Covid-19: Guernsey school closures extended to Monday

Reopening to vulnerable students and the children of key workers will be accompanied by a "robust" testing regime

Guernsey's schools will stay closed to all students on Monday in light of a recent coronavirus outbreak.

Cases have risen to more than 100 since lockdown was announced, with 39 of them linked to 11 education settings.

The closures include all early years providers and childminders and the "dynamic" situation will be reviewed on Monday, the States of Guernsey said.

When reopening begins, the children of key workers and vulnerable students will be the first to return to school.

So far, 24 students and 15 staff members have tested positive for Covid-19.

On Thursday, Civil Contingencies Authority (CCA) chairman Peter Ferbrache said it was "more likely than not" schools would remain closed.

'Robust testing system'

Once approved, the reopening process will begin with the children of the "most essential workers and the most vulnerable children" to help free people who are "key to the response to coronavirus", the States explained.

This could mean a review of essential worker lists from the first lockdown to keep student and staff numbers in schools down, but no detail about exactly who this would include has been given.

The decision to postpone reopening was made by the CCA to plan and set up a "robust testing system" to support bringing some children back into school.

A spokesman said: "There is a strong appetite to get settings reopened as soon as possible, however everyone involved also wants to make sure the decision is made when it is safe to do so, without putting anyone at any unnecessary risk."

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