TEACHERS’ trade unions in Britain and Ireland wrote to the education ministers today to warn against the premature reopening of schools.

The letter, signed by the general secretaries of 10 unions, warned of the “very real risk of creating a spike in the transmission” of Covid-19 if schools are opened too early.

An establishment of sufficient capacity to “test, trace and isolate” the infection is needed before schools reopen, the letter said, and it called for “significant operational changes in place to ensure effective social distancing, strong hygiene routines linked to thorough cleansing practices, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) available where required, and ongoing risk assessments in place to monitor operations.”