Teachers ‘are more likely to catch coronavirus in the staff room than the classroom’ says government science expert
- Professor Graham Medley said data showed teachers transmitted in staff room
- He said in lecture: ‘Teachers are very good at transmitting to each other’
- Words come as unions seek to derail Boris Johnson’s plans to get schools open
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Teachers are most at risk from coronavirus while in the staff room, the government’s chief pandemic modeller has claimed.
Professor Graham Medley said data showed the room could act as a ‘kind of bigger hub of transmission than the classroom’ during an online lecture at Cambridge University.
It comes as Boris Johnson‘s plan to re-open schools on June 1 is thrown into chaos by education unions threatening to tell their members not to attend school.
And as government scientific advisor Osama Rahman admits there is a ‘low confidence’ that pupils can’t spread coronavirus.
Professor Graham Medley said data showed staff rooms could act as a ‘bigger transmission hub’ than the classroom (stock image left)
Gavin Williamson has accused education unions of ‘scaremongering’ as the government prepares to launch a staggered return to schools
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) professor said during an online lecture that ‘teachers are very good at transmitting to each other, but less good at transmitting to children’.
‘We’re still watching (the staff room space) very closely.’
In a recording obtained by the Daily Telegraph he adds that the UK government’s scientific advice is made up of ‘educated quesswork’.
‘At the moment, we’re having to do it by making educated guesswork, and institution and experience, rather than being able to do it in some kind of semi-formal way,’ he said.
‘But a half-good answer given before the decision is made is infinitely more useful than a perfect answer given after the decision is made.’
Schools have remained shuttered due to the coronavirus outbreak. In England they will start to reopen from June 1
Boris Johnson plans to launch a staggered return to schools next month with pupils in reception, year 1 and year 6 the first to go back in England.
But the plans have been slammed as ‘reckless’ by teaching unions despite a previous WHO study saying they hadn’t found any children under the age of ten that had spread the coronavirus infection.
Government adviser Mr Rahman said a growing body of evidence had suggested children were much more likely to suffer much mild or no coronavirus symptoms compared to adults.
But he admitted this could threaten outbreaks in crowded schools which are unable to enforce social distancing, and potentially lead to pupils spreading the disease in the wider community.
Boris Johnson’s plan to get schools moving again has been slammed since he announced it in a broadcast to the nation on Sunday
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has blasted unions in the Commons for ‘scaremongering’.
Mr Williamson said: ‘The only consideration behind this decision is what is in the best interests of children and those who work in schools.
‘And we all recognised the importance of children being able to return to schools. And sometimes scaremongering and making people fear is really unfair and not a welcome pressure that is to be placed on families, children and teachers alike.’