Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an (a) estimate the number of covid-19 lateral flow tests that have been distributed to schools and further education colleges since 1 January 2021 and (b) assessment of the effectiveness of (i) lateral flow testing and (ii) the vaccination of 12 to 15 year olds in minimising covid-19-related pupil absences from full-time education.
Answered by Robin Walker
The testing programme is well-established in education providers. As of 19 January 2022, over 109.5 million tests (including household bubble and support bubble tests) have been completed in all education providers including higher education (HE). This includes:
Lateral flow device (LFD) tests have been widely and successfully used to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. A recent report has shown that the accuracy of LFD tests was more than 80% effective at detecting any level of COVID-19 infection and likely to be more than 90% effective at detecting the most infectious people at the point of testing.
On 26 November 2021, every single nursery, school, college, and HE institution was invited to order supplies of lateral flow tests. They will have received their allocation of the 31 million tests, in advance of their pupils, students and staff returning, through a dedicated supply channel.
Vaccinating children should help to reduce the need for children to have time off school and should reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 within schools. Modelling by the Department of Health and Social Care published in September 2021 suggested that a single dose of the vaccine could reduce absences due to confirmed cases of COVID-19 by 33% among healthy 12 to 15-year-olds. This is assuming a 60% uptake. All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters, where eligible.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that pupils can learn safely in education settings.
Answered by Robin Walker
Protecting face-to-face education is our top priority. There is a package of measures and support in place to help reduce transmission and retain face-to-face teaching as much as possible.
All education and childcare staff, and students of secondary school age and above should continue to test twice a week a home, 3 to 4 days apart with lateral flow device test kits. Testing remains voluntary but is strongly encouraged. As of 19 January, over 109.5 million tests (including household bubble and support bubble tests) have been completed in all education providers, including higher education.
All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters, where eligible. On 22 December 2021, the government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that a primary course of vaccination should be offered to children aged 5 to 11 years old who are in a clinical risk group, or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed. On 24 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced that the government will distribute a total of £8 million in funding to NHS England to support secondary schools with the vitally important in-school vaccination programme for young people.
In addition to over 353,000 CO2 monitors already delivered to education providers, we are also making a total of up to 9,000 air cleaning units available for poorly ventilated teaching spaces in state-funded education providers, where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible.
We no longer recommend that face coverings are worn in classrooms, teaching spaces or when moving around the premises outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas. Directors of public health may temporarily, and exceptionally, advise individual providers experiencing outbreaks to use face coverings in either communal areas or classrooms, as part of their responsibilities in outbreak management. The contingency framework provides more information on the principles of managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare providers. This framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support he is providing to public health teams to target areas of low covid-19 vaccine take up in areas of greatest deprivation (a) in York and (b) nationally.
Answered by Maggie Throup
In December 2021, the Government announced £22.5 million for the Community Vaccine Champions Scheme to support 60 local authorities with lowest COVID-19 vaccine uptake, including those in areas of greatest deprivation. Community Champions will work with local councils address barriers to accurate vaccine information and encourage community members to get vaccinated.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have targeted communications with all eligible citizens which is linked to work by contact tracers engaging with resistant or hesitant groups on a one-to-one basis. In addition, the NHS also contacts individuals who are eligible and not yet taken up the offer of a vaccine. Clinical commissioning groups have advertised clinics online with leaflet drops to coincide with planned ‘pop-up’ clinics.
The main York vaccination site has opened 12 hours a day, seven days a week with a walk-in service. Pop-up clinics have opened at York St Johns to address low uptake in the Guildhall ward, with accompanying leaflet drops to promote local clinics. NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with community transport providers and local voluntary sector groups to support funded transport. A pharmacy provider offer has been established where low take up has been identified, supported by targeted publicity. Outreach clinics are targeting vulnerable groups such as the homeless and asylum seekers, tailored learning disability clinics have been provided at Askham Bar and Haxby and mobile units deployed to housebound patients and schools in areas of greatest deprivation.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to communicate the need for public take-up of the COVID-19 booster vaccination via (1) national, and (2) local, media.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The national ‘Get Boosted Now’ campaign was launched on 12 December 2021 in both national and local media, highlighting the importance of those eligible receiving a booster dose. Ministers, scientists, clinicians and celebrities have shared messaging, supported by a large-scale marketing campaign, including TV, radio, press partnerships, and digital and social media.
There is also ongoing local engagement with stakeholders, community groups and faith leaders to reinforce the booster vaccination campaign with ethnic minority communities, patient groups and disproportionately impacted communities. We are also sponsoring information articles in more than 600 newspaper titles, including multicultural newspapers in multiple languages. The COVID-19 vaccination leaflets produced by the UK Health Security Agency have been translated into 28 languages including Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Panjabi and Urdu.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that schools are able to continue to access vaccine programmes throughout the current phase of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Robin Walker
Vaccinations continue to be the best way we can protect ourselves and help keep children and young people in face-to-face education. Healthy 12 to 15 year olds can receive their COVID-19 vaccinations in their school or out of school, such as through vaccination centres. The two offers run in parallel. School-age immunisation service (SAIS) providers have resumed services since schools returned in the new year. Second doses have also been offered through schools since 10 January 2022.
The department has updated the ‘how to’ guide for schools with information and resources, including a template letter that can be used to communicate with parents. Whilst awaiting confirmation of an on-site visit from a SAIS team, the department encourages schools to continue signposting parents to book out-of-school vaccinations for their child, if aged 12 or over, through the NHS booking system. This can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/?utm_source=13%20January%202022%20C19&utm_medium=Daily%20Email%20C19&utm_campaign=DfE%20C19.
All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters where eligible.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions Ministers in his Department have had with Ministers in the Department for Health & Social Care on provision for vaccinating school-age children in (a) July 2021, (b) August 2021, and (c) September 2021.
Answered by Robin Walker
Vaccines are the best way we can protect ourselves and help keep children and young people in face-to-face education.
Since 23 October, 12 to 15 year olds have been able to book a COVID-19 vaccination out of school, through vaccination centres. On 20 December, the NHS opened the national booking service for 12 to 15 year olds to get their second COVID-19 jab. School-age immunisation service providers have been running since schools returned in the new year, with second doses also being offered through schools from 10 January. This offer runs in parallel with the in-school vaccination programme and ensures young people eligible for the vaccine can access appointments out of term time in addition to in school.
All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters, where eligible.
I met with Department of Health and Social Care ministers once over this period and Department for Education ministers and policy officials an additional four times. A number of these discussions touched on vaccinations.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she made of the impact on (a) children aged five to 11 who are clinically extremely vulnerable or who have a close relative who is immunosuppressed and (b) the staff working with those children who are either clinically extremely vulnerable or have a close relative who is immunosuppressed, of allowing children aged five to 11 in families where there is a confirmed covid-19 case to continue attending school; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department will always prioritise the health and welfare of staff, pupils and students.
At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, shielding was introduced as one of the few ways to support those who, at the time, were considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV).
The situation is now very different to when shielding was first introduced. We know a lot more about COVID-19 and what makes someone more or less vulnerable to the virus. The vaccine continues to be successfully rolled out, and other treatments and interventions are becoming available.
We are committed to protecting education, which is why the safety measures are based on the latest scientific advice and strike a balance between managing transmission risk with measures such as regular testing, enhanced ventilation and hygiene, and reducing disruption to face-to-face learning.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have not advised people to shield since 1 April 2021, and people previously identified as CEV were advised to follow the same guidance as the general population. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
All children and young people previously considered CEV were advised to return to childcare and education provision when shielding paused on 1 April. The decision to include children as part of the CEV group was based on the information that we had at the time. Now that we have more evidence, the clinical review panel has been able to recommend that all children and young people are no longer considered to be CEV and have been removed from the Shielded Patient List. However, if a child or young person has been advised to isolate or reduce their social contact by their specialist, due to the nature of their medical condition or treatment, they should continue to follow the advice of their specialist.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that children aged 5 to 11 in a clinical risk group, and household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, should be offered 2 10mcg doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with an interval of 8 weeks between the first and second doses. The NHS is working through updated guidance and will set out how this is going to be operationalised in due course.
Vaccines remain an effective measure against COVID-19. We recommend all school staff take up the offer of a vaccine.
Education providers should continue to ensure good hygiene for everyone, maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, keep spaces well ventilated and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19. They should continue to conduct risk assessments for their particular circumstances and take appropriate action in line with our guidance, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.
It is important that we reduce the disruption to children and young people’s education, particularly given that the direct clinical risks to children are extremely low. The evidence is clear that being out of education causes significant harm to educational attainment, life chances, mental and physical health, which is why children should continue to attend their education provision, unless they are symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19. All students and pupils aged 5 and above are strongly advised to take seven daily lateral flow device tests if they are identified by Test and Trace as a close contact of a confirmed positive case.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that staffing levels in the NHS do not become critical as a result of the mandatory covid-19 vaccine programme.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We continue to encourage all health workers to make the positive choice to take up the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect the people they care for, themselves and their colleagues. We have implemented a 12-week grace period, allowing time for workforce planning and for staff who are not yet vaccinated who may now wish to do so. We have set an enforcement date of 1 April 2022 to assist providers over the winter period and minimise workforce pressures. We are increasing opportunities to receive the vaccine through the booster programme such as walk-in and pop-up sites.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have written to all providers providing early guidance on vaccination as a condition of deployment to ensure smooth implementation and assist preparation and planning. Guidance has also been provided for managers on the use of one-to-one conversations with all unvaccinated National Health Service staff. We are also increasing engagement with targeted communities where uptake is lowest, including ethnic minority and faith networks to encourage healthcare workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Since the Government consulted on the policy in September, the latest data shows a net increase of over 75,000 NHS trust healthcare workers vaccinated with a first dose.
Asked by: Ben Bradley (Conservative - Mansfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimates his Department has made of the number of NHS and social care staff who may lose their employment as a result of the introduction of compulsory covid-19 vaccination in that sector.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Decisions on the dismissal of unvaccinated workers, rather than redeployment, if an option, or unpaid leave, will be for individual employers, therefore no specific estimate has been in the Department’s the impact assessment. The impact assessment estimates the number of workers who may remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 at the end of the 12-week grace period and are not medically exempt. This estimated to be 73,000 for National Health Service staff and 38,000 for social care workers in scope. The impact assessment is available at the following link:
Actual figures will depend on individual decisions and the positive choice to take up the offer of COVID-19 vaccination. The Government is focussed on improving vaccine uptake within the health and care workforce and the numbers of vaccinated staff are increasing. There are now 75,000 additional staff working in the NHS who have received a first dose of the vaccine since September.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has held discussions on introducing mandatory covid-19 vaccinations for school (a) teachers and (b) workers.
Answered by Robin Walker
Vaccinations are the best way we can protect ourselves and help keep children and young people in face-to-face education.
Since September, all eligible adults and young people aged 16 years and over who are at risk (including health and social care workers) have been offered two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Eligible adults can receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccination if they had their second dose of the vaccine at least 3 months prior.
All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccination, including boosters where eligible.