Chis Whitty warns MPs that unvaccinated children will catch COVID-19
Chris Witty, the chief medical officer for England, told the Commons Education Committee that it was ‘inevitable’ that unvaccinated children will be infected by COVID-19 and have their education disrupted.
Children may have to start wearing masks in the classroom
New Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said that he may ask children and students to start wearing face coverings again as part of the government’s ‘contingency plans’ to keep schools and colleges open, according to reports.
Recent figures showed that last week, one in twenty young people in secondary schools in England were estimated to have had COVID-19.
Secondary schools pupils urged to get vaccinated
Senior doctors have urged secondary school children to get vaccinated against COVID-19 after the death of a healthy 15-year-old girl highlighted that young people, with no underlying health conditions, are potentially still at risk.
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for healthy 12 to 15-year-olds in England started on Monday 20 September 2021.
COVID-19 vaccination guidance for schools
The government has published guidance on the COVID-19 vaccination programme for children and young people which explain the protocols schools need to follow for 12 to 15 year olds. It explains how parents or guardians can consent to having their child vaccinated and provides some information on when older children can consent without their parents’ agreement.
Guidance to promote children and young peoples’ mental health and wellbeing
After evidence emerged that one-in-six children aged 5 to 16-years have a mental health disorder, an increase from one in nine pre-pandemic, the government has updated its guides for schools and colleges to help them protect and promote young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Funding to train mental health leads
Schools and colleges that meet eligibility criteria will be able to apply for a grant of £1,200 to train senior leaders in mental health and wellbeing. The government estimates that grants will be available to around a third of all state schools and colleges this financial year.
The government has updated its guidance which explains how to apply for a grant and access DfE quality assured training to develop a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. Schools and colleges can use the grant to attend training and to cover the costs of supply staff whilst leads are engaged in learning.
Furlough claim dates
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ended on Thursday 30 September 2021. For claims relating to August and September 2021, the government will pay 60% of wages up to a maximum cap of £1,875 for the hours the employee is on furlough.
You must submit claims for September by Thursday 14 October 2021. If you need to make amendments, you need to submit these by Thursday 28 October 2021.
ICO starts consultation for updating guidance on GDPR and modern working practices
Almost a decade ago, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued two Employment Practices Codes: one intended for SMEs and supplementary guidance for larger organisations. Both are still available as guidance today, but are now out of date.
The rules around data protection changed in May 2018 when GDPR came into force. Individuals obtained new rights about the processing of their personal data such as portability and the right to be forgotten. Plus their existing rights were enhanced. In the context of the employment relationship, organisations had to navigate their way through these changes without the benefit of tailored advice from the regulator.
The world of work has changed significantly since 2011, fuelled by the proliferation of technological advances which allow organisations to monitor staff while they're at work and check their social media presence. These issues are extremely complicated, and it would be helpful to have an updated employment specific code employers could refer to. The ICO recognises that its codes need to be updated and is seeking views on:
- Recruitment selection and verification
- Employment records
- Monitoring at work
- Processing information about workers' health.
The ICO wants organisations to respond to its consultation to help it shape its approach. If you have examples of data protection issues that you’ve found difficult to resolve or have any general issues that you’d like the codes to cover, please respond.
The deadline for the consultation is Wednesday 27 October 2021 and you can access it here.
New rules for international travel
Ahead of half term, the government has published new guidance on travel restrictions that apply when travelling abroad and returning to England.
From Monday 4 October 2021, anyone who is fully vaccinated still needs to book and pay for a day two COVID-19 test after they arrive back in England. Anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated must take a COVID-19 test within three days before they travel to England and book and pay for day two and eight COVID-19 tests after arriving in England. They also have to quarantine at home for ten days unless they use the Test to Release Scheme.
Different rules apply to both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people returning to the UK from a red-list country who are still required to quarantine in a managed hotel for ten days.
DHSC announce end of shielding programme for most vulnerable
The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that people, previously considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable, won’t be asked to shield again. It has closed the shielding programme and advised CEV people to talk to their doctors about how best to manage their own conditions during the pandemic.
HSE publishes updated guidance on ventilation in the workplace
The Health and Safety Executive has published updated guidance on ventilation and how it can help reduce the spread of coronavirus. It covers how to identify poorly ventilated areas, the use of carbon dioxide monitors, how to improve natural and mechanical ventilation, balancing ventilation with keeping warm and ventilation in vehicles.
One in four employers are not giving staff paid time off to get COVID vaccinations
Acas has reported that one in four employers aren’t giving staff paid time off to receive the coronavirus vaccination. Also, one quarter of employers are not providing sick pay to those who are off work due to the side effects of the vaccine.
Read more – October 2021
For general enquiries
0808 291 3524
Or we can call you back at a time of your choice
Phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year
