CV&CC Update 16th February 2021.

CV&CC Update

Tuesday 16^th February (half-term)

Situation Update

Further to last week’s covid outbreak, eight colleagues in total have now tested positive (6 support staff, 2 teachers, plus 1 volunteer LFT tester); fifteen colleagues and four LFT testers were required to isolate. Covid-19 is a nasty and somewhat random virus: while most of my eight colleagues are over the worst of the symptoms, one or two aren’t, and about half report a fatigue which is dragging on. Most of the affected members of staff and those isolating have ended their period of isolation yesterday or today. Four clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) staff remain shielding.

Before Christmas 12 students tested positive for covid, as well as 31 family/household members. Over the holiday we were informed of 2 further students testing positive. Since the start of term there have been 7 students with a positive result and 16 family/household members. Before the College closed, attendance in the KWV provision was just over 15% of the College roll, which is higher than Devon and England averages.

Please keep informing us of any positive tests, even it seems daft because it’s half-term or you are in lockdown !

Local Rates

Locally to Clyst Vale, numbers of new infections once again have largely continued to decline in the past week and remain well below national averages. According to the NEU covid map for schools, in the last week East Devon has fallen from 99 to 63 cases per 100,000, and the BBC gives 65 cases; Broadclyst, Cranbrook, Stoke Canon and area has also fallen from 94 to 66/100,000; Exeter has fallen from 61 to 51/100,000 (NEU) but increased according to the BBC to 79, but Pinhoe and area has increased a little to 63 from 77. The national average for the BBC figures is 125/100,000 which is a steady decline from last week’s 188. (The NEU and BBC use different dates).

When will all students return to school ?

As the date of 22^nd February nears, when there will be a Prime Ministerial announcement, so the press speculation is increasing. It appears that the government are determined that schools re-open on 8^th March, although there can be no guarantee, but it is far from clear whether this will be a phased return or all-at-once. If it is all-at-once, it is even less clear how schools will manage the mass screening of (in our case) 1000 tests before we sit down to study. Hopefully, all will be revealed next week.

Summer Exams 2021

At the risk of repeating myself, hopefully all will be revealed next week.

Lateral Flow Testing:

Although we don’t know the details of mass-testing, it is likely that it will happen in some form or other. However, we require parental permission, of course. If you need it, here is the link to the form: Student Consent form for Covid-19 testing, and you can find the accompanying letter and Privacy Notice on our website, at http://www.clystvale.org/c19/

Key Points to Remember for 22^nd Feb Onwards, Please

• Please do not send your child to school if they have covid symptoms.
• Please do not send your child to school if they have had symptoms and are waiting for a test result even if they seem better.
• If any member of a household has symptoms, everyone must stay away from school or work until the test result is known. If positive, everyone must isolate for 10 days from the start of symptoms or 10 days from the test date if there were no symptoms.
• Please tell us [student absence; AtHoS; Post-16] if your child or household member has symptoms; test dates and results; dates you have been given for a return to school. This applies even if your child is not attending College.
• Please use the number below for reporting an “out-of-hours” positive test result.
• Students should wear masks at all times unless exempt. Except lessons, when actually eating/drinking, and if outside AND at 1m+ distance from one another.