Concern over 'contradictory' COVID advice to Falkirk pupils on self isolating

Schools in Falkirk have been told that if a parent has been contacted by Track and Trace and told to self-isolate, their children must also stay at home.

But that is not advice on the NHS website, which says only the families of someone with symptoms have to stay in isolation.

Ian Ford says his daughter, who is sitting Higher prelims soon, is anxious about missing out on preparations for her test - which could be vital if next year's exams are cancelled as they were this year.

Mr Ford's wife was contacted by Track and Trace and told to self-isolate as a close contact had tested positive for Covid-19 - but the letter she received said that her family would not need to do so.

However, his daughter's school showed him an email received by all Falkirk Council schools this week stating that pupils in this council area should not attend if their parents have been contacted by Track and Trace.

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David Mackay, Falkirk Council's head of education said: “The additional guidance is in place across the Forth Valley area to reduce the number of children who require to self-isolate due to contact with a Covid-19 positive classmate and is an additional safety measure to the core national guidance which is in place across all areas of Scotland.

“We have been following this guidance since September to help keep schools and nurseries as safe as possible.

"All schools are able to support home based learning.”

Falkirk Council says that this additional local guidance from the local director of public health was developed in partnership with the directors of education in all three local councils in Forth Valley.

They say that locally there is strong evidence that when adults develop Covid-19 their children are also likely to catch the virus but may not display typical symptoms.

The local guidance asks adults who have been identified as a close contact of a positive case to arrange, where possible, for their children to be home schooled or undertake distance learning rather than attending the classroom or nursery during the period they are self-isolating.

The statement added: "Following this additional guidance has helped prevent many children who subsequently tested positive from attending local schools and therefore avoided having to send large numbers of their classmates home to isolate.

"It is not a legal requirement but an additional request to help keep schools and nurseries as safe as possible."

Mr Ford, who is a member of two parent councils, says the schools he has spoken to were not aware of this guidance until now.

He said: "I want to keep people safe but we're getting messages from John Swinney saying that kids should be in school and that all the evidence and science supports that.

"This guidance also contradicts advice in a letter being issued by the same health board.

"I really think they have to get their act together."

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