New guidance on opening in colleges in England in September was issued yesterday. It can be found here and in a nutshell the changes are:
- The priority will be to deliver face-to-face education
- Risk assessments must be live with proportionate control measures and arrangements to ensure they are effective
- Bubbles will no longer operate unless a local outbreak management plan deems it necessary
- Under 18s will no longer need to isolate but instead take a PCR test if they are a close contact to a positive case. Over 18s have 4 months to get vaccinated (during which time they are treated as under 18s) and then will be treated the same as adults, i.e. they will have to self-isolate if they have refused the vaccine
- Face-coverings will not be required either in college or on dedicated transport
- All colleges will need to ensure that students returning have 2 LFTs 3-5 days apart and this can commence 3 days before the start of term Twice weekly home testing thereafter.
- Colleges can refuse to admit any student displaying symptoms
- Some vocations areas may bring in extra precautions (the RA should identify these)
- Remote education planning is needed as a contingency measure.