UK teachers’ union urges schools to close as COVID-19 achieves daily record

With daily coronavirus infections that increase due to a new virus variant, the British government on Saturday came under increasing pressure from teachers’ unions to keep schools in England closed for at least another two weeks.

The government, which oversees schools in England, has already decided to keep all schools in London closed next week to try to stem new infections. Trade unions want the policy to be expanded across England and to express concern for the health of both teachers and children.

The UK set a daily record for new coronavirus infections on Saturday – 57,725 – and it looks like it will soon overtake Italy again to become the worst-hit country in Europe, with nearly 75,000 COVID-19 deaths. The fear is that the increase in infections will also increase the number of deaths in the coming weeks.

The United Kingdom has recorded its five highest daily new infection rates in the past five days – all more than 50,000 and being double from just a few weeks ago.

After an emergency meeting on Saturday, the National Education Union, which represents more than 450,000 education workers, called on the Conservative government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson to do the learning online for at least two weeks. It also told members that they have a legal right not to have to work in an ‘unsafe environment’ of accelerated coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

“We are doing our job as a union by informing our members that they have the legal right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions that are a danger to their health and the health of their school communities,” said Kevin Courtney, the joint collaborator of the union, said. general secretary.

Another union representing teachers, the NASUWT, has also called for an immediate nationwide switch to remote education due to virus safety issues. General Secretary Patrick Roach said there was a serious concern that schools and colleges could not reopen safely at the moment.

“The NASUWT will not hesitate to take appropriate steps to protect members whose safety is jeopardized due to the failure of employers or the government to ensure safe working conditions in schools and colleges,” he said.

The government’s own emergency scientific advisory group warned at a December 22 meeting that schools should remain closed to reduce virus transmission rates.

The UK is struggling with a sharp increase in new cases due to a new virus variant which, according to officials, can be up to 70% more contagious.