Coronavirus: Schools sent home testing kit email in 'error'

The Department of Education (DE) has called an email to schools from a government department "regrettable".

Schools across Northern Ireland received an email from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on Saturday.

It said they would receive 10 home testing kits for Covid-19 by 20:00 BST on Monday.

It referred to schools as "care homes" and said someone had to be available to accept delivery of the kits.

According to DE, the email was caused by an "automation error".

Schools in Northern Ireland are to be provided with home testing kits for parents of pupils with symptoms of Covid-19.

The kits are intended to allow families who cannot travel to a testing centre to carry out a test for coronavirus.

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Education Minister Peter Weir had accepted an invitation from DHSC to be part of the scheme, which is also being rolled out in England.

But DE had told school principals that it would provide Northern Ireland specific guidance on the delivery of the kits.

Instead, schools received an email from the DHSC in the UK at 14:00 BST on Saturday in which they were described as "care homes".

It said kits would be delivered by 20:00 BST on Monday, after many schools would have closed for the day.

"Please ensure that you or a member of your organisation are available to receive this delivery," it said.

"Note that you must accept this delivery.

"You must register each test kit after the sample has been collected, and before it is given to the courier."

As a result, DE sent a subsequent email to schools in Northern Ireland on Sunday in which it said it was "aware that a further erroneous email" had been sent out by the DHSC.

"It is regrettable that this has happened," DE said.

"The department was assured by colleagues in DHSC that no further emails of this nature would be sent.

"Unfortunately this email was the result of an automation error.

"You will have noticed from the title and content that this was not intended for schools."

The department also said it was working to ensure no further emails were sent in error, but told schools to ignore any that arrived.

"We are also urgently seeking clarity with DHSC around the status of delivery of test kits, but please be assured that no school staff are expected to take receipt of testing kits or stay out of normal school hours in expectation of delivery," DE said.

The department also said it was developing guidance on the supply and use of home testing kits by schools with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.