Covid in Scotland: Pupil tests 'not mandatory', Scottish government says

Official minutes stated that pupils were 'required' to take a Covid test before term begins

The Scottish government has clarified its position on testing school pupils for Covid, after official minutes stated a test would be "required" before term begins.

Last term lateral flow tests were available to secondary school pupils but they were not mandatory.

However a document from a meeting on 10 June said pupils would have to take a lateral flow test one week before term.

The government said testing would be "encouraged" but "not mandatory".

The comment emerged in minutes of the Scottish government's Covid-19 education recovery group, which is co-chaired by Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

A government spokesperson said the group was continuing to monitor the latest data and public health advice as they plan for the new school year.

"Asymptomatic testing is one of a range of mitigations used against the spread of Covid-19 in schools," they said.

"We will continue to strongly encourage staff and secondary pupils to take part in regular testing, including in the days immediately prior to return, although the programme will remain voluntary.

"Testing will not be mandatory. Updated guidance on mitigations will be provided to local authorities and schools in advance of the new term."

'Optimal approach'

The meeting included an update from a contingency planning working group, which said mitigations in schools would be maintained to the end of term due to "uncertainty" over the Delta variant.

These mitigations included secondary pupils wearing face coverings at all times and being given access to twice-weekly lateral flow testing.

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Minutes stated that a request had been made to change the contact tracing system in schools which had resulted in high numbers of pupils and staff having to self isolate.

A decision to ease measures in schools would be made once term begins and will be "based on the assessment of the public health position", the document said.

After stating that pupils would be "required" to do latera flow tests before the term starts, the minutes said: "It was agreed that this was the optimal approach under the circumstances and one that will give the maximum level of certainty possible at this juncture to aid planning within schools and local authorities."

Vaccines for young people

On Tuesday the Scottish government confirmed children over 12 who are at higher risk of falling ill from Covid would be offered the vaccine.

However the majority of children, who are low risk, will not be offered the jab for now.

It followed advice from the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which conducted a study of whether children aged 12 to 17 should all be offered a Covid-19 vaccine.

They concluded that those with severe neurodisabilities, Down's syndrome, a severely weakened immune system or profound learning disabilities should be offered a jab - along with over-12s who live with someone with a weak immune system.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that "each and every person who gets jagged helps us take a step back to normality", and that any groups who do not do so present a "vulnerability against the virus".

She said: "Covid is less of a threat to young people, but that doesn't mean it poses no threat at all.

"Some young people do need hospital care when they get the virus, some can even end up in intensive care, and as we know young people can get long Covid - which we still don't fully understand the implications of.

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