Hartlepool health chief's plea to critical workers NOT to send kids to school to help reduce virus numbers

Children of key workers as well as vulnerable youngsters are allowed to remain in school while all others are learning at home.

But Hartlepool Borough Council says the number of critical worker children currently attending town schools is much higher than during the first lockdown last spring as the definition of who is a critical worker has widened.

The appeal also comes as Hartlepool’s rates having risen considerably in recent weeks including 85 confirmed new cases on January 12 and 734 in the seven days up to January 7.

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Hartlepool Director of Public Health Craig Blundred said: “Since the first lockdown last year, the Government has broadened the definition of who is a critical worker, which has meant that Hartlepool’s schools are seeing a much higher number of pupils in school this time around.

“Schools are doing an excellent job of keeping their premises Covid-safe. However, given that the new Covid variant is between 50 and 70 per cent more transmissible – meaning you are more likely to catch the virus and to pass it on – it stands to reason that the more children who are in a school, the greater the chance of them picking up the virus and spreading it.

“So to keep pupil numbers at school as low as possible to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading even further in Hartlepool, if there are any critical workers who are able to keep their children at home for remote learning, that would be very much appreciated.”

Government guidance published last week also says that parents and carers who are critical workers should keep their children at home if they can.

Mr Blundred added: “I fully appreciate that this may not be possible for a number of critical workers, but at a time when Hartlepool is battling major levels of a virus which spreads with alarming speed, it’s vital that we explore all possible avenues to try to bring the virus under control.”

Numbers of children and young people currently attending school in Hartlepool were not available.

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