Question reference: S6W-02808
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 9 September 2021
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Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 September 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its policy that schools remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, what its position is on whether (a) significant mitigations are needed in schools and (b) community transmissions must be kept to a minimum; what additional policies it will implement to ensure that children and young people do not face disproportionate risks to their long-term health as a result of COVID-19, and what the timescales are for any such action.
Answer
Our focus has been, and remains, on keeping our school communities safe including minimising the risk of any long-term impact of the pandemic. The First Minister confirmed in her update to Parliament on 14 September, that we are retaining the current suite of mitigations in schools for the time being. This decision follows the latest recommendations of the advisory sub-group on education and children’s issues, and was taken after very careful consideration. The measures in place in schools and across wider society are crucial in reducing infection but we will continue to keep the requirements under very close review.