Schools drawing up plans to stay shut in January as Omicron fears grow
SCHOOLS are already drawing up plans to stay shut in January as Omicron fears grow.
The blueprint emerged as the number of children absent due to Covid soared to 235,600 — the second highest this year.
As alarm grows that the nation is moving towards a new lockdown, panicked heads are planning a slew of restrictions for after Christmas.
Several schools have already shut early due to staff shortages or Omicron concerns.
It comes as...
- Ministers voted to approve Plan B measures including vaccine passports in clubs and stadiums
- Fears are growing that pubs and restaurants will have to close after Christmas
- Scots were told to limit their mixing to just three households
- Covid restrictions such as indoor mask rules and bubbles are being 'considered' by ministers for Christmas
- The travel red list will be scrapped and all 11 countries taken off
And The Sun understands several in London and Kent have told parents to make sure children take all their books and devices home in their final days of term — in case they have to return to online learning next month.
Steve Chalke, head of the Oasis Academy chain, said his schools are preparing to bring back bubbles, rota lessons, staggered starts and an extension of mask wearing.
He said: “We are quite prepared for online learning. If we get to January 2 and the Prime Minister says all schools need to be shut, we are prepared.
“January is the great unknown. But Omicron is sweeping London now and it is going to sweep the country.”
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He said around 400 of his 4,000 teachers are off sick — and warned this number could “treble or quadruple”.
Geoff Barton, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools were already seeing “severe low attendance” due to so many pupils being ill with Covid.
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National Association of Head Teachers’ chief Paul Whiteman said: “The Government needs to think very carefully about the mitigations it needs to take to keep schools open next term. Doing nothing is not a plausible or realistic option.”
Department for Education sources played down speculation of a shutdown, insisting ministers are doing everything possible to keep schools open.
Fears of a lockdown have risen after Omicron ripped through the UK.
Boris Johnson has implemented Plan B measures - including working from home and vaccine passports needed for nightclubs and football matches.
From 6am today, people in England will have to prove they've either been double-jabbed or tested negative in the past 48 hours to enter "high-risk settings".
Anyone faking a test faces as much as a £10,000 fine.
The Sun revealed that secret plans are also being drawn up to close pubs and restaurants in case Omicron cripples hospitals.
But some MPs have been able to rule out snap restrictions being slapped on Brits over the Christmas period.
Downing Street insisted there are "no plans" for more curbs and are instead relying on the booster campaign to beat the variant.
Boris turbo-charged a fresh booster campaign this week, vowing everyone will be offered a chance to get a third jab by the end of the month.
More than half a million were delivered yesterday as The Sun's Jabs Army campaign rallied volunteers to help the mission.
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Omicron cases jumped by 633 across the UK yesterday.
On Monday 4,713 there were confirmed cases of Omicron in the UK, although it's thought the number of daily infections was 42 times higher at around 200,000.
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