Headteachers are warning that not enough Covid testing on pupils is being done at home - and that the government needs to reinforce that “the crisis is not over”.
The warning follows figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care showing that just 1.9 million lateral flow (LFD) tests were carried out on secondary school and college students and staff either at home or on-site in the week ending 12 May, compared with 5.7 million in the week ending 19 March.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said schools were trying to get the message across about the importance of testing, but he added: “The public perception is probably that the risk of Covid is diminishing and that the vaccination programme is a soaring success.
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“It is important that the government reinforces in its public messaging that the crisis is not over and that lateral flow testing remains an important part of minimising the risk of transmission.
“We’re aware that lateral flow testing isn’t being done at home as much as it needs to be.”
More Covid tests ‘needed for school staff and students’
Current Department for Education guidance states that schools should offer staff and pupils home LFD tests on a twice-weekly basis, which can be done at school if needed.
But Professor Christina Pagel, of the Independent SAGE group of scientists, said many of these tests were “not really being done”.
She wrote on Twitter: “Twice-weekly lateral flow device tests (LFDs) - the government’s main mitigation in secondary schools now that they’ve removed masks - are not really being done. There should be about 8 million LFDs a week in secondary schools. But we are only seeing 2 million.”
Firstly, twice weekly lateral flow device tests (LFDs) - the government’s main mitigation in secondary schools now that they’ve removed masks - are not really being done.
There should be about 8 million LFDs a week in secondary schools. But we are only seeing 2 million. pic.twitter.com/saEBHq5s63
- Prof. Christina Pagel (@chrischirp) May 24, 2021
Meanwhile, among primary school staff and pupils, the number of lateral flow tests increased to a peak of “over 1 million in the week beginning 18 March 2021”, according to government statistics.
But the number has since fallen to 827,025 in the latest week ending 12 May, compared with 821,493 the week before.
There were 758 positive test results returned in the latest week within primary schools and nurseries, an increase from 724 positive results in the previous week.
The DfE has been contacted for comment.
