Blackburn With Darwen Council update

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR SCHOOLS, PRE-SCHOOLS AND NURSERIES:

Blackburn with Darwen’s Director of Public Health has advised schools, pre-schools and nurseries to delay their wider opening until at least 22 June in response to the regional rise in the Covid infection rate – known as the R rate.

After careful consideration, head teachers were advised last night to delay opening for all year groups for at least two further weeks.

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Director of Public Health, Professor Dominic Harrison, said:

“This revised guidance is a direct result of information released on Friday afternoon by Public Health England and central government which estimates the R value is now above the critical value of 1 for the North West.”

He added:

“Our local approach has been to be cautious, making safe and sensible decisions.

“This delay will allow us to continue to review all of the evidence made available to us in the next two weeks and to seek to be more assured that the rate of infection is reducing and R is firmly below 1.

“ I will continue to monitor what is a fast-evolving situation very closely.

“I am seeking further clarity from Public Health England and central government and will keep my advice to schools under constant review.”

Councillor Julie Gunn, the Council’s Executive Member for Children and Education, added:

“Children and young people have been absolutely amazing in how they are dealing with the uncertainty that this pandemic has brought from the very beginning.

“We know this may be a disappointment to children who are looking forward to going back to school, and to their parents who will need to explain this to them, but we want to say to children that we need to make sure that you and your teachers are happy and healthy when you are at school.”

All settings continue to remain open for vulnerable children and the children of key workers as they have been since the start of the national lockdown.

Schools will be contacting parents directly with full updates

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