Thread by @MamaToronto

“Zahawi orders #LongCovid shake-up as teacher cases rise

tes.com/magazine/news/…

Education secretary to issue new guidance on long Covid, as unions say teachers should get up to 12 months of full-paid leave if diagnosed with the condition

10th June 2022”

“The education secretary has asked officials to draw up new guidance on long Covid for schools as cases continue to rise among teachers and support staff…”

“Nadhim Zahawi's request comes as Department for Education research suggests that more than 1/3 of secondary schools are reporting workforce challenges due to #LongCovid .”

“It also comes as teaching unions unveil a new joint protocol, seen by Tes, which calls for staff who have been medically diagnosed with long Covid to be given up to 12 months of full-paid leave.”

“Mr Zahawi and unions are acting against a backdrop of rising concern from scientists that the continued rise in teachers suffering from long Covid is "eroding" the workforce and will have "devastating consequences".”

“An investigation by Tes in February found that a lack of guidance for schools on how to approach #LongCovid was compounding problems for leaders and staff, who also faced scepticism about the condition and a lack of legal and medical advice.”

“Now Tes has learned that the DfE is preparing guidance on the condition for schools, in a move being welcomed by education unions.”

“Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said any guidance needs to come "as soon as possible" as school staff and leaders are "experiencing the impact of #LongCovid right now".”

“She hoped any guidance or research would "show an understanding of the scale of the issue" as well as the "impact on staff and pupils, and how best to support them if they are suffering from the effects of #LongCovid".”

“Ms McCulloch also highlighted the potential need for "additional funding" to help to pay for supply cover where schools are "struggling to fill the gaps".”

“Meanwhile, Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said government guidance on #LongCovid in the education sector would be a "welcome step" but was something that should have begun "months ago".”

“He hoped the guidance would look at the symptoms of #LongCovid, the need for fair treatment and the high prevalence in the sector due to the "greater risks of catching Covid in school".”

“#LongCovid in schools: call to extend sick pay

The joint protocol, formed by the NEU, the NASUWT, the ASCL and more, sets out a "temporary suspension of some elements of the sickness absence scheme for staff medically diagnosed with #LongCovid".”

“It also outlines that members of staff who have had #LongCovid symptoms for 12 mos or more, or who are assessed by an approved med practitioner as having symptoms likely to last 12 mos or more, may receive paid disability leave while waiting for adjustments to be put in place.”

“Since Tes' investigation in February setting out the damaging effects of #LongCovid on schools, there has been even more evidence demonstrating the scale of the problem.”

“For example, DfE research published last month found that the condition was causing workforce challenges in more than a third of secondary schools (36%) and more than a quarter (29%) of primaries surveyed.”

“More than one in 10 (14%) of schools said that staff absence due to #LongCovid had been more of an issue in the spring term of this year than in the autumn.”

“And the problem only seems to be growing in the aftermath of the #Omicron wave.

Office for National Statistics research, published earlier this month, shows the highest incidence of self-reported #LongCovid of any period since records began in April 2021.”

“Teachers hit hard by #LongCovid

There are now an estimated 2 million people in the UK living with #LongCovid (around 3.1 per cent of the population), according to the ONS statistics.”

(*Self-reported)

“But as more details emerge on the ongoing slow pandemic of the condition and its effects on school staffing, scientists are warning that the picture is even worse than feared.”

“For example, it has long been understood that "breakthrough" infections - when an individual develops the virus despite vaccination - could lead to #LongCovid “

“ …Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College…there had been more breakthrough cases of #LongCovid than may have initially been expected.

As a result, we were now "in the process of paying a very high price for having it rip through the schools", he said.”

H/T @elisaperego78

Thank you for all you do.

https://twitter.com/elisaperego78/status/1535189254745251840?s=20&t=VovFI71hHKD4BDcXT5mH3w

#MAIM

#LongCovid
#onted