UK Teachers’ Union Urges Schools to Close As Country Hits Daily COVID-19 Record

With daily coronavirus infections that increase as a result of a new virus variantthe British government faced increasing pressure from teachers’ unions on Saturday to keep schools closed in England for at least two more weeks.

The government, which oversees schools in England, has already decided to close all schools in London next week to try to prevent new infections. Unions want the policy to extend across England and express concerns about the health of both teachers and children.

The UK hit a daily record for new coronavirus infections on Saturday – 57,725 – and appeared to be overtaking Italy again soon to become Europe’s hardest-hit country with nearly 75,000 COVID-19 deaths. The fear is that with increasing infections, the number of deaths will also increase in the coming weeks.

The UK has recorded the five highest daily new contamination numbers in the last five days – all over 50,000 and double what a few weeks ago.

Following an emergency meeting on Saturday, the National Education Union, which represents more than 450,000 education workers, called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government to put learning online for at least two weeks. It also told members they have a legal right not to work in an “unsafe environment” of accelerated coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

“We do our job as a union by informing our members that they have a legal right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions that endanger their health and the health of their school communities,” said Kevin Courtney, the partnership of the union, general secretary.

Another union representing teachers, the NASUWT, also called for an immediate nationwide switch to distance education due to virus safety concerns. Secretary-General Patrick Roach said there is “genuine concern” that schools and colleges cannot reopen safely at this time.

“The NASUWT will not hesitate to take appropriate measures to protect members whose safety is compromised due to the failure of employers or the government to ensure safe working conditions in schools and colleges,” he said.

The government’s own Emergency Scientific Advisory Group warned at a Dec. 22 meeting that schools should remain closed to reduce virus transmission rates.

The UK is facing a sharp spike in new cases due to a new virus variant that officials say could be up to 70% more contagious.