Summary
- The PM gave a statement at the coronavirus press conference on 26 November 2020. The full statement is here.
- In addition, the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, made a statement to the House of Commons and announced which regions would be in each tier.
- The full guidance on the different tiers is here – Local restriction tiers: what you need to know
- The criteria used to determine which tier a region is placed in are as follows:-
- case detection rates in all age groups
- case detection rates in the over 60s
- the rate at which cases are rising or falling
- positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)
- pressure on the NHS
- The regulations require the government to review the allocations every 14 days, with the first review complete by the end of 16 December.
- We have been able to announce UK-wide arrangements for Christmas, allowing friends and loved ones to reunite, and form a Christmas bubble of 3 households for 5 days over the Christmas period.
- There is additional guidance – Full list of local restriction tiers by area together with a postcode tracker – Find out the coronavirus restrictions in your local area
- In relation to Christmas it was announced on 24th November that:-
- Travel restrictions across the four administrations and between tiers will be lifted to provide a window for households to come together between the 23rd and 27th of December.
- Up to three households can form an exclusive ‘bubble’ to meet at home during this period. When a bubble is formed it is fixed, and must not be changed or extended further at any point.
- Each Christmas bubble can meet at home, at a place of worship or an outdoor public place, but existing, more restrictive rules on hospitality and meeting in other venues will be maintained throughout this period.
- Further guidance will be provided in due course.
Schools
The Guidance for full opening: schools was updated 26 November 2020. The first part of the guidance states that ‘There are no substantive changes here for schools.’
However, the major change is that from 2nd December all staff, including those who are extremely clinically vulnerable, can continue to attend school in all three local restriction tiers.
The sections that have changed are as follows:
- Face coverings (more detail below)
- Transport
- Attendance – self isolating and shielding
- Workforce – staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable (more detail below)
- Educational visits
- Music, dance, drama – performances in the various Local Restriction Tiers
- Physical activity in schools
- Process in the event of local outbreaks – guidance on contingency plans are to be updated in due course (more detail below)
Face Coverings
Local restriction tiers: high alert or very high alert
When an area moves to local restriction tiers: high alert or very high alert, in settings where pupils in year 7 and above are educated, face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained. This does not apply to younger children in primary schools and in early years settings.
In the event of an area moving into local restriction tier: high alert or very high alert, schools will need to communicate quickly and clearly to staff, parents and pupils that the new arrangements require the use of face coverings in certain circumstances.
Workforce – staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable
Advice for those identified through a letter from the NHS or a specialist doctor as in the group deemed clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV or shielding list) was published on 13 October. The guidance provides advice on what additional measures individuals in this group can take tailored to each local restriction tier.
All staff can continue to attend school in all three local restriction tiers.
Under local restriction tier 3: very high alert, staff and employers may wish to discuss flexibilities that support clinically extremely vulnerable staff, such as staggered start times to reduce travel during rush hour.
In the future, the government will only reintroduce formal restrictive shielding advice in some local areas in tier 3: very high alert where this has been advised by the Chief Medical Officer, and only for a limited period of time. The government will write to individuals to inform them if they are advised to follow formal shielding and not attend the workplace.
Contingency plans
For individuals or groups of self-isolating pupils, remote education plans should be in place. These should meet the same expectations as those for any pupils who cannot yet attend school at all due to coronavirus (COVID-19). See the section on remote education support.
We will update our guidance in the coming days to reflect how schools should operate under the strengthened tier system, and an updated contingency framework in the exceptional circumstances in which further restrictions on education are required in any area. The government will do everything possible to avoid enacting those contingency measures at any stage.
Remote education expectations
We have now published a temporary continuity direction which makes it clear that schools have a duty to provide remote education for state-funded, school-age children unable to attend school due to coronavirus (COVID-19). This came into effect from 22 October 2020. The direction poses no additional expectations on the quality of remote education expected of schools beyond those set out in this guidance.
The collection of school guidance is here – Guidance for schools: coronavirus (COVID-19)
