette Bramble said: “It’s vital that students complete their regular testing and isolate with their household if they receive a positive result. This is so we can keep as many students at school as possible so they’re able to see friends and carry on learning.”
Under the new government guidelines, all school and nursery staff will also be tested twice a week. These measures do not apply to primary school children, although they will be part of a phased return to the classroom.
Safety measures that were in place during the autumn term will also be reinforced. This includes wearing face-coverings in corridors and classrooms and Covid-secure risk assessments to ensure that schools remain a safe place for pupils.
Tests will be provided by schools but Hackney Council is urging parents to also take part in regular Covid testing at one of the borough’s four rapid test sites.
