Northamptonshire: Schools in Covid hotspots bringing back masks

The requirement for pupils to wear masks in secondary schools was removed earlier this year but schools can reintroduce them

The director of public health for two districts with high rates of Covid-19 said she "supports" the return of face coverings in secondary schools.

At least four schools in Corby and two in Kettering, both in Northamptonshire, have asked for masks in communal areas.

Kettering has the highest case rate in England, while Corby has the third.

Lucy Wightman said Covid-19 in school pupils was a "challenge" and regular pupil testing had detected "a lot more [positive] cases".

At the start of term, schools in England were advised face coverings were no longer routinely needed for staff or pupils, although they were still recommended in crowded spaces such as on school buses.

But the Department for Education said schools could temporarily reintroduce bubble groups and face masks in communal spaces in areas with higher Covid rates.

Kettering has the highest case rate of Covid-19, overtaking its Northamptonshire neighbour Corby

According to the latest figures, Kettering had 741 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days up to 20 September, a 75% week-on-week rise.

Neighbouring Corby had 658 cases per 100,000 people, an 8% increase in infection rates.

Northamptonshire director of public health Lucy Wightman said the vaccination of 12 to 15-year-olds should help lower case rates

Ms Wightman said schools were "doing the best they can".

On bringing back face coverings in schools, she said: "We would support and advocate for any of the those head teachers making a decision like that.

"Clearly some schools are designed in such a way that people will end up in close proximity and, if you have case rates as high as we've seen, why would people not take those precautions to try and reduce risk to them and that disruption to education and the risk to the wider population?"

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Ms Wightman said the vaccination of 12 to 15-year-olds in the county was due to start next week.

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