Schools take all precautions but ‘hundreds likely to catch Coronavirus’

School principals are taking every precaution to reduce the risk of Coronavirus as they welcome pupils back after five months away from school, they say.  
Principal Charlie McAleese welcomes pupils back after lockdown to Killicomaine Junior High School in Portadown. September 1, 2020.Principal Charlie McAleese welcomes pupils back after lockdown to Killicomaine Junior High School in Portadown. September 1, 2020.
Principal Charlie McAleese welcomes pupils back after lockdown to Killicomaine Junior High School in Portadown. September 1, 2020.

However the Chief Scientific Advisor to the executive said yesterday that it is “not unreasonable” to think that hundreds of children across Northern Ireland will develop coronavirus this winter.

Primary seven pupils and sixth formers returned last week, but in most cases the full school population returned yesterday.

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Health and safety measures including hand sanitising stations, staggered start times and one-way systems and face coverings are being used by post-primary pupils.

Charlie McAleese, Principal of Killicomaine Junior High School in Portadown, said it was great to see pupils “brilliantly turned out by their parents with black blazers, white shirts and school ties”.

“The difference of course is that they are all lined up outside with black face coverings, which do immediately change the dynamic, but it is clear they are glad to be back.”

One of his gyms has been converted into a second canteen plus lunch breaks are staggered over three sittings.

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He acknowledges that some pupils will have concerns, as will staff who have underlying health issues, who are pregnant, or who have elderly parents or grandparents. “But we are working hard together to ensure the minimum risk we can for all our school community,” he added.

Stephen Black, Principal of Ballymena Academy, had 850 pupils return yesterday.

“The overwhelming sense is that it is great to see young people back,” he said. “It is clearly a very different school in terms of the routines than in March but we have to come to terms with that. There will be challenges but it is important that we have our young people back in school and try to put measures in place to try to allow that to happen.”

The additional cost of extra cleaners and new hand washing facilities is a major challenge, he says. And he foresees test and trace processes will naturally lead to increased levels of absence among students and staff.

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As with other schools, across NI, some staff are more vulnerable due to health issues, he says. However in such cases they have carried out individual risk assessments and put additional safeguarding measures in place, he adds.

Banbridge Academy Principal Robin McLoughlin said his staff have worked very hard to put measures in place to minimise risk. “However it is essential to ensure that we continue to offer high quality education to the young people in our care. The general mood among the pupils is that they are all glad to be back.”

He is particularly concerned that pupils and staff get urgent clarity about when exams are due to be taken next summer.

Dromore Nursery School Principal Sharon Beattie said pupils coped very well yesterday. “I think they are just glad to be in a normal environment where they can play with each other and toys,” she said. However it may be more challenging as more pupils are phased in and parents have to queue longer, she added.

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Julie Shipley, Principal of Hart Memorial Primary, Portadown, also had a good first day back: “Parents were really punctual for their staggered drops offs and the kids were great coming in. The staff have made amazing changes and pupils are ready to come back – they are all smiles.”

However despite the best efforts of schools, the Chief Scientific Advisor to the executive says some pupils are still likely to catch the virus this winter.

Professor Ian Young told the Stephen Nolan Show yesterday: “It is not unreasonable to think that over the course of the winter there would be hundreds of children who would develop Covid. That is not unreasonable.

“But I believe our systems are in place to cope with that.”

 He said that children who develop the virus will stay at home, with guidance from the Public Health Agency (PHA).

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Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride also told the Nolan Show that there is “no doubt that the return of schools will result in some upward pressure on the R number [rate of infections]”.  

However he said the risks were worth paying because the cost of disrupting children’s education outweighs the risk of the virus.

Education Minister Peter Weir also said there will be cases of Covid-19 in schools as they reopen

“Where those happen, schools will be working closely with the Public Health Agency,” he said.

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The Public Health Agency declined to give any figures yesterday for school infections, saying this could identify individuals and “create stigma”. However letters emerged yesterday from principals at Jonesboro Primary in Co Armagh and Holy Family Primary in Magherafelt, each advising parents of a confirmed case and asking pupils in the classes to isolate for 14 days.

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