The Government says that all secondary school pupils should take 2 rapid Covid-19 tests, 3 to 5 days apart, in school at the start of term. Pupils, along with all school staff, are then expected to continue to take a rapid Covid-19 test twice a week – either at home or in school if they are unable to do it at home – until at least the end of September, when this policy will be reviewed.
Staff and pupils who return a positive rapid test result will need to self-isolate and book a PCR test. If the PCR test is taken within 2 days of the positive rapid test and is negative, they can return to school, as long as they don’t have any symptoms of Covid-19.
People are not required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as, or a a close contact of, someone with Covid-19, if they are below the age of 18 and a half, or are fully vaccinated or cannot have the vaccine for medical reasons. Instead, they will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and advised to take a PCR test.
16 and 17 year olds are also urged to get their Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible, and secondary age pupils should continue to be worn in enclosed and crowded spaces, such as on public and school transport.
For more information about the return to school, please visit GOV.UK.
Latest figures show there were 353.6 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the last 7 days. That means 930 people tested positive for the virus in that same period – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.
